The Jennifer Summers Barrett Memorial Volunteers on the Run 5k

We’ve been closely monitoring the evolving guidance and recommendations of public health officials related to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  Following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines on community events, we will be cancelling the 13th Annual Jennifer Summers Barrett Memorial 5K run that was to be held April 19, 2020.  If you would like to make a gift to the League to help support our projects and programs, please visit jlannapolis.org.   We will be contacting current registrants by email.

The run is named in honor of JLA member Jennifer Summers Barrett who passed away tragically on July 27, 2011. Barrett epitomized a strong, dedicated Junior League woman who cared deeply about our community and especially our children.

JLA is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Our membership of over three hundred women strives to narrow the achievement gap in Anne Arundel County, with a specific focus on the self-sufficiency of women and children. JLA is part of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. As of today, JLA members have donated over 20,000 service hours to the community each year. JLA trains members to act effectively as community volunteers through an established volunteer leadership-training curriculum.

In order to accomplish our mission, JLA partners with strong, local non-profits to develop new projects that meet community needs in our focus and issue area. Further, we host community-focused fundraisers, and we would like you to be part of it. This event honors the memory of past JLA member, Jennifer Summers Barrett, and her dedication to the betterment of our community.

The proceeds from this event will help raise funds for our community-based programs.

• Done In A Day - These one-time special projects are completed in a short period of time and meet a specific community need in Anne Arundel County that is in sync with JLA’s mission and community programs.
• Community of Hope – JLA is partnering with the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families to establish a Community of Hope in the Brooklyn Park community of Anne Arundel County, an area which has the highest need and least resources in the county. Our objectives are to help develop and establish, together with community members, various initiatives which promote healthy and successful children and families.
• Coaching For Life - JLA has teamed with Serenity Sistas’ program, Coaching For Life, whose mission is to provide women in recovery from alcohol or substance abuse with a chance to re-enter life. JLA’s partnership will offer life skills training which includes: resume writing, job interviewing, nutritional & healthy practices, budgeting & communication as well as parenting skills. Serving women in Annapolis, aged 18 to 25, with a primary focus on clients with an opioid addiction.

ABOUT JENNIFER SUMMERS BARRETT

Jennifer Summers Barrett epitomized a strong, dedicated Junior League woman who cared deeply about her community and especially our children. She understood the importance of literacy for youth and established the Talk, Play, Read program, connecting Junior League of Annapolis, Inc. with underprivileged neighborhoods.

Jenn’s Talk, Play, Read program offered members the opportunity to read to the children from these neighborhoods and encourage ways to continue reading at home, establishing a lasting love of reading and books. Jenn knew that this could be a gateway to a better life for these families. She reminded us all that these amazing children are our future and it is equally important to take care of them, just as we would our own children.

Jenn tragically passed away on July 27, 2011 from a bacterial infection. She was the biggest supporter of the Junior League’s annual Volunteers on the Run 5k fun run event. In memory of her support and her efforts as a member of our organization and community, the Jennifer Summers Barrett Volunteers on the Run 5K serves as a reminder to us all of Jenn, her legacy, and her hard work in our community and the importance of caring for our children.