For over 100 years, the Junior League of Birmingham has been a positive force for change in Jefferson and Shelby County. The JLB’s approximately 1,600 trained volunteers collectively donate more than 40,000 hours of direct community service in Birmingham each year. The JLB’s 20 community projects address some of Birmingham’s most critical issues, including food insecurity, health education to the at-risk community, and resources for underserved students to foster academic success.

The four Impact Areas with the target issues and community projects that fall under each are listed below:

Birmingham Botanical Gardens: “Can You Dig It?” Program

As we all know, children learn best not only by listening but also by seeing and doing. Volunteers will work in teams of two to three to conduct science-based field trips at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens that correlate with school curriculum. These field trips are offered free of charge to participating schools, and volunteers will have the opportunity to share one of Birmingham’s greatest, free resources with the next generation. Can You Dig It is one of our longest-running community placements.

*Children’s of Alabama: Harbor Family Center Library

The Harbor Family Center at Children’s of Alabama offers an escape from the hospital environment while families are receiving care. In 2024, more than 8,000 individuals attended respite activities designed and led by volunteers, and 600 books were distributed to families from the library.  Junior League volunteers will coordinate activities such as  craft nights and scavenger hunts that strengthen families and promote healing through togetherness and play as well as stock and provide books to families through the library.

*Dance Without Limits: Dance Classes

Dance without Limits strives to bring the joy of dance to all individuals regardless of age or ability.  Junior League volunteers serve as helpers and are paired up with participants one-on-one.  Some dancers need no assistance, just some encouragement. Others need help standing, staying with the beat, or just staying on task. The volunteers are the heartbeat of the mission because, not only do these individuals come to dance, but they come to cultivate friendship and community.

Junior League of Birmingham: Birmingham City Schools Career Cafes

Birmingham City Schools Career Cafes program is designed to enable middle schoolers to gain an understanding of diverse career paths. We are partnering with Birmingham City Schools to bring middle schoolers to the JLB building and provide students the opportunity to learn from Junior League members about career paths, career readiness, and more. The fields students will learn about and hear more about range from law enforcement, banking, healthcare, human resources, nonprofit, accounting, and public relations industries.

Junior League of Birmingham: JLB Choral Group

The JLB Choral Group serves the community by singing and visiting with many of our community partners, as well as nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and underprivileged schools. They bring music into the lives of those in need, and Holiday and Spring performances are held throughout the Birmingham area. Formed in 1961, the JLB Choral Group is considered the oldest Junior League choral group in the country and is comprised of approximately 70 members across the Birmingham community.

Children’s of Alabama: Family Fun Times 

Children’s of Alabama serves thousands of children and families each year from across Alabama. The goal of Family Fun Times is to help these children and families feel as “normal” as possible despite their current circumstances. This program aims to give patients and their families a brief respite by providing weekend and evening activities planned and implemented by JLB volunteers in coordination with the Child Life Department.

Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS): Senior Grocery Delivery Initiative 

The goal of the Senior Grocery Initiative is to enhance the quality of life and strengthen independence for individuals and families, with a primary focus on older adults. Through the Senior Grocery Delivery Initiative, JLB volunteers and the CJFS work to improve food security, a social determinant of health, for low-income older adults aged 60+ who meet income qualifications. Volunteers prepare and deliver food boxes to seniors on a regular schedule, providing them with groceries and other essentials along with social interaction that many would not have otherwise.

Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center: Forging a Community 

Forge supports, empowers, and improves medical access, health outcomes, and quality of life for Alabama breast cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Forge staff and JLB volunteers offer a variety of classes to support the physical and emotional well-being of breast cancer clients. JLB volunteers will serve as ambassadors to Forge clients and work in teams to plan and execute lifestyle programs and activities for breast cancer survivors.

The Exceptional Foundation: Dances

The Exceptional Foundation strives to meet the social and recreational needs of cognitively challenged individuals in the greater Birmingham area in order to enhance their lives through various activities such as dances and special events. JLB volunteers plan and facilitate quality programs that meet the participants’ social and intellectual needs, providing enriching socialization, stimulating activities, and a sense of belonging.

The Crisis Center: Senior Talk Line

The mission of the Senior Talk Line is to provide supportive connections through weekly telephone calls to seniors and caregivers of seniors to alleviate the negative impacts associated with social isolation and loneliness. Loneliness can be very detrimental to one’s sense of well-being, as connection is a basic human need. JLB volunteers make phone calls to a set group of seniors each week and help senior citizens feel cared for and connected to other people.

