The Junior League of Tyler is kicking off its GIVE JLT Campaign, which stands for Group of Women Inspiring Others to Volunteer to Raise Funds to End Poverty.

GIVE JLT is a ten-day fundraising campaign that harnesses the power of social media to shed light on poverty right here in Smith County and Tyler. During the ten days of the GIVE campaign, from February 8th through 18th, individuals and businesses can donate as little as $1 or as much as they would like via a link from a Junior League member or online on the League’s website.

Cole and Co. is hosting a kick-off event on Thursday, February 8th, from 4 pm to 6 pm. For every $25 donation someone makes in-store, they will receive a beautiful hand-painted watercolor heart from Mari Teising Art. The theme will be “Galentine’s” and Cole and Co. will provide sips and nibbles while also offering 15% off all purchases. 

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2020, Texas held one of the highest child poverty rates in the nation, with over one in every five children living in poverty. This means that approximately 22.2% of Texan children were in families with incomes below the federal poverty line.

Funds that are raised will go directly back to Smith County and the Tyler community through our community projects; Girl Power and Care Closet. This money also supports agencies we provide grants to like; Children’s Advocacy Center, Angel Layettes, The Fostering Collective, and many more.

To date, The Junior League of Tyler, Inc. has given back more than $7.5 million, and hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours, to better the community. This year alone, the League will contribute over 30,000 volunteer hours and over $240,000 to worthy community projects and endeavors.

What Your Donation Does

$1- Impact tripled by sending JLT volunteers with every dollar donated. 

$5- Provides a discreet hygiene kit for East Texas middle schoolers in need through the JLT Care Closet. 

$10- Provides a warm meal to the elderly and disabled through Meals on Wheels.

$50- Sends a 6th-grade girl to attend the JLT Girl Power event. 

$100- Sends a camper to the ARC of Smith County’s summer camp.

For more information and to donate visit https://givejlt2024.causevox.com 

About The Junior League of Tyler

The Junior League of Tyler is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purposes are solely educational and charitable.  

Scholarship Information:

QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPLICATION
The Beverly Beaird Young Woman Leadership Scholarship is designed for a young woman in her senior year of high school in Smith County who:

• Demonstrates excellence in and has commitment to voluntarism and improving her community
• Demonstrates innovation and creative actions that reach out to and motivate others
• Demonstrates a commitment to continuing her education
• Demonstrates at least one year’s experience as a volunteer

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: In order to be considered for this scholarship, please submit the following:
1. Complete the entirety of the online form, which can be found at: Beverly Beaird Young Woman Leadership Scholarship Online Application
2. Submit a written essay of 1-2 pages expressing your motivation for further education and addressing the essay questions below.
3. Submit a resume, which includes: Extracurricular Activities, Volunteer Activities, Leadership Activities, and a List of colleges/universities to which you have applied.
4. Submit 2 reference letters supporting your application: 1 school + 1 community
5. Official high school transcript submitted by your guidance counselor.

Applications must be submitted by midnight on February 5th, 2024 to be considered for the scholarship award(s).

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
Please review the online application form prior to completion so that you can gather all necessary documents to submit the form. Only completed applications will be considered for the award. Once you have gathered all necessary documents in PDF versions (see list above), make arrangements with your Guidance Counselor to include your official high school transcript when you submit your application.

Questions may be submitted to:
Heather Brown, Nominations Vice President, Junior League of Tyler

nominating@juniorleagueoftyler.org | (903) 595-5426 | 1919 S. Donnybrook Ave. Tyler, TX 75701

Scholarship Information can also be downloaded HERE.

Online Application can be found HERE.

The Junior League of Tyler supports Tyler area nonprofits on an annual basis through grant requests voted on by Junior League of Tyler members. Starting now through September 1, 2023, eligible non-profits can apply for grant-based funds from the Junior League of Tyler.

The service-based organization has given more than $8 million back to the community since its founding in 1960 and will continue to provide to selected community projects and endeavors. Throughout its history, the Junior League of Tyler has awarded grants to over a hundred community organizations and was instrumental in founding The Discovery Science Place, The Tyler Museum of Art, and Hospice of East Texas, among others.

In addition to awarding funds, The Junior League of Tyler also sends volunteers to these agencies or organizations to serve to help meet the needs of the community. This year, League members will contribute more than 15,000 volunteer hours.

Project requests must fulfill the purpose of the Junior League of Tyler, which is an organization committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

The League has a particular focus on the following areas:

• Projects that recognize the importance of quality education for the well-being of every community.

