National Association of Junior Auxiliaries
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
FA S T FAC T S
N A JA M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T To provide support, resources, and educational, leadership, cultural, and specialized training for NAJA members in order to optimize community service by NAJA Chapters. J U N IOR AU X I LI A RY SLOGA N : "C ARE TODAY – C HARAC TE R TOMORROW"
97 C HA PT E R S I N 7 S TAT E S Arkansas, Alabama, Florida , Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee
MEMBERSHIP TOTAL: 15,100 Active: 3,092 Non- Resident: 8
Associate: 895
Life:11,101
Sustaining: 4
100000
Total Service Hours: 96,312
80000
Total Finance Hours: 59,432
60000
Total Education Hours: 45,435 40000
Total Admin. Hours: 46,335
20000
Total Assoc./Life Hours: 7,300 TOTAL HOURS: 254,814
0
TOTA L RE VENU E OF C H AP T ERS
TOTAL E XPE NDITURE S OF C HAPT E RS
$ 2 ,8 0 8 , 97 0
$ 2 ,513 ,9 87
C A S H O N H AN D I N C H AP T ERS
PE OPL E S E RVE D
$ 6 ,6 9 9 , 4 6 6
2 6 3 ,54 0
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Today there are so many volunteer groups that exist. What sets Junior Auxiliary apart from other organizations? Members of Junior Auxiliary work hard to make projects a success; they make sacrifices because they know the impact and importance their Chapter can have on the lives of children in their communities. In this day and age when you can text a number and give a donation to a charity, we continue to stand apart. Junior Auxiliary’s heart is our members – strong women who are hands-on problem solvers willing to give of themselves to make a lasting difference. I want to thank everyone for their hard work this year and commitment to their Chapter, the children, and the community.” — Beth Holbert, NAJA President 2014-15
NAJA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Seated, from left: Merrill Greenlee, Executive Director, Greenville, MS; Beth Holbert, Ex-Officio, Savannah, TN; Amanda Knauer, President, Franklin, TN; Jeanne Hildebrandt, First Vice-President, Slidell, LA; Linda Pitcock, Second Vice-President, Batesville, MS; Standing, from left: Sug Portwood, Region IV Board Rep/CSC, Greenville, MS; Debbie Bailey, Scholarship Chairman, Greenville, MS; Patricia Kelly, Region III Board Rep/CSC, Greenville, MS; Lisa Benjamin, Region VI Board Rep/CSC, Hammond, LA: Jeannie Tinker, Public Relations Chairmen, Ruston, LA; Ruth Cummins, Region V Board Rep/CSC, Clinton, MS; Gayle Brown, Third Vice-President, Monticello, AR; Debbie Jones, Region I Board Rep/CSC, Forrest City, AR; Noel Howe, Region II Board Rep/CSC, Tipton County, TN; Kristi Prince, Education Committee Chairman, Monticello, AR; Julie Springer, Recording Secretary, Rogers-Bentonville, AR; Kristen Savage, Membership Committee Chairman, Houma, LA; Leslie James, Marketing Vice-President, Crittenden County, AR; Charlott Jones, Treasurer, Jonesboro, AR
We are proud of the fact that all the board of directors are associate or life members of Junior Auxiliary!
PUBLIC ATIONS
Above: Two issues of "The Crownlet". Below left: e-Crownpoints published monthly. Below top right: Edited and printed five new Manuals for officers and chairmen and a Notebook for the Chapter President. Below bottom right: The Bulletin is a compilation of information on NAJA and its chapters. The Handbook contains Bylaws and Policies of NAJA; Policies and Procedures for Chapters; and Bylaws and Policies of the NAJA Foundation. NationalAssociationofJuniorAuxiliaries,Inc. JanuaryCrownPointsE-Newsletter Expertise from the Education Committee PLAN A VISIT TO NAJA HEADQUARTERS Looking for a fun Girls Weekend with your JA sisters or with your new Provisional Class? Why not plan a “Mississippi Delta” weekend around touring our National Headquarters in Greenville. Members can earn several Education hours for this activity. See our history displayed, meet the staff, and shop at the NAJA store. Lagniappe, Montage, and Country Gentlemen are also great places to shop in Greenville. Tour, shop, and have lunch at nearby McCarty Pottery in Merigold (closed the month of January). You could also hit “The Strip” in downtown Cleveland for shopping, and then visit Warehouse or Crave for lunch. Close out your day with dinner and drinks at Doe’s or Posecai’s in Greenville. Or venture over to Leland for food, drinks and some great music at Vince’s. Don’t forget to hashtag #najaroadtrip.