YWCA: Healthy Relationships 

The YWCA, in partnership with the JLB, developed the Children in Crisis program in 1994, to help children who have been exposed to violent situations or unhealthy environments better understand and cope with their emotions and to prevent this learned generational behavior of violence. Healthy Relationships is a hands-on placement that provides the opportunity to interact with children and youth who have witnessed domestic violence. JLB volunteers help facilitate and execute programming on topics such as self-esteem, anger management, choices and consequences, good and bad secrets, and safety planning.

Junior League of Birmingham: Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force

The JLB Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force was created in 2017 to increase awareness in the Birmingham community through training, public awareness, and community events with partners to educate our society on the critical issue of human trafficking. Currently listed as the second largest, fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world, human trafficking is a $13 billion per year business in the United States alone. Approximately 80% of human trafficking victims are female, with the average age of entry into human trafficking as a victim being in the early teen years. Since its founding, this JLB initiative has won a national public policy and advocacy award, played a role in passing important state and local legislation, prompted the installation of awareness signage in every bathroom stall across Birmingham International Airport, and hosted numerous awareness and training events. Through this initiative, the JLB has reached thousands across the State to bring a greater understanding of this public crisis and to empower communities and organizations to action.

Junior League of Birmingham: Corps of Volunteers 

The JLB Corps of Volunteers is a dedicated small group of volunteers assigned to support community agencies and organizations through special event volunteer work. Volunteers may be asked to complete tasks such as event check-in or registration, set-up, logistics support during an event, work silent auction or other event stations, and more. Please visit the Corps of Volunteers page for more information or to request assistance.

Junior League of Birmingham: Go The Extra Mile – Drives

The JLB supports community agencies and organizations in the greater Birmingham area with one-time supply drives through the Go the Extra Mile program. As opposed to Corps of Volunteers, which focuses on volunteers for special events and fundraisers, Go the Extra Mile supply drives are one-time drives to help support nonprofits who are in need of goods or items to support their programming and activities. Please visit the Go the Extra Mile page for more information or to request assistance.

Community Food Bank of Central Alabama: Tarrant Mobile Food Pantry

One of the most valued new approaches toward fighting hunger and food insecurity is a program called Mobile Food Pantries (MFP). MFP are particularly effective in areas where there is inadequate “infrastructure,” including the lack of food pantries or pantries that are very limited in hours or refrigerated storage capacity. JLB volunteers executes 12 monthly Mobile Food Distribution events at Tarrant Elementary School in Jefferson County which consist of packing and distributing food boxes to clients.

Grace Klein Community: Food Rescue and Distribution

Grace Klein seeks to share resources and build relationships to ignite the restoration of individuals, families, and communities. JLB volunteers assist with “food rescue” in picking up or “rescuing” unused food from local restaurants, grocers, and events through an app-based system and then deliver the items to Grace Klein headquarters for redistribution to families who are food insecure. JLB volunteers engage in the food redistribution via a mobile drive-thru at a Grace Klein partner location in Calera, AL.

Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama: ESL Classes for Hispanic Applicants for Naturalization

¡HICA! is a community development and advocacy organization that champions economic equality, civic engagement, and social justice for Latino and immigrant families in Alabama. The JLB’s project with the Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama aims to provide a sustainable way to offer English as a Second Language, or ESL, classes for Hispanics and other immigrants seeking to become US citizens through the process of Naturalization. JLB Volunteers prepare members of the ¡HICA! Community for the citizenship test in a classroom setting by providing consistent weekly opportunities for practicing skills learned in class with native English speakers, evaluating their progress, and participating in a celebration at the conclusion of class.

Vineyard Family Services: Backpack Buddies 

Vineyard Family Services (VFS) works to decrease the impact of hunger in our community through the Shelby County Backpack Buddies program. VFS and JLB volunteers work with Alabaster City, Pelham City, and Shelby County Public School Systems to feed children in need of nutritional help. JLB volunteers help to provide single-serve, shelf-stable food items to elementary-age students who have been identified by school administrators as at-risk for under-nutrition and other challenging home situations. Every month, volunteers de-case food, sort, and pack buddy food bags for delivery to elementary school-aged children. These children are discreetly given bags of nutritious food in their backpacks for the weekend and holiday breaks.

Junior League of Birmingham: Essentials Pantry 

The JLB Essentials Pantry serves as a resource for unmet daily essentials in participating area schools. The Essentials Pantry provides basic toiletry items as well as school supplies and clothing to elementary, middle, and high school programs within Jefferson County. JLB members work with school administrators and counselors to determine the list of items needed and then stock the Essentials Pantries based on those needs. Generally, pantry items include appropriate clothing and outerwear, personal hygiene items, and other necessary items for students to feel comfortable and prepared at school. Teachers and school staff allow students to select needed items in a dignified and discreet manner.

* Indicates a new project for 2026-2027