Frequently Asked Questions about Membership
in the Junior League of Hartford, Inc.
How many members do you have now? Tell me a little bit about your members.
The Junior League of Hartford, Inc. currently includes approximately 400 members from the Greater Hartford area. Of those, approximately 100 are "active members" and the remainder are "sustainer" members. In addition, each fall we welcome approximately 25 to 40 "provisional" members, who are testing out membership in our organization for a year.
Our members come from Hartford as well as Avon, Middletown, Simsbury, Suffield, Middletown, West Hartford, and Windsor and many other towns. Our members include women working in the home and women working outside the home.
If I have a full-time job, can I still volunteer?
Yes! A large number of JLH members hold regular full-time jobs and still find time to volunteer with us. We have volunteer opportunities available in the evenings and on weekends. There are also projects that take place during the day, so we are flexible and can work with anyone's schedule. Most meetings are usually held in the evenings and occasionally on the weekends so this offers additional flexibility for working women.
Is the Junior League of Hartford, Inc. a networking organization? Am I able to promote my business to other JLH members?
While the JLH supports and works hard to provide opportunities for personal growth for all of its members, it is a volunteer and not a networking organization. Our members devote their time to promoting our mission: The Junior League of Hartford, Inc. (JLH) is an organization of women 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.
Similarly, to help our members remain focused on our mission and to maintain the JLH's character as a volunteer organization, JLH members are not permitted to use their JLH membership to promote their own business.
However, JLH members are offered the opportunity to take on new challenges and learn new skills that benefit them professionally, without the pressure of a job evaluation.
What organizations benefit from your volunteers?
The Junior League of Hartford, Inc.'s current focus area is hunger, and our current project is called "Freshplace." This is an innovative project that we founded and are funding with Foodshare and Chrysalis Center.
One of our most recent projects was based on a collaboration with the Children's Trust Fund, Center City Churches, Betances Elementary School and the University of Hartford School of Social Work. With these other groups, we formed the Family/School Connection program. This project was taken over by the Children's Trust Fund and has now received state funding for significant expansion. We have also partnered with the Girl Scouts of Connecticut in our Saturday Science Sampler project, which encouraged girls to pursue higher education and careers in science.
Finally, the Junior League of Hartford supports other local non-profit organizations through its grants program.
Why should I volunteer with the JLH versus other organizations?
Current members feel that the JLH provides a unique volunteer experience because of the commitment to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Members enjoy being a part an organization, which makes a meaningful impact make in their local communities. The JLH provides members with a structured, well-organized volunteer experience. Volunteers also benefit from training in a variety of educational and leadership programs. Ultimately, however, most members say they value the lifelong friendships forged because of their membership in the JLH.
Many of our members, who we have trained as volunteer leaders, are asked to assume leadership positions with other local non-profit organizations.
When Can I Join?
The Junior League of Hartford, Inc. accepts new volunteer inquiries year round. The "League year" runs from September to May, and the Provisional Course runs from October to May. There is only one Provisional (i.e., new member) class per League year. Prospective members who contact us during the League year will be placed on a list and contacted at the start of the next League year and have an opportunity to join the next provisional class in fall of the following year. The provisional year and all requirements must be completed to become an Active Member.
What is the Provisional class?
The Junior League of Hartford, Inc. is always interested in welcoming new members to our organization.
If you would like to become a member of the Junior League of Hartford, Inc., you will be asked to complete a "provisional" year with a group of other women also considering membership. This is the provisional class. The class runs from September to May of each year, although we encourage you to contact us at any time.
In order to become a member of the Junior League of Hartford, Inc. (i.e., an "active member") you must complete the provisional year.
