Activities

Current Activities

Monthly Meetings
Delegates from the eight New Jersey Junior Leagues meet monthly to discuss and plan NJ SPAC advocacy and educational activities. Focus issues are discussed and voted on in early fall at the beginning of the League year. The 2021-2024 NJ SPAC focus issues are Black Maternal and Infant Health, Health Equity, Mental Health and Food Insecurity. Human Trafficking continues to be a signature NJ SPAC issue.

Trainings
February 6-7, 2025 - SPAC boards the NJ Chamber "Walk to Washington" Train for an advocacy hands on training like none other

October 1, 2024 - Bubbles & Bills co-hosted with Junior League of Summit

June 9, 2024 - Our final meeting was a brunch held on Sunday, June 9th at Teri DiFrancesco’s home. We discussed our program year accomplishments as well as our plans for an even more enriching 2024-2025. As a committee, we personally contributed to an outgoing Chair gift to Janet and presented it to her as part of our end of the year celebration. We also incorporated our last service project of the year by collecting shelf-stable food to donate to a local food bank.

March 18, 2024 - The highlight of March was our signature legislative meet and greet at the New Jersey State House in Trenton on March 18th. We set up a resource table with materials to promote SPAC and re-introduced our advocacy initiatives to our legislators. Victoria was interviewed by Laura Jones to talk about SPAC and the Junior League. Laura is a reporter for OnNJ.com. The interview aired on MeTV/WJLP and is available on demand.

February 28, 2024 - We welcomed Deanna Brugger, Program Manager of the New Jersey chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Deanna presented the Talk Saves Lives program which includes a discussion of the warning signs of suicide and how to talk to people who may be considering suicide.

January 24, 2024 - January is Human Trafficking month. Our meeting began with a guest speaker, Paige Kaune of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.

April 6, 2023 - In April, SPAC held a Food Insecurity panel. The following were panel participants: Jennifer Nelson (Community Food Bank of NJ); Lisa Pita (Hunger Free New Jersey); Jennifer Schrum (NJ Office of Food Security Advocate); Tristan Wallock (America’s Grow-A-Row); and Michelle J. Wexler (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen). Over 70 people registered to hear the panel.

March 21, 2023 - On March 21st, SPAC met with Senator Jon Bramnick, District 21 to share legislation that he was working on and offered advice to SPAC delegates on communicating with legislators. On March 28th, SPAC set up an educational display at the State House to highlight and promote the organization and showcased the areas most relevant to the delegates that helped to advocate for women and children.

March 1, 2023 - On March 1st, we invited Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, District 15 to speak on the latest initiatives from her office. She spoke on a bill that she co-sponsored related to Sickle Cell Disease. The bill appropriates $10.2M to establish sickle cell education centers in six municipalities in New Jersey: Camden, Trenton, Plainfield, Paterson, Jersey City, and Newark. Sickle Cell Disease is a debilitating blood disorder that disproportionately affects African Americans and people of African descent. The Assembly bill A.4052 is a three-year pilot program that passed by unanimous consent in June of this year. The Senate companion bill S.2710 is expected to pass later this year.

November 2, 2022 - In November 2022, Cecilia Zalkind was our guest speaker. Cecilia was President & CEO for Children of New Jersey and has spent 38 years in advocacy for children. She has been dedicated to arguing before the New Jersey Supreme Court and has testified on many occasions before the legislature and collaborated with other groups such as the Junior League SPAC organization. Cecilia’s advocacy was to focus on the innovations to improve the quality and access to early childhood care and education advocacy for women and children. She is now retired but certainly left an indelible mark on her public policy initiatives.

Historical NJ SPAC Activities

Trainings
January 26, 2021 - Human Trafficking 101 co-hosted with New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking

April 20 and 28, 2021 - How a Bill Becomes a Law in New Jersey, led by David April, New Jersey State Legislature Office of Legislative Services

May 27, 2021 - A Conversation on the Black Maternal and Infant Health Crisis, featuring a keynote by New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver and panel discussion. Details and recording available here.

2021 - Lead in Water was a 2020-2021 focus issue for NJ SPAC.

NJ SPAC 2024 Bubbles & Bills

SPAC at Kean University 2012

Bergen County Elizabeth-Plainfield Greater Princeton Monmouth County Montclair-Newark Morristown Oranges & Short Hills Summit
Association of Junior Leagues International
Junior Leagues of New Jersey - State Council