NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Feb. 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Junior League of Orange County, Calif. (JLOCC) has expanded enrollment in its Provisional Membership Program to welcome new members county-wide on a quarterly basis. The next enrollment opportunity is Tuesday, March 20. Membership forms and information are available at www.jlocc.org.
The Provisional Program offers an opportunity to learn about the JLOCC as a foundation for Active membership in this organization that empowers women to identify community needs, learn new skills, and become effective volunteers. Eleanor Roosevelt, Katharine Hepburn, and Sandra Day O'Connor were members of the Junior League in their communities. Locally, notable members include Orange County Supervisor Pat Bates, Irvine School Board Member Carolyn McInerney, and National Charity League, Inc., Executive Director Julie Siebel.
During its 57-year history, the JLOCC has played a key role in founding Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Child Abuse Services Team (CAST), Volunteer Center Orange County (now OneOC), and the Delhi Center, among other lasting programs. The JLOCC was a major contributor to the Orangewood Challenge Grant. Overall, the JLOCC has contributed nearly $7 million to the Orange County community. It currently has 700 members.
The Provisional Program can be completed in as little as four months, although candidates can take as long as 18 months to finish. During that period, the candidate spends five to seven hours per month at meetings and events learning about the organization's historical impact, gaining an understanding of the critical issues facing Orange County communities, and becoming familiar with the networks that already exist to address these issues. The JLOCC offers opportunities for self-directed volunteer leadership through hands-on experiences in small groups and/or mentoring situations, and promotes the development of a variety of applicable skills.
Once the Provisional Program is completed, the participant becomes an official Active member. Members are placed on a committee, attend training meetings, volunteer for "done in a day" community projects, and assist in fundraising efforts. Active members typically spend 5 to 10 hours per month on JLOCC-related activities. There is a calendar of volunteer opportunities through which to give back to the community, as well as a roster of social events. All Active members also complete volunteer shifts at The Christmas Company, the JLOCC's annual shopping and special event fundraiser.
The JLOCC's volunteer activities include events and programs the group has initiated in support of other organizations. For example, last fall the JLOCC organized an event featuring celebrity chef Alejandra Schrader, a participant on the Fox TV reality series "MasterChef," who demonstrated healthy cooking techniques for Santa Ana participants in the Second Harvest Backpack Program. Other activities for this program consist of coordinating food drives, assisting in backpack assembly, obtaining educational materials and holding events.
As part of another annual program, a spring "Kids in the Kitchen" event is held at a local school. This educational experience to encourage healthy habits is inspired by the nutritional website created by the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI).
For young people who are being emancipated from the Orangewood Children's Home, the JLOCC initiated the "Bear Hugs and Bear Necessities" program, which provides them with needed items (and a Teddy Bear). The JLOCC also gives annual youth scholarships and grants to its selected projects.
This year's projects include the Second Harvest Food Bank Backpack Program, Crittenton Services Connect Program, Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) Reading Program, Olive Crest Kinship Support Services Program, The Raise Foundation Resources in Motion Program, and the JLOCC's Bear Hugs and Bear Necessities Program, which partners with the Orangewood Children's Foundation. The JLOCC members also conduct done-in-a-day volunteer projects through the JLOCC's Impact Orange County Committee.
About the Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc.
The Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The JLOCC has helped found organizations such as Orangewood Children's Home and OneOC, formerly known as the Volunteer Center of Orange County. As a solely educational and charitable organization, the JLOCC's trained volunteers actively support the community through collaboration with organizations that promote and support the health, safety and education of all individuals in Orange County. A 501(c)(3) organization, the JLOCC reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins. Originally established in 1956 as the Newport Harbor Service League, the JLOCC is a member organization of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. To learn more about the JLOCC, call (949) 261-0823 or visit www.jlocc.org.