2017-2018 League Accomplishments

2017-2018 was a celebratory year for the Junior League of Elizabeth-Plainfield with the League turning 95 years as a Junior League chapter in Spring 2018! Under the leadership of President Nydia M Diefenbach and President-Elect Suzanne Gallagher, members touched hundreds of lives in Union County through our community service programs. Below are some of our highlights from the year.

Career Closet

  • Dressed 115 women and teens from 15 different community partners.
  • Hosted three Sip & Sorts – summer, fall, spring – to help support Career Closet sorting needs.
  • Organized 2nd annual Women’s Empowerment Day and hosted two “Heeling for Hope” events for teen girls from the Family Support Organization of Union County.

Angel Tree and Helping Hands

  • Angel Tree collected and delivered 182 Angel Tree Christmas gifts for community partner Healthy Families in Elizabeth.   
  • Angel Tree hosted three League wide Sorting Parties and a New Member Holiday Ornament Making event.
  • Helping Hands worked with six community service partners participating in ten volunteer events.
    • Roots2Wings 5K race benefiting community partner Roots & Wings.
    • Backpack and school supplies drive for community partner Emmanuel Cancer Center.
    • Roots & Wings annual Rise & Fly Gala.
    • Thanksgiving themed care packages for community partner Cranford Family Care.
    • Holiday care packages, including handmade cards, supporting our military servicemen and women.
    • Chop ‘n’ Chats providing hot meals for community partner Cranford Family Care.
    • Totes for Kids care packages for community partner YWCA Union County.
    • Easter baskets for community partner Emmanuel Cancer Center. 
    • Homemade cards for community partner Imagine to send to their clients on the anniversary of their loss.
    • Collected food to support community partner Cranford Family Care’s food pantry.

Teen Closet

  • Hosted three career focused Teen Empowerment Workshops at The Liberty Center in Elizabeth NJ.
  • 75 girls benefited from workshop series.
  • Career topics included:
    • Medicine, Technology, and Engineering
    • Arts and Education
    • Business and Law
  • Participants also learned resume writing and public speaking skills along with college admissions tips.

League/Statewide Projects

  • Celebrated 95 years as a Junior League chapter with the Sustainer run A Day at the Races social fundraiser, raising over $10,000 for future Scholarship Award Recipients!
  • Raised a combined total of over $4,000 through the League’s first ever Little Black Dress, Lord & Taylor Charity Sale, LBD The Bar Method Westfield social and Smart & Sexy grant, all benefitting signature projects Career Closet and Teen Closet.
  • Raised $850 for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts for sister TX Leagues.
  • Awarded three $2,000 scholarships to deserving high school senior female leaders.
  • Welcomed 14 new members!
  • Hosted New Member Fall and Spring happy/coffee hours plus a Spring New Member Brunch.
  • Hosted social events including summer cocktails, AR Fall social, Christmas cookie swap, Bunco dice game, and Derby hat making as well as participating in Cranford’s annual Scarecrow Stroll and Fall Street Fair.
  • Sent JLEP members to Fall Leadership training in Salt Lake City, ODI training in Orlando, and Annual Conference in Memphis along with NJ State Council networking events and the NJ Get on Board leadership training.
  • Participated in NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking's "Human Trafficking:  Surviving and Thriving" providing over 200+ career wear outfits to social services agency Dreamcatchers.