NAJA HISTORY 101 How much do you know about Junior Auxiliary? We know you can talk about the history of your Chapter, but what do you know about our shared NAJA history? Through these 73 years we have grown into a highly effective, non-profit organization, doing remarkable service in our communities. How did we get this legacy of service? Glimpsing at our past and reconnecting with the determined women who had a heart for impoverished children of their communities gives us an insight into our inspiring heritage. Maybe just the inspiration our souls need, to realize the collective power we possess as members of Junior Auxiliary to significantly impact the lives of children in our communities today! Here is just a little refresher:
November 3, 1941, a small group of dedicated women from 10 towns in MS and AR met in Greenville, MS. The towns included Greenville, Greenwood, Laurel, Leland, McComb, Vicksburg, and West Point, MS and Pine Bluff and Russellville, AR. For years these groups had been assisting their respective communities in the systematic care and welfare of underprivileged children, and in civic endeavors dealing with the desperate conditions of suffering and poverty arising out of the economic depression beginning in 1929. Their purpose was to
unite these ten groups, each primarily interested in child welfare in its own area, into a national organization seeking strength and inspiration through their union. Mrs. Brodie Crump was elected President.
Annual Education Conference 20 15 GET READY FOR BIRMINGHAM, 2015!!! By now, your AEC packets are in the hands of your Chapter President and AEC Chairperson! It’s time to start planning to attend one of our best conferences ever! We have FIVE great speakers, our officer workshops, the Foundation raffle, the Galleria store, scholarship luncheon and our Saturday evening banquet where we celebrate ALL of you for a job well done this year! One of the presentations being offered will be the Redi Foundation who will give us a lively musical production that educates about bullying, texting while driving, substance abuse and other issues that affect our teens today. Find them at www.redifoundation.org and check out the media and video link! Wow! Before the conference as well as when the work of the day is done, you will want to have some fun with the girls! Download the Birmingham app to your phone today!! Go to your App Store or visit www.inbirmingham.com/app for info on all dining and attractions in the area! There is lots more to do in Birmingham than you would imagine! We ask that all Presidents and AEC Chairpersons read the packets thoroughly. Most all deadlines are April 3 rd to make it easy to remember. Please contact NAJA Headquarters if you have any questions. SO, let’s get everyone signed up, order those t-shirts, make your hotel reservations and get ready to have a super experience at AEC 2015!!
Membership Matters CALLING ALL LEADERS! YES, WE MEAN YOU! As a Chapter, you can better plan your future and help retain your members by using their passions and talents in projects they are interested in. You can develop their leadership succession plans by learning who is interested in leading the Chapter now and in the future. The NAJA website has several good surveys that could be very useful in helping you find future leaders. The Chapter Member Place-
ment Interest Sample can be adjusted for your Chapter’s needs.
The Personality Assessment can assist you in finding your Chapters’s owls, peacocks, St. Bernards, and lions.
To find these surveys, look under “Membership Committee— Retention” at www.najanet.org.
As NAJA grew, the 5 point crown was adapted in 1945, with the 5 points symbolizing Charity, Youth, Health, Service and Leadership – the
ideals behind the work of JA. In 1950, the official slogan ‘Care today – Character tomorrow,’ submitted by Mrs. Kenneth Martin of Warren, AR was adopted.
