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A Tradition of Hope
Members of The Junior League Continue To Support WOMEN IN NEED By Megan Montemarano
Above images: Festival of Trees 2019
T
here is nothing quite like a group of motivated women determined to make a difference in this world. And what better way to do so than by giving back to your very own community, serving as a beacon of light in the darkest times? Since 1928, the Junior League of Bergen County (JLBC) has been providing an outlet for local women interested in dedicating their time to serving others. Originally known as the Englewood Junior Service League, this all-female volunteer organization, which comprises one of the 291 Junior League chapters in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the UK, aims to develop the potential of women and improve the local community by training volunteers and providing hands-on assistance to at-risk women, children and men through various projects and initiatives. Despite its numerous iterations as an organization, the JLBC, like all Junior Leagues around the world, traces its roots to the original Junior League founded in New
York City in 1901 by Mary Harriman and her debutante friends. Harriman believed that women of means should do more than just donate money at church. Striving to bring her efforts to the next level, she organized a group of women to roll up their sleeves and help her truly leave an impact. “At that time, New York City immigrants were living in horrendous conditions,” explains Britt Tunick, president of the Junior League of Bergen County. “Harriman and her friends were among the first group of volunteers to go into the tenements where immigrants were living to try and help them.” With strong roots like this, it’s no surprise to see all that the JLBC has achieved over the years. “We have various committees that are devoted to different aspects of the organization – from our community impact committee, to training and fundraising,” adds Tunick. “Several years ago, our League did an extensive 12
