Foster Kids Graduation Party — JLO helps to support young adults identified by the state Department of Social and Health Services as participants in the foster care program by providing them with graduation gifts and a graduation celebration as they leave their foster families to start a life on their own. We generally support about 10 graduating students and fulfill their identified needs for items to start their new lives.

Little Red Schoolhouse, Back-to-school Drive — Each August JLO teams up with Little Red School House and other community partners to provide school supplies, backpacks, clothing, shoes and coats to school aged children in need. In 2006, 2007 children were served.

 

Little Red Schoolhouse 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlUOBBTL9FU

Keystone Crisis Nursery — This community partner program connects at-risk-parents, who desperately and immediately need a break from caring for young children, with temporary daytime childcare. JLO has contributed “Ditty Bags” for each child brought to the center for care. These children are often dropped off in a rush of confusion and without many basic necessities or comforts. Each Ditty Bag contains items such as: books, rattles, stuffed animals, toothbrushes, crayons and color books, tissue, etc.

DSHS Foster Care Holiday Party — JLO partners with DSHS to provide an evening of fun and festivities for Foster Care children and their Foster families. We offer a large variety of games, activities, crafts and entertainment as well as dinner and dessert. Santa visits and each child goes home with a stuffed animal and many other prizes and creations.

Foster Care Family Holiday Party:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dd1QMmMhvY

The Community Assistance Fund provided monetary grants to Thurston County nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations and agencies to meet the immediate needs of eligible applicants in line with the JLO mission statement, vision statement and focus area.  

The

Community Assistance Fund

has provided assistance to the following community partners: 

• "The Tooth Fairy" -- Throughout the year she visits preschools in Thurston, mason, and Grays Harbor Counties.  The majority of the kids are from the Head Start/ECEAP programs.  Dressed as the Tooth Fairy and armed with several "over-sized" props, she teaches the children proper brushing and flossing techniques, what plaque and bacteria are, what causes decay, and good dietary choices for dental heath.
• Hands On Children's Museum -- JLO supports HOCM's efforts to include all children and families regardless of financial ability in the wonderful museum opportunities.  JLO assists the museum with funding towards sponsored memberships.
• South Sound Reading Foundation -- JLO has assisted the SSRF with suppolying Book Bags for every baby born since June of 2005 at a Thurston County hospital.  The SSRF goal is to ensure that every child is ready with for at least 20 minutes each day starting at birth, and that at least 90 percent of students read at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
• GRuB -- JLO provided money to GRuB -- Garden-Raised Bounty -- which funded two raised-bed gardens.  GRuB encourages families to be self-sufficient in raising their own produce.
• Thurston County Tri-Advocate Group/Thurston County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Task Force -- Provided funds to help pay for the creation of safety pamphlets.

SafePlace Children's Party at Painted Plate for Mother's Day -- The Junior League of Olympia assisted with a party at the Painted Plate for Mother's Day in 2010 to help the resident children and youth create presents for their mothers.  The party gave the children a creative way to bond with their mothers during the difficult time immediately after escaping a violent home.

Parenting Tools Lecture Series -- JLO assisted the Family Education & Support Services with speaker fees and transportation of Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, PhD, for the 2010 lecture, "Playful Learning ~ Einstein Never Used Flashcards".  In addition, JLO volunteers gave input on the planning committee, assisted with the provision of door prizes, and helped coordinate a resource display at the event.

Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice MotherCare — The Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice MotherCare program assists new, high-risk mothers by offering support, and matching them up with volunteer mentors to assist them in acquiring important life and parenting skills. Each mentor is matched with one young mother and works closely with them during the first year of their baby’s life. With training from Providence, the mentor is there to support and counsel the young mother on things like:

family budgeting, building a network of social support, keeping track of appointments, parenting, needs of babies, creating a safe and peaceful home, etc. More than anything else, a mentor makes sure their young mother knows they are not alone. In 2003, JLO offered an Angel Tree at the holidays to collect gifts and needed baby items for the mothers. In 2004, JLO assembled Layette Baskets for the new mothers to assist them as they prepared for their new baby. Baskets included: infant clothing, blankets, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, sippy cups, bottles, bibs, burp-clothes, washcloths, bath supplies, infant toys, books, laundry soap and fabric softener, crib sheets, etc.

In 2005, JLO hosted a celebratory picnic to offer recognition and appreciation for the mother’s and their mentor’s hard work. This picnic was also an opportunity for the new mothers to meet and form a support circle among each other.

Evergreen Vista Homework Club — This non-profit club serves low-income children by providing a safe and reliable place to go after school. The program offers healthy and hearty snacks, assistance with homework, tutoring, required 20-minutes of reading per child, activities/games that encourage cooperation and develop social skills, as well as consistent positive attention from adult role models. In 2005 and again in 2006, JLO has worked with the Homework Club to restructure and redecorate the rooms he uses. We provided new flooring, counter space, storage units, furniture, paint, supplies and food, and seasonal decorations. In addition, each year JLO assists with the annual Halloween party by providing volunteers, costumes and food for the children.

Monarch Children’s Justice & Advocacy Center (MCJAC) — This center is a resource for sexually abused children. Monarch works in conjunction with partner agencies to offer a wide range of services at no cost to victims, including investigation of abuse, therapeutic intervention for the child and family, education and prevention programs and advocacy services. JLO has assisted Monarch with their annual benefit concert, with trained volunteers to assist with the siblings of abused children while services are being provided for the family, providing a mural in their new building, providing care kits for the children using the services, decorating, painting and supplying the children’s waiting room with furniture, toys, games and books.

Junior League of Olympia Legacy Scholarship — This endowed scholarship fund awards students scholarships to South Puget Sound Community College with a preference towards students who were or are in foster care programs.

Decatur Woods Playground Project — This collaboration with the City of Olympia, built a playground in a transitional neighborhood.

Teens with Tots Program — This program was established in 1998. It was a collaboration which provided parenting classes for teenage parents, and care for their young children while classes were offered. This program was transitioned to the Hands On Children's Museum in fall 2001.

The Volunteer Center of Thurston County — This center was established in 1991, and it eventually grew large enough to be transitioned to the Thurston-Mason Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Woman to Woman — This program was established in 1989, as a three year public awareness and education campaign on the use and effects of alcohol on women and to prevent the development of alcoholism in women at risk.

Focus on the Children — This was a one-year project for 1999-2000. JLO underwrote the parent education/workshop training materials and provided other support for this project to help homeless parents and their children.

Safeplace Open House — In 1996-97, JLO hosted open house events at Safeplace Rape Relief and Shelter Services to educate the community about domestic abuse as well as the programs and services offered by Safeplace. The League continues to support Safeplace through Community Assistance grants and small projects.