We are excited to start our 66th year in Orange County with an updated Mission statement and a renewed passion for engaging with our community to have a positive and lasting impact.

At the 2022 Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) Annual Conference, 295 Junior Leagues from around the world representing over 144,000 women came together to share successes, collaborate on new ideas, and vote on a new Association Mission statement that says in part that we are:

“…an organization of women whose mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training.”

While this Mission statement may be new, our League’s actions in these areas are not new. For 66 years, Junior League of Orange County, CA, Inc. (JLOCC) has responded to the needs of the community, helping to make Orange County a thriving and inclusive community for everyone. Throughout JLOCC’s history, we have been advocates and volunteers on issues primarily affecting women, children, and families. We have trained thousands of volunteers, many of whom have gone out to work with, lead, and found many of the Orange County community organizations and entities you know today, including CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), the Orangewood Foundation, Samueli Academy, New Directions for Women, OneOC, the Raise Foundation, among others. And while we are proud of this work, we are not convinced that our work is done. 

Our members make up a diverse and inclusive group of trained volunteers and exceptional leaders. We are dedicated to searching out the challenges that face our community and, more importantly, finding solutions. If you want to join us as a member of the Junior League of Orange County – know that you will be an integral part of this effort. We will provide you with opportunities to engage, learn, and collaborate. We will encourage you and support you, whether you stay in your comfort zone or try something new. 

If you want to partner with us, we are a League of highly trained and motivated volunteers who want to work with you, support your organization, and who are ready to make an impact. When we put our minds to it and our hearts into it, we are truly unstoppable.

And if you want to support us, your donations go directly to the work of our Mission. Every dollar given to JLOCC is tripled in its impact. It is used to train our volunteers, support our partner nonprofit organizations, and support our community through targeted volunteer efforts and initiatives.

I guarantee that you know a Junior Leaguer. You may work with her, sit next to her in your place of worship, volunteer with her at another nonprofit organization, or welcome her as a member of the family. She is creative, adaptable, dynamic, and committed to making a difference in her community. Join her and us as we make a positive and lasting impact in Orange County. 

Dr. Sandra Poteat Thompson

2022-2023 President

Junior League of Orange County, CA, Inc.