Junior League of Denver works to break the cycle of poverty for families
The Junior League of Denver is a community service organization. One of the ways it impacts community is by encouraging its members to develop leadership skills. The Junior League has various programs and volunteer opportunities that get its members out into the community.
Recently more than a dozen volunteers did a Done in a Day volunteer project at WeeCycle in Aurora. Done in a Day is a Junior League initiative which provides a large group of volunteers for one several hour session in order to make progress on a specific project for an organization.
In the case of WeeCycle, there was a large pile of donated clothes that needed to be checked and sorted into the correct sizes.
"It's a great thing that requires a lot of hands, and we can fill that because we have people who are ready and willing to help," said Laurel Dicus, organizer of the WeeCycle Done in a Day project.
In just three hours, she's hoping her volunteers can make a big difference for the organization.
"I love the Junior League," Dicus told CBS News Colorado.
She loves the Junior League so much that over the last 10-years, Dicus has been a member of three different chapters: Dallas, Austin, and now Denver.
"I love how focused on making every community better the Junior League is," she explained.
WeeCycle makes the community better by supporting low-income mothers with small children. The organization distributes clothing, diapers, wipes, and formula to help those families make ends meet.
"It allows women to ensure that they can be employed because their kiddos are being taken care of and they're supported," said Carson Maczuzak, President of the Junior League of Denver.
Supporting an organization like WeeCycle is part of a bigger mission for the Junior League. The group wants to disrupt systemic poverty for women and families.
"When women and families are successful, our society is successful," Maczuzak explained.
An evening spent sorting clothes adds up to thousands of volunteer hours in a year. The Junior League also gives books to children, serves meals, and provides grant month to further its mission.
LINK: For tickets & information about Mile High Holiday Mart
You can support the Junior League of Denver and get some of your holiday shopping done by going to the 45th annual Mile High Holiday Mart. The boutique shopping experience runs November 15 – 17, 2024 at the Gates Field House on the University of Denver campus.