Finding a Community Through Volunteerism and Leadership | My Member Story

Some people are born to serve—and some people are born to serve and lead!

When Hannah Eldredge, president of the Salt Lake City chapter of Junior League, relocated to Utah from out of state, she made a conscious effort to get to know her community. With her volunteer spirit, she set out to find service opportunities with a social component.

That’s exactly what she found in the Junior League organization.

Building on a history of helping women

Originally established in New York in 1901, Junior League is an influential, all-women nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing community needs through volunteerism. Over the years, it has expanded significantly and now has 298 chapters across six countries.

The Salt Lake City chapter (JLSLC), which has been serving the city since 1931, has supported numerous initiatives to sustain and uplift the community. The League has focused on critical issues facing the environment, women and substance abuse and the health care needs of mentally ill adults.

Care Fair serves thousands

One of JLSLC’s signature events is their annual Care Fair. Launched as an immunization drive to ensure children received their vaccinations before entering kindergarten, it has evolved into a two-day event offering medical and dental screenings to between 2,000 to 3,000 people.

Leigh Huynh, the event’s director, says, “There [are] barriers that exist, such as transportation and language, but we are trying to make this a one-stop shop for community members who don’t have access to health care. The Care Fair improves their well-being and contributes to a healthier valley.”

Women helping women reenter the workforce

Another passion project for JLSLC is the Women Helping Women boutique, a resource designed to support women reentering the workforce after experiences such as domestic abuse or incarceration.

By supplying clothing and hygiene kits, the program helps restore confidence to those transitioning back into society and gives them a better chance at rebuilding their lives.

Learning to be a leader

JLSLC fosters personal growth by motivating women to make an impact and lead. Hannah didn’t originally intend to take on a significant leadership role, but sometimes life has different ideas. “I was not planning on being president ever,” she muses. “[But] our president left, and nobody else stepped up. I had to learn those leadership skills on the spot!”

Hannah believes in the power of JLSLC to cultivate confidence and leadership in every woman involved in the organization. “It teaches you things you didn’t think you could do,” she says.

Finding a partner in Mountain America Credit Union

In managing their business finances, JLSLC executives realized they needed a reliable banking partner. “We have been members of different credit unions throughout our history,” Hannah explains, “but when we heard about Mountain America, we knew they could meet our needs better than anyone else out there.”

This partnership, which goes back to 2018, has proved invaluable many times over. As new leadership is sworn in each year, Hannah particularly loves how easy it is to change who has access to the accounts.

She recounts a time when their Mountain America business advisor, Wayne, stepped in to help at a crucial moment. “We were having our Care Fair—our biggest event of the year—and our credit card was frozen because we were charging so many times,” she says. “I just called Wayne, and he took care of it. I didn’t have to spend time on the fraud line. He handled it right away, which was amazing.”

Mountain America is proud to support Junior League of Salt Lake City and see the impact they are making on the community. And by the way, Hannah, we think leadership looks good on you!