Today we have 98 chapters in 7 states boasting 14,986 members. Last year Chapter members performed 239,936 Service hours, raised $2,666,568 and spent $2,512,017 serving children and families in their communities. There is a great Power Point presentation that combines our history with our current statistics and leadership. It is an excellent resource to use when training Provisional members and can be found under the “Recruitment” tab on the left side of the NAJA website. A full history of NAJA can be found on the NAJA website under “About NAJA” tab on the left side.
Look for updates and important information MONTHLY in the Crown Points E-Newsletter!
PROJECTS
T
he Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia, AR collaborates with many organizations in their community to provide services for children. They are actively involved in a back to school backpack and supply program where they assist the local chapter of Men United to provide backpacks and materials to over 200 school children each August. The members of this Junior Auxiliary provide Christmas to approximately 600 children each year with the assistance of local churches, nonprofit organizations, and community members. They also adopt a Crown Family, provide a summer camp, and award two scholarships annually. The Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia strives to make an impact in their community by providing services when they see a need and assisting other community members to improve the lives of children in Clark County. The number of natural disasters in Clark County (14) is above the US average (12). In addition to natural disasters, there are man-made disasters that we must prepare for. The tragic deaths and senseless acts of violence that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary
School, Columbine High School, and at other schools around the nation have brought the focus of emergency preparedness even closer to home. Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, and it is critical to be prepared. The Clark County Sherriff ’s Department partnered with Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia to raise money to provide emergency kits to the classrooms of all schools in Clark County. The Chapter hosted a benefit basketball game to raise funds. Fire fighters, police officers, local clergy, college students, wildlife officers, doctors, attorneys, and many other community members created teams and made donations to play in the basketball game. The games were held at a local high school gym where coaches provided basketballs and uniforms for the players. Local restaurants and convenience stores donated food and drinks to be sold in the concession stand. All proceeds from admission, team registration fees, and concessions went towards the emergency kit fund. Additionally, a bank account was set up to collect donations towards the kits. The emergency kits contain gauze pads, waterproof tape, bandages, gauze rolls,
elastic bandages, antibiotic ointment, scissors, a penlight, shears, splinter forceps, gloves, antiseptic wipes and adhesive strips, all contained in a convenient fanny pack. The goal is to supply every classroom in Clark County with an emergency kit. Additionally each teacher in the county will be provided training on how to use the materials in the kit in the event of an emergency. It is essential to establish safe learning environments for all students, educators, and administrators. With the collaboration between the sheriff ’s department and JA, the schools in Clark County, Arkansas are one step closer to doing just that.
J
unior Auxiliary of Taney County, MO members are always on the look-out for needs and opportunities in their service area. One afternoon while running errands, a Junior Auxiliary member found herself behind a school bus on a busy Branson street. She was surprised when the lights of the bus started to indicate a drop off stop. There were no homes near this stop and no nearby neighborhood. But a group of 12 children of all ages walked off the bus and
JA of Arkadelphia, AR
PROJECTS
down the driveway of a motel. These were some of the more than 500 children who live in extended-stay motels in Branson. If you are a child living in a motel instead of a house, finding a book to read after school or during the summer can be virtually impossible. Last May, two Branson elementary school teachers received grant funding to operate a summer school class and a weekly “book swap” at one extended-stay motel. After sharing this concept with a Junior Auxiliary member, they followed up on a suggestion that Junior Auxiliary members might assist them. The Book Swap Stop quickly became a JA-supported project. Over the summer, Junior Auxiliary members gathered donated books and created collections suitable for all ages. Every other week, JA members change out the collection, providing children with access to a broader range of materials. Members also helped with weekly craft sessions by providing snacks and extra hands. More than 14 JA volunteers were involved in this project. Based on positive experiences over the summer and persuaded of the continuing need, JA decided to continue with the Book Swap Stop throughout the school year on their own and to expand the scope of the Chapter’s involvement. A new dimension, organized and supported solely by JATC and christened “Homework Helpers”, involves JA members who provide homework assistance to children at the motel every Wednesday from 3-5 pm. In addition to assisting the children with assignments from school, volunteers provide snacks and a variety of enrichment activities designed for the children whose ages range from 4 to 17. These include games that require reading and math skills, art and craft projects that strengthen eye-hand coordination, birthday and holiday celebrations designed to encourage social interac-
tion and improve self-esteem, as well as much needed hugs. This project has also presented opportunities to connect with and provide support to parents living in the motel. One young mother was pregnant when Homework Helpers started at the end of August. The week before her baby was due, she still was without basic care items and a crib. JA members showed up at their October meeting with a brand new porta-crib, piles of diapers, onesies, blankets and other essential items. Homework Helpers volunteers who were putting on a Halloween party at the motel had the chance to meet the week-old baby. There were smiles all around, and the mother was very appreciative of the items that JA volunteers had provided. Homework Helpers is making a difference to the children and families involved. It is also changing the lives of JATC members by expanding their awareness of the depth and complexity of the problem of homelessness in their community and providing an avenue for the organization to be directly engaged in response to this critical issue.
