The Junior League of Dallas held their 2017-2018 Community Grant Presentation at Green House Market in NorthPark Center early Saturday, February 4, 2017. The group gathered along with Dallas Market Executive, Bob White, as their sponsor and WFAA’s, Alexa Conomos, as their emcee to present grants to the 39 agencies that were carefully chosen by the JLD Research and Development Committee. The Community Grant Program represents more than $770,000 in funding and 1,165 volunteer placements.

The Research and Development Committee is made up of R&D chair, Brandy Patrick, and Community Vice President, Elizabeth Allen. Together, the two women spent countless hours deliberating between agencies in order to find those that not only share the same vision for a better Dallas, but who focus on six issue areas that the Junior League of Dallas supports. The issues include: violence intervention, poverty intervention, health, family preservation, education, and arts and cultural enrichment. The Junior League of Dallas is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

“Our agencies often tell us that the partnership with the Junior League of Dallas is invaluable; that the gift of our time and resources helps them bridge the gap between their capacity and our shared vision for a better Dallas,” said Bonner Allen, the Junior League of Dallas President. It is that shared vision that inspires our work, motivates us through the years and is what brings us here today.” As Alexa Conomos of WFAA announced, the Junior League of Dallas will give more than $1 million and more than 1,200 volunteers to the Dallas community in total in 2017-2018. The 39 partner agencies and the Junior League of Dallas,“make it their mission to make Dallas the community of choice and a place of opportunity for all,” said Conomos.

Guests included: Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Burns, New Friends New Life Advancement Director Jennifer Yarbrough, New Friends New Life Executive Director Kelly Cruse, Emcee and WFAA Morning Anchor Alexa Conomos, Bank of Texas Dallas Market Executive Bob White, Our Friend’s Place Development Director Brenda Snitzer, Parkland Foundation Development Officer Caroline Law, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Vice President and Director of Development Stephanie Brigger, Dallas CASA Executive Director and President Kathleen LaValle, Methodist Health System Foundation Vice President Angela Nash, EQUEST Chief Executive Officer Lili Kellogg, Community Partners of Dallas Senior Program Director Jennifer Doggett, Genesis Women’s Shelter CEO Jan Langbein, The Family Place Vice President of Development Melissa Sherill, Interfaith Family Services Senior Development Manager Ester Harrison, St. Philips School and Community Center Director of Philanthropy Benaye Rogers and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas Director of Volunteer Services Carolyn Jordan