Celebrating its centennial year, the Junior League of Chattanooga is looking back on its 100-year legacy and partnership with the Chattanooga community in training women leaders and in investing in the city’s future. Since inception, the League has donated over $2 million to community partners and local initiatives, including funding over $450,000 in grants for Hamilton County teachers since 1988 through its Mini-Grants for Teachers Program.
In addition to community fundraising, the JLC has been instrumental in building the nature center at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, while working closely with the Girls' Club of Chattanooga and the Hamilton County Juvenile Court System. At one time, the League also operated nurseries for working mothers and is credited with printing roughly 4,000 activity booklets for children in local hospitals and child-care facilities.
“Pitching in and giving back is the principle on which the Junior League was founded, and one our members have worked to live out each day since 1917,” said Junior League of Chattanooga President Caroline Walker.
Through the years, the League has received numerous awards, including the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's 2011 Nonprofit of the Year Award, the 2011 WTCI Be More Engaging Award— People's Choice, Erlanger Medical Center’s Second Century Fellows Award and the Orange Grove Recognition Award. JLC was additionally recognized as an Ambassador of Goodwill for the City of Chattanooga.
“Our league has been known for pushing boundaries, finding needs and diving in to serve,” said Ms. Walker. “It’s both humbling and deeply rewarding to think back on the impact the Junior League of Chattanooga has made in our community over the last 100 years. There have been hundreds of women who have invested their time, energy and talents to make lasting change in this community.”
Honoring the women behind JLC’s legacy, the League recognized Children’s Advocacy Center of Hamilton County Executive Director and Junior League of Chattanooga Past-President Shelley McGraw with the 2017 Elise Chapin Moon Award, praising Ms. McGraw’s outstanding service to both JLC and the community as a whole. In April, the League will also be holding a Centennial Gala, while launching a host of new projects in cooperation with a wide array of past community partners.
Founded in 1917 by Elise Chapin Moon and C.C. Nottingham, the Junior League of Chattanooga is the oldest volunteer organization for women in Chattanooga, the second oldest Junior League in the South and the 19th oldest League in the country. Today, the Junior League of Chattanooga has over 400 members committed to empowering local women and building a better community. For more information, please visit www.JLChatt.org or follow the Junior League of Chattanooga on Facebook.