Touch-A-Truck, Junior League of San Francisco‘s latest fundraiser, attracted hundreds of families with young children for hands-on play at the Presidio on May 7, 2016. Toddlers and preschoolers climbed on cars and trucks of all shapes and sizes, played lawn games, petted small zoo animals and picnicked at the inaugural event. Some 60 volunteers, led by advisor Usha Burns and co-chairs Erin DiFazio and Shaye Martin, organized the event and helped sell nearly 1,800 tickets.
The Touch-A-Truck fundraiser, an effective formula for many preschools and charities around the country, replaced Junior League of San Francisco’s annual fashion show, a beloved spring tradition for 89 years. Like many nonprofits, Junior League of San Francisco relies heavily on volunteers. Over the years its fundraisers have included running Next-to-New, a secondhand shop on Fillmore Street (closed in 2010), publishing four cookbooks (San Francisco A La Carte, San Francisco Encore, San Francisco Flavors and San Francisco Entertains), the aforementioned fashion show held annually from 1926 – 2015, and a home tour in the fall, which is going on its 22nd consecutive year.
For success, members must be active and vocal advocates for the Junior League and its mission, as well as buy tickets to its fundraisers. According to the National Council of Nonprofits, women and people ages 35-44 years are most likely to volunteer. It is no surprise that the Junior League is looking for activities that attract its most important stakeholders. A committee is already in place for next year’s Touch a Truck event.
The Junior League of San Francisco is an organization of women dedicated to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers, since 1911.
Scenes from the inaugural Junior League of San Francisco Touch-A-Truck event:
Red Carpet Bay Area salutes all of the volunteers who helped make the inaugural Junior League of San Francisco Touch-A-Truck a big success:
Co-chairs: Erin DiFazio and Shaye Martin
Sustainer Advisor: Usha Burns
Steering Committee: Sarah Adler, Erin Badillo, Blossom Barnes, Jennifer Childs, Kelly Donahue, Kaleigh Gregory, Alex Haygood, Dee Iacopelli, Maggie Koenig, Lauren Johnson, Theresa Kelly, Laura McKee, Melissa McKensie, Mia Pallari, Michelle Tom, Lindsay Ward, Darya Zakharova
Photos by Kelly Sullivan
— Related: more Red Carpet Bay Area coverage of Junior League of San Francisco fundraising events
- Junior League of San Francisco Fashion Show 2015
- Junior League of San Francisco’s 20th Annual Home Tour
- The Junior League is Infinitely Chic
- The Junior League Fashions Forward into a New Century
- The Hearts of San Francisco
- 100 Years Dedicated to Developing the Potential of Women
- Women at the Center Honors, 2014
- Junior League Fashion Show Tryouts
- Junior League of San Francisco Fashion Show 2010
- The Art of Fashion: Junior League of San Francisco Fashion Show 2009
- The Marina District: San Francisco’s Youngest Neighborhood
- Modernism Through the Ages
- A Fashionable Legacy
- Women at the Center Honorees 2009
