Throughout its history in the Pikes Peak region, the Junior League of Colorado Springs has addressed many important community needs and launched or assisted with the formation of many landmark organizations in our community, including CASA, Ronald McDonald House and the Children’s Literacy Center. The JLCS has grown and evolved, both as initiator of projects, and as a ready partner to other non-profit organizations to address needs in the community. Over the past 90+ years, the Junior League of Colorado Springs has returned to the community over $2 million. JLCS volunteers have given over 2 million hours of service to the community.

The JLCS’ Community Service Corps (CSC) focuses its efforts on advocating for women and youth and enabling them to be effective and valuable citizens of this community. The CSC meets this vision through three major projects: Winter Wonderland, Fostering Change, and Fostering Futures.

Fostering Change Fund

In, the Fostering Change Fund was established as a means of assisting teens and young adults facing transition out of foster care with specific, short term monetary needs. The fund is a component of our Fostering Change focus area, which endeavors to provide resources to current and former foster youth in order to address the risk factors associated with aging out of foster care, such as homelessness, human trafficking, and domestic violence.  

Fostering Change grants are reflective of the Junior League of Colorado Springs’ efforts to participate in community-based collaborative partnerships that work to broaden the educational, cultural, recreational, and health opportunities for children and young adults living in Colorado Springs and to promote volunteerism among women in the community. JLCS has awarded $23,121 through our Fostering Change Fund grant so far in the 2023-2024 League Year. Eligible applicants may apply through our online application form. If you have questions regarding the application process. please contact jlcsfosteringchange@gmail.com

Fostering Futures 

Fostering Hope Foundation and the Junior League first began collaborating in 2017, because Fostering Hope was – and remains – the only nonprofit organization providing comprehensive support specific to youth aging out of the foster care system. The Junior League of Colorado Springs provided volunteers to help with Fostering Hope’s annual picnic celebration; organized a Foster Parents’ Night Out; and hosted a go-kart experience with young adults. Junior League members also made meals for families.  

In 2023, JLCS convened a community advisory board to determine how best to support and partner with Fostering Hope Foundation, which led to the development of Fostering Futures. Fostering Futures is a collaborative initiative between Fostering Hope Foundation and The Junior League of Colorado Springs aimed at addressing the challenges faced by families and youth after making the transition from foster care to adoption. While Fostering Hope brings the necessary expertise and facilitation necessary to create community among these families, The Junior League of Colorado Springs has the ability and capacity to provide volunteer support, funding and community connections as needed to make this a successful initiative.

Many services once provided to foster families are no longer available after the families complete the adoption process. Fostering Futures seeks to extend the support offered to foster parents to a group that has historically been excluded from support; adoptive families. The goal of Fostering Futures is to provide a network of relational support and resources where adoptive families and children are seen and accepted. The program will help adoptive parents navigate the challenges associated with raising children who have experienced trauma and connect them with the resources they need to heal and thrive. The ultimate goal is to fortify former foster families and to provide adopted children with the hope of a brighter future. In August of 2023, JLCS presented a $15,000 check as a cornerstone fund for the Fostering Futures partnership. We look forward to addressing the ever evolving needs of the foster care community and this is just the beginning!

Past CSC support efforts include: Red Cross Homeless Shelter’s Child Enrichment Center,  Community Partnership for Child Development (CPCD), Habitat for Humanity, Family Life Services, TESSA, and other special needs organizations.