FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Cody Hefner (513) 608-5777, chefner@cincymuseum.org
Junior League of Cincinnati opens exhibition celebrating 100 years of making a difference
Exhibition at Cincinnati Museum Center showcases a century of community impact
CINCINNATI – The Junior League of Cincinnati is celebrating its centennial with an exhibition recognizing the group’s accomplishments over the past century. The Junior League of Cincinnati: Making a Difference for 100 Years opens August 16 at Cincinnati Museum Center.
Founded in 1920, the Junior League of Cincinnati is part of a network of more than 292 Junior League Organizations across the globe. The Junior League of Cincinnati has dedicated those 100 years to its mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Largely focusing on the development and wellness of families and children in the Cincinnati region, the Junior League has worked to fill the gap in social services and address issues that have been overlooked.
“The Junior League of Cincinnati is so excited to partner with Cincinnati Museum Center to build this exhibition to publicly showcase the work we’ve done over the past century,” says Meredith Comin, president of the Junior League of Cincinnati. “While our work has certainly left its mark on the city, many are unfamiliar with just how much the League has impacted organizations here that we all know and love. We’re thrilled that Cincinnati Museum Center is helping us tell that story.”
The Junior League of Cincinnati has incubated or accelerated over 120 projects in its history. The Junior League of Cincinnati: Making a Difference for 100 Years showcases several of those projects and highlights the League’s history with photos, graphics and a theater experience featuring interviews with Junior League members speaking about their experience and how their work has made their community a better place to live, play and grow.
Among the projects featured in the exhibition are:
- The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati – Developed by the JLC in 1924 as the Junior League Players to introduce kids to the theater, it was later incorporated as The Children’s Theatre in 1947.
- MindPeace – In 2002, the JLC initiated a project to answer a significant need for an improved system of mental health care for children in the Greater Cincinnati area. JLC launched MindPeace in 2007 as its own non-profit because no other mental health organization focused on systemic improvement to children’s mental health access and quality.
- Fernside Center for Grieving Children – Established in 1986, Fernside is the nation’s second oldest children’s grief center and remains a national leader in providing grief support services, outreach and education to families. It is now an affiliate of the Hospice of Cincinnati, addressing the unique needs of children.
- GrinUp! – With oral healthcare being the single most common unmet healthcare need among children in Ohio, the JLC launched the GrinUp! Initiative. The JLC raised funds to provide oral health products in schools and supported CMC’s Inside the Grin exhibit.
- Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank – The Junior League of Cincinnati’s latest program partnership, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank partners with local social service agencies to distribute 92,000 diapers every month to low-income families while raising awareness of the basic health need for diapers. In 2018, Sweet Cheeks expanded its services to include the distribution of menstruation supply kits and potty training packages.
“The Junior League of Cincinnati have been difference makers in our community for the past 100 years, incubating projects and initiatives that have had a true impact on young lives in Cincinnati,” says Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “We’re happy to be part of their centennial celebration and to help shine a light on their impactful work.”
Today, the Junior League of Cincinnati is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that boasts nearly 1,000 members, each dedicated to its mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As The Junior League of Cincinnati: Making a Difference for 100 Years reflects on a century of community impact, the League also looks forward to the next century and what is yet to be accomplished.
The Junior League of Cincinnati: Making a Difference for 100 Years is open August 16, 2019 through June 1, 2020 at Cincinnati Museum Center. The exhibition is free for CMC Members or included with admission. Visit cincymuseum.org/junior-league to learn more.
CMC and the Junior League of Cincinnati recognize the Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation for their generous support to make the centennial celebration possible.
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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of a select few museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than one million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org.
About the Junior League of Cincinnati
Founded in 1920, the Junior League of Cincinnati is part of a network of more than 292 Junior League Organizations across the globe. We are a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization, whose nearly 1,000 members are dedicated to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
For further information on the Junior League of Cincinnati, please visit: www.jlcincinnati.org.