We helped Fill the Dwight Community Fridge for Thanksgiving!

Our November Done in a Day project was to help fill the Dwight Community Fridge just in time for Thanksgiving! This was a wonderful chance to give back and ensure that families in our community have access to essential food items for the holiday.

We invited members, friends, and the public to bring non-perishable goods, fresh produce, and other essentials to help fill the fridge with love and generosity. After stocking the fridge, we celebrated our impact with a well-deserved happy hour at Michelina’s on State Street—a fantastic, woman-owned spot known for its cozy vibes and great drinks.

DIAD Thanksgiving Turkey Drop!

This Thanksgiving season, the Junior League of Greater New Haven supported the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen’s annual Turkey Drop! 

We provided frozen turkeys, non-perishable holiday food items, and essentials (stuffing, canned vegetables, and more!) to make the holiday season brighter for families in need.

We celebrated a Festive Holiday at Decembers GMM& Holiday Party at Haven Beer Co. in their cozy and fun Penalty Box!

We celebrated a night filled with holiday cheer, great company, and delicious brews. 

During our celebration we collected new or gently used coats which we donated to Button Up Connecticut to keep our neighbors in need warm!

About Haven Beer Co:

Welcome to Haven Beer Company, where we go beyond just brewing the best beers. Our full bar offers craft cocktails and wine, while our full in-house menu serves up delicious food. Whether it's lunch, dinner, or just a cold one, everyone is welcome here! Our Tap Room open up to our outdoor Biergarten - the perfect spot for a sunny day Cheers to good times ahead at Haven Beer Co

JLGNH is incredibly grateful for our community of empowering women! Reflecting on our November GMM, we were honored to have Karen Scarfo Thomas as our keynote speaker. Karen, the ED of Friendly Hands Foodbank- the largest food bank in NWCT- and a certified etiquette educator, shared her inspiring story and valuable insights with us.

The evening was filled with connection, learning, sharing, and enjoying delicious food and drinks at @eastrockmarket! We also heard from the JLGNH Board, as each Director introduced themselves.

Our October GMM at the Arts Council Building featured an inspiring keynote, Teqoa Griffith, CEO of Blaq Pearl Photography! Teqoa shared her incredible journey as an entrepreneur, her experiences filming on HGTV’s House Hunters, photographing the WNBA and UFC, and her impactful role with I Love New Haven. Her wisdom and insight were truly unforgettable!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended in person and virtually! We also want to recognize The Arts Council of Greater New Haven for the beautiful venue, Ozzy’s Pizza of East Rock Market for the delicious pizza, and East Rock Brewing Company for the amazing beer.

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Sherese Ward

Sherese Ward came to the Junior League of Greater New Haven as a native of the namesake city who currently lives and works in Austin, TX. She has a professional background in finance, but has transitioned to a role as Portfolio Director K12 Education Programs with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation in education philanthropy, for which she draws upon her passion for social justice.

Sherese joined the Junior League of Greater New Haven in 2008 and although she calls herself an over-committer who struggles with work-life balance, she says that JLGNH work felt different from her other passion projects because of the deep friendships she has developed through her Junior League membership with other service-oriented women. Per Sherese, “fitting in my JL responsibilities has never been an issue. My League was comprised of the most wonderful humans, who served as a source of constant energy. My JL work was always energizing.” Ms. Ward served on the committee to plan JLGNH’s signature fundraiser, the annual Winetasting and Auction, and counts that opportunity as one of her happiest memories.

While Sherese has transferred from the JLGNH, she is an integral part of the history of our League and we are proud to count a woman as resilient and curious as Sherese, who believes deeply in the collective power of women, among our lifelong members.

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Kelly Wakeland

Kelly Wakeland joined the Junior League of San Diego in 2019 to connect with other women and to have a social outlet that focused on benefitting her community. She now lives in New Haven and works with adolescents who have eating disorders. As a military spouse, Kelly appreciates the overall network of AJLI and that her membership in the Junior League of Greater New Haven is transferable. She was happy to be a member of The League when her family moved to New Haven, because she knew she would have a group to join in her new city. 

Kelly says her membership in JLGNH is valuable because it helps her, “practice skills that I don’t get to perfect in my job.” She describes her League participation as an exchange. “I give my time and ideas…I get a sense of belonging and purpose, and an opportunity to connect with others.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Rev. Dr. Bonnie Scott

Rev. Dr. Bonnie Scott joined the Junior League in Chicago eight years ago. A true trailblazer, Bonnie is proud of having graduated from Yale Divinity School in the 1960s and becoming ordained. She describes herself as, “one of few women,” to have achieved this accomplishment. In addition to her United Church of Christ ministry, Bonnie is also a practicing psychotherapist.

The highlight of Bonnie’s time in the Junior League is meeting interesting women and contributing to service projects. She was attracted to join the Junior League by the “emphasis on justice and building strong women in leadership.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Katy Meier

Katy Meier joined the Junior League of Oklahoma City in 2015 to make friends outside of work after college. She works, remotely, for a company in Austin, TX as a structural engineer who specializes in bridge design. After moving to Connecticut, she re-joined the Junior League of Greater New Haven with the Fall provisional class in 2021. “We [the Provisionals] clicked pretty much from the first time we met.”

Katy has been a member of three Leagues total, including also the Junior League of St. Louis, and she has accepted leadership positions that gave her practice organizing groups, running a meeting, and communication that transfers to life outside of The League. “Over the 3 Leagues I've been a part of, I have attended trainings on negotiation which I've used in 

negotiating salary in my career; I learned about financial literacy, which I've used in planning my retirement investments; and I also learned calligraphy which I put to use addressing my wedding invitations.”

Katy also says that the JLGNH has helped her, “become a member of the community and also given me insight into how I can better serve it.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Cate Kellett

Cate Kellett was introduced to the Junior League of Greater New Haven when she attended their holiday party with a friend. She remembers how the group made her feel at that gathering saying, “the group seemed very friendly and laid back, so I decided to try it out.” Cate works as the Cataloging and Government Documents Librarian at Yale Law School and has become a mother since joining the JLGNH to daughter Harper, which keeps her booked and busy during the week, so she appreciates that JLGNH has adapted to offer virtual meetings and volunteer opportunities. The flexible virtual options, “helped me participate more than I could have once I had Harper.

The highlight of Cate’s membership in the Junior League was the Say Yes to the Prom Dress project, which she describes as, “the most fun and fulfilling project we’ve done during my time with JLGNH.” Ms. Kellett is also looking to future projects where she might put her professional skills to use on behalf of the League, including potentially organizing and describing the contents of JLGNH’s archive.