PROJECTS The work unit of the Junior Auxiliary Chapter is the project. A project is a planned undertaking in the fields of Welfare, Health, Recreation, Culture, or Education for which the Chapter has some part of financial or administrative responsibility. The Chapter Project is generally initiated with the idea that, after having been successfully established and operated, an appropriate community group will assume responsibility for its continuance. If a project is not taken over by a community group within five years, the Chapter should re‑evaluate the project to determine if it is still performing a necessary service to the community. If an essential service is being provided, then the project should be continued by the Chapter. A Chapter should always be ready to expand activities to meet new needs arising from changing times.
JA of Taney County, MO
MEETINGS
N A JA A R E A M E E T I N G S 2 014 Sout he r n A rea Mee t i n g • • • •
Lake Terrace Convention Center, Hattiesburg, MS August 23, 2014 210 Attendees
N or t her n A rea Mee t i n g • • • •
Whispering Woods Conference Center, Olive Branch, MS September 20, 2014 316 Attendees
SC HEDUL E Se ssion O ne
• President's Workshop • Provisional Trainers Workshop • Our Hands Quick to Help Others — "Hands On" Service Projects • The Wonderful World of Social Media and How to Get Your Chapter There
Se ssion Two
• Treasurer's Workshop • Conflict Resolution and Adult Bullying — Is Your Chapter Conflict Impacting Your Effectiveness? • Connect with Kids Websource for Projects • JA of Tupelo's POW Project
MEETINGS
2015 N A JA A nn u a l E d u ca t io n C o n f e re n c e Bi r m i ngham , AL | 514 A t t e n d e e s Fr ida y, M a y 1 s t
S a t u rd a y, M a y 2 n d
10:00 - 12:30
Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East 3rd floor foyer
10:00 - 5:00
NAJA Foundation Raffle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMR - IJ
8:30 - 4:00 Galleria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMR- MH NAJA Store
12:00 - 5:30 Galleria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMR- MH NAJA Store 1:00 - 2:45
Plenary Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom B Tim Elmore/Life Giving Mentors
3:00 - 4:45*
Incoming Presidents Workshop . . . . . . . . . . EMR-N Beth Holbert and Amanda Knauer
3:00 – 4:30
Provisional Training Workshop . . . . . . . . . EMR-DE NAJA Membership Committee
8:30 – 1:30
Foundation Raffle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMR- IJ
9:00 - 10:00 *** Business Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom B Elections . . . . . . . Hall outside of East Ballroom B 9:00 - 10:00
Do You Want Some Whine with That Cheese? Jenny Nolen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom A
10:30 - 11:45
Debbie Phelps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom B
12:00 - 1:15 Luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birmingham Ballroom- Sheraton Hotel
3:00 - 4:00 Building and Maintaining Effective Community Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMR-O NAJA Public Relations Committee
1:45 - 3:00
Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backwards Jenny Nolen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom B
3:00 – 4:45
Raffle Item Pickup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMR-IJ
3:15 - 4:30**** Parliamentary Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMR-N Wilma Wilbanks
