The Junior League of Daytona Beach assesses its programs each year to meet the most current needs of the community. Here are some of our past programs:

• Best Foot Forward: The Junior League of Daytona Beach provided the opportunity for more than 120 children from four local Title I schools to shop for back-to-school clothing. This event provided clothing, socks, and underwear to all children, as well as a new pair of shoes and a jacket. After enjoying a pizza party at their schools, the children were bused to a department store and shop with their personal shopper.

• Kids in the Kitchen: Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen was a combined effort to give children a foundation of health, wellness and community interaction with our first-responders and their vehicles. In an effort to combat childhood obesity and poor nutrition, the Junior League of Daytona Beach provided students at two local Title I schools the tools to independently prepare healthy snacks and promote physical activity. These students received hands-on interaction with our local service vehicles and a chance to ask our first-responders questions about their careers and duties.

• Spring/Fall Fling at Easterseals: Spring/Fall Fling was an event held at the Easter Seals of Volusia and Flagler Counties in Daytona Beach.  This was a heart-warming opportunity for members to interact with clients of Easterseals’ pre-school to provide respite care for their hard-working caregivers.

• Community Baby Shower: The Junior League partnered with Healthy Start each Fall and Spring to reach at-risk moms-to-be in the community and provide essential products, diapers, and other baby supplies to ensure the attendees’ children have a good start in life. The program included educational materials and speakers from our community partners focusing on proper sleep techniques, breastfeeding, and other important issues new moms faces.

• Head Start Literacy Event: The Junior League donates a book to almost 700 Head Start children. Many of these children have never personally owned a book which makes it a memorable event when a Junior League member reads the book aloud in class.

• Jewish Federation Backpack Stuffing: We partnered with the Jewish Federation each year, providing both monetary and volunteer support, to ensure that more than 6,200 children receive needed school supplies that they are unable to afford.

• Great Kid’s Explorer Club: The Junior League provides over 100 food baskets to under served families during the Winter break to subsidize the breakfast and lunch that is received at no cost during the school year.

• Project WARM (Women Assisting Recovering Mothers): A center for the treatment and temporary housing of chemically-dependent women and their children, was initiated and founded by the Junior League of Daytona Beach. It is now run by Stewart Marchman-ACT.

• Pampering Day: Once a year the Junior League had the opportunity to pamper women participating in Project WARM and women from the Domestic Abuse Council for a day. Participants receive haircuts, manicures, pedicures, and massages while their children are provided care.

• Family Tree House Visitation Center: The Junior League of Daytona Beach opened and supported this facility which provides a safe, neutral setting for visits between parents and children separated due to custody issues.

• Camp Begin Again: In 2006, the League donated $10,000 and began supplying volunteers for this weekend retreat (run by Hospice of Volusia/Flagler) for young people age 6 to 18 who recently lost a loved one.

• Homeless Assistance/STAR Center: The Junior League of Daytona Beach donated $100,000 to the Homeless Assistance Center Capital Campaign to facilitate the building of a shelter. Our continued efforts supported the Homeless Assistance Center also included donations of birthday kits and blankets. The  “Teen Outreach Program,” where our members mentored the young individuals through planned activities and scholarships for school programs, such as athletics, theater, etc.