Signature Project

Run & Jump & Play

Run & Jump & Play is a collaborative partnership between Storehouse-39-3-10 and the Junior League of Calgary. The project vision is that there will be a time when every child in Calgary between the ages of two and five gets the basic support necessary to develop properly and be adequately prepared to start school regardless of the fact that they live in poverty. The longer-term vision is to hope that by working with these children in these formative years we would contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty in which they live.

Currently in the planning stages, the project focuses on the four skill sets deemed necessary for the children in this age group to have prior to entering kindergarten: motor/play skills (using dance, movement and music), creative skills (using arts and crafts), literacy skills (using story-telling and take-home books) and social skills (via the other three areas). A companion parental education piece is also a very important feature of the program. We anticipate being able to deliver the first component, a dance program, by January 2008.

Seasonal Projects

Talbots Clothing Drive

For several years the Junior League of Calgary, as well as other leagues in Canada, has partnered in the Fall with specialty retailer Talbots to invite members, friends, Talbots' customers and the general public to drop off their gently used fall and winter clothing at the Talbots stores in Calgary. Last year this drive collected over 4500 pounds of clothing that was donated to women in need within our community.

Teen Christmas Stockings

Three years ago the Junior League of Calgary discovered that teenagers were being missed through regular Christmas giving programs within the city. The first year we filled 100 Christmas stockings for teenagers with hygiene items, movie passes and small personal care items. The following year we donated 120 of these stockings and were able to add items such as food coupons and swimming passes. By last year we were able to increase our number once again and provide 150 Christmas stockings. For 2007 we are ambitiously planning on 500 stockings, which will be distributed to the teenage clients of several Calgary Resource Centres as well as several of our other agency partners.

Kids In The Kitchen

 Since its creation in 2006, the JLC has participated in this annual education initiative on childhood obesity and nutrition.  Junior Leagues throughout the world unite during the month of March to make an impact by educating the public regarding solutions for the growing problem of childhood obesity.  Most recently the JLC hosted a fun-filled afternoon at G.W. Skene School which provided activities, tips and keynote speakers on nutrition, fitness and healthy lifestyles.  Click here to view a photo slideshow of the event.

Done in a Day

In 2006-2007 we continued to focus our community action on past projects and offer needed support to some of these organizations.  Some examples include:

Walk In Closet

In November members went to the Walk In Closet to help sort and rack all the clothes allocated to the Walk In Closet from our annual Talbots "Clear Out Your Closet" clothing drive. The Walk In Closet provides gently used professional clothing to women who do not own, or cannot afford, appropriate business attire for interviews and work.  It was formerly known as our Suited for the Job project.


Ronald McDonald House

Monthly from November through April JLC members prepared a buffet style meal at the Ronald McDonald House for the occupants - approximately 30 guests at any given time.  Members also made a series of delicious baked goods at the House, and the smell of home cooking and baking helped brighten everyone's day!   

Prior to moving to its new location close to the new Alberta Children's Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House  needed help with the packing up of the contents of the "old" house.  In March 2007 we had several packing shifts to help them with this daunting task! 

Children's Cottage Society / Crisis Nursery

March 2007 also saw our very talented members do a Total Room Makeover at the Children's Cottage Society.  We redecorated the playroom at their Crisis Nursery using a nature theme that brought the room to life and made a wonderful environment in which the children could play.   Interestingly, the playroom we re-decorated was originally decorated by Junior League of Calgary members when the house first opened! 

As we do every year, we provided volunteers to assist in book sorting at the May CBC/ Calgary Reads book sale.  Calgary Reads is an early intervention literacy initiative aimed at children in Grades 1 and 2, with a strong emphasis on children in Calgary's high-needs schools.