It was the start of 2020. I am a “zennial”, the people on the cusp of two generations, in a new city after graduating the previous spring from Indiana University. In college I was able to lend a helping hand to many different organizations across the Bloomington community. I wanted to continue my diverse work after college and this was when I was introduced to the Junior League of Indianapolis. The Junior League allows the same opportunity to be within one organization while helping make an impact across the community. It is more than just a service group but a community full of like-minded and driven women that allows for networking and service. I was looking forward to finally getting started on my volunteer work through the Junior League of Indianapolis (JLI). However, in March, Covid-19 was identified as a global pandemic. This limited our opportunities to meet in-person and to service our community in-person. I was worried my passion for volunteerism would be halted.
I thought there is no way I can volunteer now. What would happen to community engagement when you couldn’t really be physically engaged? How could I create relationships with our next generation when I couldn’t actually meet them? If there is one thing about “Zennials” that people should know, it is that we are determined to make change and to help our community for future generations. We find ways to adapt to the environment and situations around us. It was this determination combined with the League’s commitment to our community, that we were able to adapt and continue our mission.
There are a million ways to help your community without leaving your house. We live in a world with social media and the Internet and during times when physical human interaction is lost, the Junior League of Indianapolis deployed those resources into our mission. Like most during this time, we went virtual. Anyone can spend hours scrolling through social media to see what virtual trivia nights are happening near them. It takes just as much time and effort to discover what virtual volunteer opportunities are happening. The Junior League of Indianapolis has created virtual mask making events to donate to Eskenazi Health and our healthcare heroes. Although we do not get to physically meet the children our partnership with the Patachou Foundation supports, we created “Lunchbox Letters” so they can still have a relationship and connection with us at the League. They are a new generation facing this pandemic and we want them to know we recognize that.
We were also able to work with our sustainers, a group of women who have fulfilled their commitment and now continue to support the League. They are one of the most vulnerable groups of people during this pandemic and during isolation, the League has created pen pals to connect with them and learn from them.
Even during times of adversity, like COVID-19, I am still IndyVolved. I am able to protect my community while helping my community. “We’re stronger together” is a quote I have seen pop up in various places during this pandemic. The Junior League of Indianapolis believes we are stronger together. They believed it was true before the pandemic, during the pandemic and they will believe it far after our pandemic is over.
Meet Annie Howell
Annie Howell has been involved with her local communities her whole life with a particular interest in local youths and the future generations. After graduating from Indiana University in 2019, she moved to Indianapolis and continued her community involvement through the Junior League of Indianapolis. She is a professional videographer for a nonprofit organization in downtown Indy. When she is not volunteering or working, she can be found getting lost in a book or singing Disney theme songs with friends.
