Junior League of Colorado Springs

The Association of Junior Leagues International was established in New York City by young women who wanted work to improve child health, nutrition and literacy. Soon after, new Leagues around the country formed, and the focus began to shift to social, health and educational issues that affected the community at large.

On March 30, 1924, the Junior League of Colorado Springs (JLCS), a member of the Association of Junior Leagues International, was founded. JLCS was founded specifically to support Nutrition Camp, which helped malnourished children in Colorado Springs become healthier, thus fighting off the ravages of tuberculosis.

Since that compelling beginning, the JLCS boasts an impressive history of serving the youth and families of Colorado Springs. The JLCS has grown and evolved, both as initiator of projects, and as a ready partner to other non-profit organizations, to address varying needs in the community. The JLCS has an impressive history serving the Pikes Peak region. Over the past 87 years, the JLCS has initiated such varied community projects as Children’s Theatre, the Children’s Literacy Center, bringing the Court Appointed Special Advocate (C.A.S.A.) program to Colorado Springs, newborn auditory screening, and most recently, C.A.R.E. (Community Assistance Resource Event) Fair, which provided uninsured children access to “back to school” medical and dental checkups, immunizations, and haircuts and school supplies.

The community projects initiated by the Junior League of Colorado Springs are nearly always initiated with the intention of becoming self-sustaining, as in the case of C.A.S.A. and the Children’s Literacy Center, or of being transitioned to a partner organization, as the newborn auditory screening program was transitioned to St. Francis, or as C.A.R.E. Fair was transitioned to Peak Vista only last year.

The Junior League of Colorado Springs is currently focusing its energy on a recent Association of Junior Leagues International initiative, Kids in the Kitchen, which returns the JLCS to its childhood nutrition roots. Kids in the Kitchen is intended to provide new, innovative, and most of all FUN ways to combat childhood obesity by involving children in their own meal and snack preparation, and teaching even small children the importance of making healthy choices.