Proceeds From The Junior League of Raleigh’s A Shopping SPREE! Benefit Local Charities

Raleigh, N.C. | NOVEMBER 4, 2016:

The Junior League of Raleigh (JLR) announced the recipients of the 2016 Legacy Fund Award at this year’s A Shopping SPREE! Preview Gala, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016. The Legacy Fund has awarded more than $175,000 in grants to nonprofit agencies since its launch in 2004 – all made possible by proceeds from A Shopping SPREE!. Each year the awards are given to Wake County charitable organizations that focus on women and children. The Junior League of Raleigh has a long standing commitment toward empowering women and at-risk youth in Wake County.

This year’s recipients were Haven House, Transitions LifeCare and Carroll’s Kitchen. Junior League of Raleigh president Rebecca Ayers said “We are proud to contribute a portion of funds raised at A Shopping SPREE! to these deserving charities. Haven House, Transitions LifeCare and Carroll’s Kitchen all work towards our mission at the Junior League of Raleigh to lift up children and women here in our community.”

Haven House

Shannon Walters, Director of Development with Haven House accepted the Legacy Grant award and said, “Haven House Services is grateful to the Junior League of Raleigh for its generous support of our efforts to change outcomes for struggling youth and their families in Wake County. With the help of the Junior League of Raleigh’s Legacy Grant, Haven House’s Outreach Center will host more than 1,200 visits this year from homeless and street-dependent young adults needing a safe place to access food, hygiene supplies, crisis counseling, skill-building courses and/or case management. In addition, more than 150 at-risk youth will have the opportunity to participate in our Second Round program, which uses boxing, weight training and other forms of exercise to teach youth self-discipline, team work, leadership and build a foundation for a lifetime of health, fitness and positive community involvement.”

Transitions LifeCare

Leslie-Anne Nixon, Senior Major Gifts Officer at Transitions LifeCare explained how the Legacy Grant will benefit local youth at Transitions. She said, “Transitions GriefCare programs for children and teens provide a connection with others of similar age who have experienced a loss through death, help them understand they are not alone and provide strategies in coping with their grief. Camp Reflections is an annual, weekend day camp for children and teens who have experienced the death of a loved one. Grief-related activities –music, arts and crafts and games – are led by trained facilitators. Here, participants have the opportunity to connect with other kids and families who have experienced a loss, better understand grief, find safe and creative ways to give voice to feelings and thoughts about their grief, nurture memories, build self-confidence and self-worth and take time to play, laugh, cry and feel a sense of normalcy.”

Carroll’s Kitchen

Jim Freeze, Executive Director of Carroll’s Kitchen said, “We are thrilled to receive the Junior League of Raleigh’s 2016 Legacy Grant! Our mission is to provide good food to our customers and job training for women looking for an opportunity to get back on their feet after facing challenging circumstances such as homelessness, domestic violence or human trafficking. But what we ultimately aim to do is empower the women to see themselves as truly beautiful and valuable individuals. It’s an empowering message for them to see customers come again and again to buy the food that they pour their hearts into. And in the same way, it’s an empowering message to us as an organization to receive support from such a great group like the Junior League. Being a recipient of the Legacy Grant communicates to us that you believe in our mission and that we as a community believe in the women of Carroll’s Kitchen!”

The Junior League of Raleigh welcomes more than 165 regional and national exhibitors to its 32nd annual A Shopping SPREE! this year. A longstanding tradition that began in 1985, this four-day shopping event has raised more than $2.5 million to support local nonprofit organizations committed to serving area youth. A Shopping SPREE! will run through Sunday, Nov. 6 at the Raleigh Convention Center. For more information please visit ashoppingspree.org.

About the Junior League of Raleigh

The Junior League of Raleigh is the local chapter of the Association of Junior Leagues International, an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League reaches out to women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in, and commitment to, volunteerism. Now in its 87th year, the Junior League of Raleigh includes nearly 1,600 women supporting community organizations around Wake County. Find us online at jlraleigh.org.

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