From the President

Dear Junior League of San Angelo Members and Community Partners,

 

I am excited and humbled to be your president this year. I am honored be a part of such an amazing organization of women who are powerful, dedicated, and passionate about making changes in our community. Our theme this year, “Sharing the Good”, is inspired by each of our members and our desire to go out into the community help wherever we are needed. We follow a path that over 76 years of women have paved for the Junior League of San Angelo. There are a host of legacies and legacy projects that these wonderful women have left us to continue paving throughout the community.

 

In 2020, we opened the JLSA Family Resource Center inside of the Children’s Advocacy Center. This year we will continue to partner with them inside of the resource center and will work to transition our Student Closet program over the next 3 years. This like all our projects, will continue to be a part of our legacy and we will continue to support them as needed. Our Student Closet Program served over 360 students last year, we anticipate an equally busy year serving students. Clothing insecurities are a major issue in our community, and we are always thankful for our donors and sponsors to help with such important projects like this. Sometimes a new pair of shoes or a clean set of clothes is what keeps those kids in school every day.

 

JLSA quietly introduced our “PACK” (Personally Accessible Care Kits) last year as we were in the process of researching a new project, an opportunity presented itself and we jumped on it! We began surveying schools in the Concho Valley to assess the needs of this projects- with this survey, 36% of the participating schools reported knowing that students missed school due to unmet hygiene needs and 67% of these schools were in major need of support. This summer, we were graciously granted funding through the Archer Foundation, the Eva Tucker Foundation, and the Health Foundation to get this project rolling this year. JLSA will be working to roll our PACKs of hygiene and feminine products for students in need throughout the Concho Valley over the next 3 years, so it will be done in phases as we transition into this new project.

 

We will also continue to serve the community through various other projects like our Children’s Literacy Project. JLSA will continue working in the community this year by opening more Story Walks in our local parks, as well as distributing books at various events and story times to promote literacy among children. Our Provisional committee will also strive to continue focusing on “Kids in the Kitchen” and “Healthy Hearts Early Starts” where we aspire to fight childhood obesity and promote a healthy lifestyle. Our “Done in a Day” committee will continue serving throughout the various events and activities where we can partner with other partners in our community. When a need arises, “Done in a Day” is there to serve. We look forward to our community wide Touch-A-Truck event. There were a lot of smiling and happy faces last year out at the Coliseum. So many members of our community came out to make a wonderful day for the kiddos of the Concho Valley. We are excited to continue this annual event.

Of course, we cannot accomplish all these events and activities each year without our community partners, sponsors, grantors, donors, and supporters. There are many of you who graciously give each year to support us and our endeavors, whether that be through giving discounts on our annual Shopping Card, sponsoring various events, hosting a night out for JLSA, those who donate through San Angelo Gives, and of course each one of you who support us through our largest fundraiser, Western Dance. Please know JLSA appreciates each of you.

I am looking forward to what the year has in store for us, I can’t wait for us to continue to “Sharing the Good” here in San Angelo! And I am honored to spend the year with women who so tirelessly give all that they can to our community. Thank you to each of you for being on this journey with me.

 

 

Casey Thieman