Hi! I'm Sarah Barker and I am honored to be participating for a second time in the Junior League of Louisville's (JLL) Little Black Dress Initiative.  I am currently serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for the JLL but have been an active member of the JLL since 2004.  During my time with the JLL I have had so many amazing oppertunties to learn about the Louisville community and its many amazing organizations that provide import services to so many, grow and learn leadership skills that have not only helped me during my JLL time but have also helped me become a better leader in my professional life and of course I have had an incredible opportunity to meet some phenomenal women and develop meaningful relationships.  The JLL has given so much to me as a woman that I always want to give back my time and talent and help model voluntarism, kindness, and the importance of giving for my family, especially my daughters!

So what is Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI)? Founded in 2014 by the Junior League of London, the Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) is a week-long awareness and fundraising campaign that harnesses the power of social media to illustrate the restrictions poverty places on choices, opportunities, and access to resources. Advocates wear one black dress (or outfit) for five consecutive days, in an effort to spark conversations and awareness about poverty and related issues.

So what is the focus on the LBDI Campaign?  This year the JLL's  campaign aims at highlighting challenges some of our local youth are facing and how the JLL is working on projects and pairing with community partners to combat some of these challenges. These challenges include the impact of poverty on education, the effects on children of being displaced from their homes, and the urgency for basic needs to be met for these children. We want to stimulate discussion within the community while also raising funds to continue our meaningful work. 

Where do the funds raised go? The funds raised make possible the work and mission of the Junior League of Louisville, which includes promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. All donations are fully tax deductible. A few of the ways the JLL is using unrestricted donor gifts include: providing supplies for mentoring and celebration events for local displaced youth including a Life Skills Fair this spring, purchasing workbooks for Lemonade Day participants, hosting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library registration events, providing meaningful volunteer and leadership training services for our members, purchasing books for filling our Free Little Libraries, and so much more.

Can one black dress worn for five short days create awareness about issues that affect others for a lifetime?

The iconic Little Black Dress (LBD) is usually thought of as just a fashionable wardrobe staple – great for business or a fun night out. So why is the LBD at the center of an awareness campaign about poverty and youth homelessness?  Wearing the same black dress this week is obviously just a tiny representation of the limited choices people in poverty or youth who are homeless face but I hope that this campaign raises awareness of the challenges some of our youth are facing regularly. I hope you will consider donating to a cause that is so important to me! Thank you!!!