By Ally Morrison
Established in 1922, the Junior League of Birmingham is celebrating 100 years of service, leadership, partnerships and development of women’s potential.
In 1916, a service group from St. Mary’s Church focused on supporting servicemen who were called to fight at the Mexican-American border. Calling themselves “Volunteer Relief,” they collected much-needed items of comfort, such as toothpaste and soap, and after the war was over, hosted events raising money for Children’s Hospital.
Also formed to help the less fortunate was a group of 30-something young women known as “Mrs. Shook’s Group.” This group engaged in the same type of volunteer work.
Six years later, in 1922, Mrs. Shook’s Group and the Saint Mary’s Volunteer Relief Group came together at historical South Highland Presbyterian Church to form the Junior League of Birmingham.
As the original torchbearers of the city, these women embarked on the mission to build partnerships for a better Birmingham.
According to its website, the JLB has grown from 100 members to more than 2,300 today, making a difference annually by engaging in 55,000 hours of service, leading community fundraising to raise $1.7 million and inspiring the next generation of female leaders.
and Martina Winston, JLB president-elect.
Celebrating 100 Years
JLB President Amy Jackson first joined the organization in 2005 and began her presidency in June 2021. Jackson’s presidency will come to an end in June, as she passes the torch to President-elect Martina Winston.
In celebration of its 100th anniversary, the Junior League established the community service project 100 Acts of Service.
Inglenook Elementary was among one of the many areas of the Birmingham community to see the Junior League’s love. The JLB spent several weeks renovating an old baseball field and basketball court at the school and hosted a family-fun day, providing snacks for attendees.
“On January 1st of 2022, which began our centennial year celebration, the league went big with 100 Acts of Service all over Birmingham,” Jackson said. “The T-ball field project at Inglenook Elementary was our biggest project as it took several weekends before we finally revealed the project in a community play day accompanied by an incredible sports equipment giveaway.”
Jackson detailed the variety of projects the organization took on for its acts of service.
“We cleared litter with Freshwater Land Trust, built a wheelchair ramp with Hearts & Hands, played Bingo and served lunch to senior citizens at Avondale Samaritan Place, delivered gift baskets to front line health workers and more,” Jackson said.
Kicking off the organization’s centennial festivities in May was the release of a short film in honor of the occasion, which documented the Junior League’s beginnings, growth and hope for the future. On May 9, this short film premiered at Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema.
According to the JLB, the organization has been committed to Building Partnerships for a Better Birmingham for 100 years, and the short film celebrates that story. The film was produced by JLB past presidents Toni Leeth and Becky Holt, along with Birmingham-based documentarian Jenna Bedsole of FreeWorks Productions.
“With thousands of photos, newsletters, video footage and other memorabilia, it made perfect sense to tell our 100-year history through a centennial film,” Jackson said. “Anyone watching this film would have a solid overview of the history of the league and the multitude of projects and initiatives in which it has been involved. Jenna Bedsole and Toni Leeth did an incredible job.”
In addition to 100 Acts of Service, the JLB awarded scholarships in April to further the investment in the future of the community.
Passing the Torch
As Jackson passes the president title to Winston, she looks back on the past year.
“The JLB has provided me the outlet to serve my community in a multitude of facets that would have otherwise been unavailable without joining several organizations,” Jackson said. “Being involved with the league’s impact on our community, along with the relationships and friendships made along the way, has been profoundly satisfying and I will always be grateful to the Junior League of Birmingham for investing in me.”
Winston has been involved with the Junior League for 12 years and is excited to be stepping into her new role next month.
Making a difference has always been a top priority to her, and having a passion for helping others stems from her childhood.
“As a little girl, all I ever wanted to do was change the world,” Winston said. “Now, as president of one of the largest volunteer service organizations in Alabama, I have the opportunity to do just that. I was raised by my grandparents, and they were greatly involved in our community. That showed me the importance of giving back and making change and ultimately shaped me into who I am today.”
“As president-elect, I’m excited to carry the torch into the rest of our centennial year. Setting the stage for our organization for the next 100 years will be a top priority. Our members are important, and I want to make sure they understand the impact of their commitment not only to our community but to our league. Being able to motivate and inspire our volunteers to be engaged and take action in the work will be a big focus for me personally.”
