Junior League of Lubbock Announces New Community Focus on Elder Care

The elder community of Lubbock has a new partner in the mission to ensure thoughtful care and high quality of life. The Junior League of Lubbock (JLL) has announced elder care as the new five-year focus of their work.

“Considerable time and work go into selecting our focus area, working with community partners to identify needs, and ensuring we are able to help meet those needs. After years of research and planning, it is rewarding for our organization and members see it come to fruition. We are grateful for our new partnerships and their help in serving a very important part of our community. We look forward to new opportunities to expand our reach and raise awareness for the needs of our elder population,” said Junior League of Lubbock President Lauren Maclaskey.

The Junior League of Lubbock advances meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training. Its members collectively spend nearly 9,000 volunteer hours each year with its own signature projects and with Lubbock-area nonprofits. Every five years the organization commits to a community focus area to provide special emphasis in its grant funding and volunteer placement. Beginning this June, the focus shifted to Elder Care opening the door to new partnerships with Lubbock Meals on Wheels and the Inside Out Foundation. The collective efforts of these partnerships seek to increase current support for the elder community.

Through the Junior League of Lubbock partnership, Lubbock Meals on Wheels (LMOW) has launched a breakfast program three days a week, which offers nourishment to their primarily senior clients, helping them remain at home, well fed, and independent as long as possible. Currently, more than 2,300 breakfasts are delivered weekly as part of the already established routes. Items are cooked but frozen or shelf-stable. With the support of the Junior League, LMOW has plans to eventually offer breakfasts to all current and incoming clients. In addition to funding support, JLL provides volunteers to assist with the delivery of meals.

“All of us at Lubbock Meals on Wheels are excited and honored to partner with the Junior League of Lubbock. JLL’s generous support enabled us to start a breakfast program in June 2023. We are currently delivering breakfast to almost 800 clients three days a week,” said Lubbock Meals on Wheels’ Assistant Director Mary Gerlach. “In 2022 we delivered over 230,000 hot meals in Lubbock and Wolfforth. We receive no government funding and are not a United Way agency.”

The Inside Out Foundation was founded by two estheticians and a public relations pro, all with a heart for supporting others in times of need. Today, the organization works with clients who are suffering physical or emotional losses due to illness or trauma to help restore their physical and emotional health, well being, and self esteem. This is achieved by services such as supplying mastectomy support products, including prosthetic breast forms, mastectomy bras, and mastectomy survivor bags; skin care products for chemotherapy/burn/radiation treatment damage, and head coverings—including hats, turbans and wigs—and eyebrow/eyelash kits, all at no cost to clients.

The Junior League of Lubbock has now partnered with the Inside Out Foundation to produce “Happiness Boxes” for the elderly. Boxes include pill cutters, stress balls, and other various practical, usable items designed in mind for older folks. The Junior League volunteers help by assembling and delivering the boxes and bringing joy to their clients through “personal touch visits.”

“We have never been more proud and honored to partner with the amazing entity that is the Junior League than we are now with this special project,” said Alexis Arnold, co-founder and executive director of the Inside Out Foundation. “We’re thrilled to not only provide needed products to the elderly here in our community, but to be able to spend valuable time with them, hear their stories, learn some wisdom, and just show them love in this way is truly a special gift, one that is being facilitated by Junior League and one that we are most grateful for.”

The Junior League also invites additional nonprofits serving the elderly community to request volunteers. To request volunteers, visit jllubbock.com/community/shifts.

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