This question is best answered by our mission statement: The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay is an organization of women whose mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training. Our purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

Nearly 300 Junior Leagues exist in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, with a total of over 140,000 members. The San Francisco Bay Area has five Junior Leagues: Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Junior League of San Francisco, Junior League of San Jose, Junior League of Palo Alto – Mid Peninsula, and Junior League of Napa-Sonoma. Find a list of all the leagues at www.ajli.org.

In 1901 Mary Harriman, together with 85 other women, founded the Junior League for the Promotion of Settlement Movements in New York City. The name was later shortened to the Junior League. Early League projects included establishment of orphanages, programs in the arts, dental health for children, home nursing, parks and playgrounds. The organization became international when the Junior League of Montreal joined in 1912. Junior League of Oakland-East Bay began as the Fenton League and became the Junior League of Oakland in February 1935, with a charter membership of 61. In 1974, the name of the League became the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. to reflect the expansion of the League’s membership and service area.

The League provides a few different types of community support, focused on supporting our charitable endeavors, including:

• Delivering immediate community impact by way of volunteers for short-term community needs
• Awarding annual grants to community agencies in need of additional support
• Providing trained volunteers for longer-term community projects and programs and developing women leaders

Our Community Impact works tackles short-term community needs that require volunteers. JLOEB’s Community Impact Committee develops opportunities to offer the League’s greatest resource — our members — to assist community agencies with projects and events that they are unable to staff on their own. The flexibility and the short-term nature of these projects allow the League exposure to a rich variety of community agencies and volunteer experiences. Generally speaking our focus area is supporting women, children, and gender-expansive individuals facing homelessness, so many of the organizations we work share that vision and focus as well.

The most common characteristic shared by members is that they are women committed to contributing to their communities. Currently, Junior League of Oakland-East Bay has about 300 members, nearly all living in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. In 2024, about 90 of the members are “active” (including New Members/Provisional Members), and the rest are “sustaining” members. Sustainers have 6+ years of service beyond the New Member year, and continue to support the League and their community — but with reduced membership requirements.

Membership in the Junior League provides many benefits. The most significant is the personal satisfaction that comes with making a positive contribution to your community. While a member of Junior League Of Oakland-East Bay, you will have the opportunity to develop new leadership skills. You will have access to community leaders and will build relationships with a diverse group of dedicated, talented women. You will learn about the East Bay communities and how to collaborate with other organizations to achieve a common goal. As a member, you will receive training and can sharpen your skills in areas such as public speaking, graphic design, marketing and public relations, financial analysis and budgeting, fundraising, advocacy, volunteer coordination, non-profit administration and program development. Should you move out of the area, you can transfer your membership to another Junior League.

Junior League of Oakland-East Bay welcomes all women 21 years of age and older who are committed to voluntarism. Membership does not require a new member to be sponsored.

During your first year of membership, you will participate in a New Member course which runs from September through May, designed to introduce you to the League and offer you a taste of League involvement. Throughout the New Member course you will have the opportunity to sample a number of events and projects, learning more about how the League works in collaboration with community agencies. You will also receive comprehensive information on requirements each member is to fulfill for active status.

When you join Junior League of Oakland-East Bay in August, you will pay a total of $250 to cover the New Member course fee, and your membership dues for the partial League year. The following spring, you will pay active member dues for participation as an Active the following League year.

Active members (those who have completed the New Member course) can meet their member commitment for the year with a minimum of 4 hours per month, but you can dedicate as much as you’d like. Activities include attending monthly general meetings for the entire League membership, regular committee meetings and project work, participating in training, working on one-day projects and volunteer shifts, and helping with fundraisers.

While we depend on our members to fulfill their commitments so the League can accomplish its goals, we understand that personal and business conflicts arise. We strive to offer a variety of flexible options to meet members’ needs and our members work together to help each other as needed.

Although the Junior League was not established as a “professional networking” organization, many opportunities exist for members to discuss their professions and share information with other members. Further, there are opportunities to advertise your business by becoming a sponsor of our signature fundraisers, or by placing an ad in The Bay View, our League’s bi-annual publication.

You may contact the League office at (925) 237-1454; or email newmember@jloeb.org.