Feeding Westchester

By Jessica Doolan  

April 29, 2026: April is National Volunteer Month, and it is the perfect time to spotlight the incredible volunteer work of the Junior League of Bronxville (JLB) and the women who make it all possible.  

Why Women Join the JLB

There are many reasons why women join the Junior League of Bronxville. Some come after a move to a new neighborhood, seeking connection. Some, like me, come because of an invitation from a friend. Some come simply because they wanted to do something that mattered and weren't sure what that looked like yet.  

What they find is a community of women more inspiring than they ever imagined – diverse in backgrounds, careers and stages of life, already deep in the work of making Westchester a more equitable place. They are feeding families who might need a little assistance that week. They are sitting with children as they learn to read and sharing their contagious love for books. They are making sure that a child walking into school doesn't have to feel different because of what they're wearing. The friendships formed along the way are real, and for some members, unexpected. But they are a by-product of something far more important: the quiet, consistent work of showing up for a community that needs them.  

Founded in the 1940s, the JLB now serves Bronxville, Eastchester, Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe, and Yonkers, and its activities revolve around three pillars of service: food insecurity, education, and family wellness. These pillars are not abstract values; they are the blueprint for hundreds of hours of hands-on work each year, carried out by women who show up because they know it matters.  

Feeding Westchester

Twice a month JLB members join Feeding Westchester, an organization that supplies millions of meals a year to Westchester residents, to staff two mobile food pantries in Mount Vernon, distributing food to those who need a little help to fill their refrigerators that week. "It is so rewarding when the repeat people who come through recognize you," says Caitlin DeFilipo, who co-chairs the Mobile Food Pantry partnership. Building these relationships is at the heart of what the JLB does.  

Twice a year that same spirit drives the Cooking for a Cause events, a collaboration with the Community Service Associates (CSA) Soup Kitchen in Mount Vernon. Each fall and spring, we gather in members’ kitchens to cook full meals together for over 100 people in need. “It’s a great way to meet a lot of new members while also giving back at the same time,” reflects Cooking for a Cause Chair Alison Brondeau. 

Book Nook and Dorm Drive

The JLB's education pillar is reflected in various programs – two being the Book Nook and the Dorm Drive. Through these two programs the JLB is investing in young people at different stages of their educational journey: children just discovering the joy of reading, and young adults standing on the threshold of college education for the first time. The JLB Book Nook, a partnership with the Eastchester Community Action Partnership (ECAP), brings together volunteers and elementary school children in an after-school setting to read aloud, share ideas, and engage in fun and meaningful projects. Book Nook co-chair Laura Burns shares how rewarding it is “watching how the kids respond to the activities across all grade levels and seeing them be creative.”  

Book Nook

For young women heading off to college, the JLB sponsors the Dorm Drive, in partnership with Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE) and the Guidance Center of Westchester. At this shopping event, JLB volunteers help students select dorm room essentials, including bedding, organizers, decor – items that can mean everything to a young person heading to college. In addition to the Dorm Drive, the JLB also grants four annual scholarships to college-bound women who’ve demonstrated their commitment to volunteerism. These scholarships reflect the JLB’s consistent commitment to inspiring and empowering the next generation of leaders dedicated to creating meaningful change in their communities.  

Dorm Drive 

The Joyful Closet

The Joyful Closet at the Edward Williams School, an initiative in partnership with non-profit Bundles of Joy, is one example of the JLB’s focus on family wellness. Serving a school community with widespread housing insecurity, the Joyful Closet is a fully stocked and “shoppable” closet that can also fulfill specific and personal requests -- a new school uniform, a winter coat, hygiene products. Each package is assembled with care, and every single one includes something extra, something just for the child to enjoy -- "a bright spot in the bag," as Joyful Closet Co-Chair Amy Brown describes it. When asked what drew her to become involved with the Joyful Closet, she spoke of the real-world and immediate impact the work allows. "You're touching the life of a specific child," she says.  

Joyful Closet

The Family Wellness pillar extends beyond the closet. Through partnerships with Hope's Door and My Sister's Place, JLB members collect and donate products to shelter residents.  Through a partnership with Westhab, the JLB helps families transitioning into permanent housing to stock their new homes with some essentials – cleaning supplies, bathroom and kitchen items. "The women we are helping are in a transition period," says Angela Neil, who co-chairs the partnerships. "We are a group of women who genuinely care and want the best for them and want to be a part of their journey to be here to support them."  

Because of the diverse backgrounds of the women in the JLB, everyone brings different schedules, obligations, and seasons of life to the table. Family commitments shift.  Careers accelerate. But the work continues because everyone contributes what they can, when they can. Importantly, every member has the opportunity not only to serve, but to grow through leadership opportunities in chair positions, officer roles, and through professional leadership training.  

What is also true about the JLB is that it is constantly evolving, and that it genuinely listens to the needs of its community. Joyful Closet co-chair Sarah Darwin reflected on how the JLB’s role “is helping in the local community where it's needed and working closely with community partners who know where the needs are.” New initiatives can be launched, and existing ones can grow because of the tireless work of the JLB’s fundraising team and all the community members who lend their support.  

The Junior League of Bronxville welcomes women who want to make a meaningful difference in their community. Whether you are interested in membership, becoming a partner organization, or donating in support of the causes it champions, there are many ways to be part of the work and impact. Current president, Kelly Shine shares, “at its heart, the Junior League of Bronxville is about women consistently showing up with compassion and a shared desire to serve the communities we call home. I am deeply proud of the work we do and the women who make it possible.”  

To learn more, visit jlbronxville.org and follow the Junior League of Bronxville on social media @juniorleaguebronxville.