• Projects that assure that children and adolescents in our community have the opportunities, services, and protection essential for their optimal physical, intellectual, emotional, mental, and social growth.

• Projects that assure women in our community have the opportunities, services, and protection essential for their optimal physical, intellectual, emotional, mental, social, and economic growth.

• Projects that ensure older adults have the opportunities and services essential for their physical, intellectual, emotional, mental, social, and economic well-being, and will advocate to see that such opportunities and services exist.

• Projects that improve the quality of life of the citizens in our community.

Requests shall show proof of 501c3 status and projects must benefit residents of Smith County. Funding shall be limited to one Junior League of Tyler grant per fiscal year (June 1 – May 31). All project request forms are due by September 1, 2023; no consideration will be made for requests received after that date. Presentations will be conducted January 25th,  2024 and funding will be distributed to agencies or organizations beginning June  2024.

Community Project Request Forms can be found HERE.

For more information about this form or request process, please contact the Junior League of Tyler at JLTcommunityVP@gmail.com.

CONTACT:

Beth Davis

Community Vice President

Junior League of Tyler, Inc.

JLTcommunityVP@gmail.com

903-595-5426

Click Here for Details!

Full interview with Jamie Huff, Program Director at the Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County 

Q: How have people suffering with dementia and their family caregivers been coping with the extraordinary circumstances of the past four months?

Jamie Huff, Program Director, Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County: Some of our clients are putting off going to the doctor for themselves and their loved ones with dementia.  They are afraid of catching COVID-19.  Most, though, have made it to doctor appointments after re-assurance from healthcare providers that it is safe.

The social isolation created by the pandemic has been horrible for caregivers and those with dementia.  We continue to have interaction with our day respite participants and caregivers through a weekly Day Club ZOOM and phone surveys each month.  During our ZOOM meetings, we do chair exercise, play BINGO, have guest speakers and musical entertainment.  Only half of our clients are participating.  Some choose not to due to participate because their loved one is lower functioning and doesn’t understand what is going on through ZOOM, some are depressed and sleeping later and miss the 10 am time and some do not have a device to participate on.

We’ve also mailed activity pages and art ideas through the mail to day club participants to do at home.  We’ve utilized our “Terrific Tuesdays” Facebook page as a vehicle to provide art ideas and demonstrations, post information about social and emotional health during the COVID crisis for caregivers and upcoming webinars.

When we phone survey caregivers of our day program once per month during this time we ask if they are going to doctor appointments, if they need help getting any groceries or supplies, how they are coping emotionally, etc.  The results are mixed.  More often than not, caregivers say they are struggling.  They miss Day Club, a time of respite.  Their loved one with dementia misses the cognitive and social stimulation they receive.  As a whole, we see definite cognitive decline more rapidly now than when they attended.  It is heartbreaking.  Here are a few quotes from those surveys…

• “He has become very confused and dizziness [sic] at times. He has falling [sic] on several occasions and has losing some weight since the stay at home order.”
• “She enjoys going and getting all dressed up to go to Day Club. Now, that she is not going to Day Club she just sits in her recliner and does nothing.”
• “She is anxious because she knows that she is supposed to go somewhere. I explained to her the reasoning to have to stay home and not attending Day Club but, she does not understand.”

Q: How has COVID impacted your organization?

Huff: Our agency closed to the public in mid-March as community transmission began locally.  Staff began working from home when the “stay at home” order took effect.   We continued to offer over-the- phone and virtual counseling, social work visits and support group sessions.  After the stay-at-home order was lifted, the public is allowed in our offices if virtual or phone visits aren’t feasible.  Masks are strongly suggested.  Staff continued to make safe home-visits to change Project Lifesaver batteries and place new transmitter bracelets.  We are still following all of protocols.  Social work contacts in June were record-breaking.  As caregivers stay home with their loved one and notice more changes without any assistance, the need arises.

There has been a major impact on our fundraising efforts this year.  One of our large fundraisers, “Mah Jongg for Memory” was held as a “no show” event this year.  Participants mailed in an entrance fee/donation to play the game with their friends at leisure when they felt safe to do so.

Our annual fundraiser, “Butterfly Hope Luncheon” in September will also look different and that is a work in progress with decisions to be made.

We did apply for funding through the CARES Act for funding through the government as a result of COVID-19.  Those funds are helping us pay salaries for a time.

Q:  How can the community help? 

Huff: The top priorities to help are monetary donations to our general budget.

We also want the community to know that non-profit organizations are still helping people.  Members of our community need to call their neighbors and check on them regularly, especially is they are older adults.  We are all in this together.  Our older citizens NEED your encouragement and support right now.