Dear Members, Friends and Supports,

Welcome to the Junior League of Bergen County’s (JLBC) 2022-2023 League Year! I am privileged to be serving my first year of a two year term and am very excited for the year to come. Since our founding in 1928, the JLBC has committed to advancing women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training through Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson and Rockland (NY) Counties.

Our members represent a diverse set of skills and backgrounds, and the JLBC unites us through a shared commitment to support our local community and the families and children that reside there. Throughout the year, the JLBC provides support to many community partners located throughout the region by leveraging the efforts and talents of our members and creating measurable impact in our focus areas of resilience.

We have been busy throughout the community the first half of the 2022-2023 league year and I wanted to update you on some of the things we have been up to:

 Launched the perennial project of maintaining the Pathway to Self Sufficiency in Van Saun Park for the Center for Hope and Safety-stay tuned for spring dates!
 Members collected over 1400 items for the winter wishes project that created 155 gift bags for seniors at Ridgecrest Senior Center
 Delivered over $2,000 of period products to CUMAC and Center for Hope and Safety
 Hosted the Family Promise Shelter dinner on December 12 feeding over 200
 Welcomed 9 provisional members
 Raised over $10,800 (Net) at the 35 th Annual Festival of Trees as we returned to our traditional silent auction format to fund our work in the community

In 2023, we enter into our 95th year and we have many exciting things planned starting in February that are open to all members of our organization:

 January 17-February 21: Baby bundles Diaper Drive
 February 10-11: AJLI Virtual Winter Leadership Conference (applications due January 27)
 March 4: Group Skills Training
 March 10: Family Promise Dinner #2
 March 20-24: Little Black Dress Initiative
 April 19: Rebuilding Day
 May 6: Purse Bingo
 May 17: Annual Dinner
 General Membership Meetings: February 21, March 21 and April 18
 Plus, check our calendar for more ways to get involved or support this amazing organization

If you are interested on joining or supporting this dynamic group of women as we support our communities please contact us at thejlbc@aol.com or visit the membership benefits section of our website for an application.

In Service,
Rachel Oster
JLBC President 2022-2024