JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BIRMINGHAM INC

The Junior League of Birmingham believes that the following four areas are fundamental to the overall well-being of a community and its individuals:

Education

The Junior League of Birmingham believes that all individuals deserve a quality education and the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their potential and be fully developed, productive individuals. We believe success in school depends upon emotional, physical, social and intellectual readiness to learn. The Junior League of Birmingham, therefore, is committed to developing, implementing and supporting initiatives that address and accomplish the following:

• School Readiness – Improve the educational readiness and the first learning experiences of young children (ages 0-5 yrs).

• Women and Children’s Literacy – Promote and improve literacy among women and children.

• Success in School – Prepare elementary students to succeed in later grades and subsequently, graduate from high school.

Financial Stability

The Junior League of Birmingham recognizes the importance of each individual's economic security to the well-being of the community as a whole. We believe it is essential that each individual have the education, training, support services and employment opportunities necessary to achieve financial stability and independence. The Junior League of Birmingham, therefore, is committed to developing, implementing and supporting initiatives that address and accomplish the following:

• Women & Children’s Homelessness – Provide emergency transitional support and/or improve the quality, availability and affordability of basic necessities and support services needed to maintain economic stability.

• Personal Finance Skills Training for Women – Enhance women’s financial literacy, ability to build savings and gain assets.

• Job Readiness for Women – Prepare women for gainful employment and increase their opportunities to obtain financial stability.

Health

The Junior League of Birmingham recognizes that mental and physical health care education, access and delivery are fundamental to the community’s well-being. Healthy children and adults are better able to learn and work productively. We believe preventive health care and healthy lifestyle choices are critical components of individuals overall health. The Junior League of Birmingham, therefore, is committed to developing, implementing and supporting initiatives that and accomplish the following:

• Maternal Health & Infant Well-Being – Improve the quality, availability and affordability of maternal and infant health educational materials, programs and services.

• Living Healthy for Women and Children – Promote healthy lifestyles through fitness, proper nutrition and avoiding unhealthy choices and behavior.

• Access to Health, Care, & Support for Women and Children – Increase access to affordable, quality health screenings, preventive health care resources and/or support services for individuals and their families who have suffered a health crisis.

Safety & Crisis Intervention

The Junior League of Birmingham recognizes safety and crisis intervention as an integral factor of the well-being of our community. We believe prevention, preparedness and readiness are critical to ensuring successful response and intervention regardless of the situation. The Junior League of Birmingham, therefore, is committed to developing, implementing and supporting initiatives that address and accomplish the following:

• Domestic Violence - improve the quality, availability and affordability of educational materials, resources and services that foster environments free from negligence, violence and safety hazards.

• Juvenile Crime – Promote risk-avoiding behavior among youths and/or intervention strategies that reduce the occurrence of juvenile crime.

• Emergency and Disaster Relief - Provide emergency transitional support to women and children suffering from a disaster or safety crisis, and/or promote intervention strategies, emergency plans and other efforts that mitigate the damages of women and children.