Heart of the Home Kitchen Tour JLW

OUR THANKS

On behalf of the Board and members of the Junior League of Wilmington, I extend a heartfelt "thank you" for your support of the 2010 Heart of the Home® Kitchen Tour! Whether you are purchasing a ticket, contributing to the Tour, or own or helped create one of the beautiful kitchens being showcased, you are providing key support for our community projects and volunteer-training programs. Over the last five years, the Heart of the Home® Kitchen Tour has raised thousands of dollars to help further our mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving our community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Thank you for helping us make a difference!

Established in 1918, the Junior League of Wilmington is made up of nearly 500 women who are committed to making a difference in the communities of Greater Wilmington. One of the ways we serve these communities is by preparing women to use their Junior League training and experience in leadership roles with other entities. Among our nearly 500 members are Ronald McDonald House Executive Director Pam Cornforth, state Senator Liane Sorenson, YWCA CEO Ginny Marino and National MS Society CEO Kate Cowperthwait.

We are, perhaps, most visible, though, through our service projects. These have involved Ashland Nature Center, the Bridges for Play Handicapped Playground, Child Inc., the Delaware Adolescent Program Inc., Delaware Children's Theater, Delaware Women's Conference, Kuumba Academy, Read Aloud Delaware, the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware, Wellness Community, West End Neighborhood House, Woodlawn Library and East Side Charter School. During the last six years, our community focus was on literacy. In that time, we served over 10,000 individuals by donating more than 9,000 volunteer hours, over 40,000 books and more than $100,000 in literacy supplies and funds.

In 2009 we embarked upon a new community focus, which aims to improve the lives of local children and teens by helping them develop key life skills and providing them with necessary mentoring. Among our current projects are funding and furnishing transitional housing for current and former foster care children at West End Neighborhood House. We also are providing life skills seminars to at-risk Wilmington youths to help prepare them for self-sufficiency and responsible living.

Without patrons, owners, design professionals and donors like you, we would not be able to provide such resources. Thank you once again for participating in the Heart of the Home® Kitchen Tour and for your continued support of the Junior League of Wilmington.

Best Regards,

Tara Agne, President