**Incoming Treasurers Workshop . . . . . . . EMR-KL Merrill Greenlee & Charlott Jones
R.Ed.I Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom A Kimberly Farah 4:15 - 5:15
Jackie Brewton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom A Empowering Teens to say Yes to the Real and No to the Virtual, Brought to you by the NAJA Foundation
Incoming Treasurers Workshop-Q&A . . . EMR- KL Optional Recording Secretary Workshop . . . . . . . . . . EMR- C Amy Pinkston 5:00 - 5:30
CSC/Presidents Meetings
Region I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Room 403 Region II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405 Region III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410 Region IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412 Region V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430 Region VI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432 5:30 - 6:30
Reception . . . Birmingham Ballroom-Sheraton Hotel A Time of Celebration with Your Chapter Presidents Hosted by the NAJA Foundation (cash bar available)
Projects Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Ballroom A
JA 411 Booth . . . . . . Hall outside East Ballroom B
6:15 Line up Parade of Presidents . . . . . . Birmingham Ballroom I 5:30 - 6:30
Cash Reception . . . Birmingham Ballroom Foyer
6:30 - 9:30**** Awards Banquet . . . . . . . Birmingham Ballroom- Sheraton Hotel * Incoming Chapter Presidents of all Classifications **Chapter Treasurers ONLY ***3 Delegates per Active Chapter, NAJA Board of Directors & CSCs, Provisional Chapter (non-voting), and all interested members ****Every Chapter should have representation The points of view of the presenters do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, Inc., nor does the Association recommend the exclusive use of a specific commercial product or the services of a specific commercial concern.
FINANCIALS S t a t e me n t s o f F i n a nci a l Po si ti o n ( Ju ne 30, A s s e ts 2 015
2015 a nd 2014)
Cash and cash equivalents $ 165,746 Cash and cash equivalents-restricted 38,208 Investments in debt and equity securities 337,549 Investments in debt and equity securities-restricted 336,280 Accounts receivable and prepaid expenses 11,820 Inventories 30,642 Property and equipment at cost: Furniture, fixtures and equipment 69,184 Less: accumulated depreciation (59,003)
To t al asse ts
$930,426
2 014 $ 206,891 40,567 270,027 341,745 11,369 34,067 86,236 (56,508)
$914,394
L iab ili t i e s a n d N e t A s se ts Accounts payable $ 36,096 Prepaid dues and fees 65,245 Payroll taxes payable 4,492 Total liabilities 105,833 Unrestricted net assets 44,603 Other unrestricted net assets 399,030 Permanently restricted net assets 380,960 Total net assets 824,593
To t al liabilities and ne t asse ts
Revenues: 2015 2014 Chapter Dues and Fees
$282,735.00
$283,363.00
AEC and Area Meetings
$126,622.00
$107,248.00
Publication Fees
$12,029.00
$35,215.00
Sales: NAJA Store
$38,046.00
$33,581.00
Donations and other
$14,347.00
$10,252.00
Resource Center $5,480.00 $4,920.00 Corporate Endorsements
$2,000.00
$2,000.00
Investment Income $417.00 $397.00 Total Unrestricted Revenue
$481,676.00
$476,976.00
$ 930,426
$ 10,727 79,250 4,319 94,296 59,212 377,241 383,645 820,098
$ 914,394
Expenses: 2015 2014 Cost of Sales: NAJA Store
$25,661.00
$24,340.00
Chapter Service and Committee Expense
$163,128.00
$142,986.00
Occupancy $38,788.00 $34,267.00 General and Administrative $268,708.00
$268,779.00
Total Expenses
$496,285.00
$470,372.00
-$14,609.00
$6,604.00
Increase (decrease) in unrestricted assets