September 18, 2015

Tulsa, OK – On Monday September 28 through Friday October 2, the Junior League of Tulsa will lead the Little Black Dress Initiative – a poverty awareness and fundraising campaign.

Participants wear the same black dress for five consecutive days to illustrate the effects poverty can have on women including access to resources, opportunities and confidence. Tulsa County has a 16% poverty rate, and 46,914 of those affected are women (including female children).  The Junior League of Tulsa is committed to ending the cycle of poverty in Tulsa. According to Tara Proctor, Campaign Chair, this campaign raises awareness about the work the Junior League of Tulsa does to end the cycle of poverty.  “This is a campaign to raise public awareness not only about poverty, but also about the work JLT does to help eliminate poverty and its effects in Tulsa,” says Proctor. Such work includes:

Harvest Market/Kids in the Kitchen – Providing volunteers to teach cooking classes focusing on affordable nutritious meal options, and promoting mealtime as a family affair. The Kids in the Kitchen program is a national initiative designed to promote healthy eating and lifestyles among children. The program also empowers individuals to live healthier lives and become agents of change in their community.

Street School Cooking Classes – Partnering with Street School, the only tuition-free, non-profit, alternative high school in the Tulsa area to provide nutrition education. Street School focuses on dropout prevention, intervention, and recovery for students grades 9 through twelve. Junior League volunteers provide cooking classes for high school students that focus on affordable and nutritious meal options.

Hawthorne Elementary Art Program – Serving children who would be unable to participate in art programs due to lack of funding and volunteers at Hawthorne Elementary; to offer free tools and resources to the second graders at Hawthorne to encourage children to learn more about the visual arts; to provide a fun and creative outlet for children enrolled in an at-risk school.

Resonance Center for Women: Turley Residential Center – Coordinating the development of a relationship and social skills program with non-violent women at the Turley Residential Center. Members volunteer with the Choosing to Change program, which helps women who are transitioning back into society and the workforce.

Tulsa County Library After School Tutoring Program – Providing after school tutoring for students in the 3rd through 8th grade at twelve library locations throughout Tulsa County. The Homework Committee provides individual and small group tutoring assistance at select locations throughout the school year.

To donate to the campaign, please visit https://www.jltulsa.org/?nd=donate_summary

For more information, please contact Tara Proctor, by email at tltommy1@aol.com or by phone at 405-706-4903.

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The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, 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 of Tulsa, Inc. welcomes all women who value our Mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations and communities. Proceeds from the event benefit our efforts to end the cycle of poverty in Tulsa.