This May, the Junior League of Austin (JLA) was recognized with three prestigious awards at the 2025 Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) Annual Conference held in Orlando, Florida—including the organization’s highest honor, the Excellence Award. This international recognition celebrates JLA’s outstanding performance across leadership development, community impact, inclusion and belonging, membership engagement, and philanthropy, all core elements of the Junior League mission.

In addition to the Excellence Award, JLA received two other international recognitions at this year’s conference:

• The Leadership Development Award for comprehensive, mission-aligned training programs that prepare members to lead both within the League and across the broader non-profit sector.
• The Sustainer Connection Award for an intentional, intergenerational approach to engaging Sustaining Members in leadership, mentorship, and service.

“We are truly honored by this monumental recognition. From our record-breaking A Christmas Affair® to revamped recruitment, robust leadership bootcamps, and communications innovations—it’s incredible to see the impact these efforts have had and to have these efforts recognized,” said Courtney Dickey, 2024–2025 President of the Junior League of Austin. “We thank AJLI for this recognition and strive to continue to meet the high standards set by our fellow Junior Leagues across the world.” 

These awards reflect JLA’s strong commitment to empowering women, building community, and leading with purpose. Most importantly, they recognize the dedication of JLA members in leaving a lasting impression on the Central Texas community.

Junior League of Austin’s Advisor of the Year: Pamela King

2025 AJLI 40 Over 40 Recipient: Terri Broussard Williams

The Junior League of Austin (JLA) returns to Palmer Events Center November 20-23, 2025, for A Christmas Affair 2025: Golden Year.

The Need for KICS:

Without well-fitting, seasonally-appropriate shoes, children can’t participate in physical activity, walk to school, or even stay warm during the winter months. According to the nonprofit Shoes That Fit, being given a pair of new shoes improves school attendance by 44%, participation
in physical activity by 72%, and classroom behavior by 63%.

KICS Mission:

To provide children with a new pair of well-fitting sneakers, allowing them to be healthy, comfortable, and participate in physical activity.

About KICS:

The idea for KICS was developed in 2017, when The Junior League of Austin discovered that a popular program that provided shoes for area children was going to be discontinued. The Junior League of Austin leadership realized there was a critical need for children to have well-fitting shoes in good condition, and decided to take action.

Through the creation of the new Kids in Cool Shoes (KICS) program, The Junior League of Austin is partnering with local Central Texas-area schools, providing new athletic sneakers for every child at the selected schools. The KICS program integrates with the other signature programs of The Junior League of Austin, Coats for Kids and Food in Tummies (FIT), because of its focus on improving health and wellness for children in our community.

In the spring of 2018, a small group of volunteers from The Junior League of Austin visited Guerrero-Thompson Elementary school in the Rundberg area (97.6% economically disadvantaged), measured 655 children for shoes, and returned 4 weeks later to distribute brand-new shoes to every single student in the school.

How You Can Get Involved:

Local Austin organizations and companies can sponsor a school, providing sneakers for every student. Partial sponsorships are also available. When you sponsor a school, your employees can join the students at a celebratory KIC-Off Day where your volunteers will deliver the new shoes to the children, and participate in sports and activities together with the children to promote healthy lifestyles.

We know how difficult it can be to find volunteer activities for your team. When you sponsor a school for KICS, your employees will be participating directly with children in need. The Junior League of Austin facilitates all of the logistics of the event, and all you and your staff will need to do is show up ready to accept the smiles and excitement of these children getting their new sneakers!

What Students, Teachers, and Volunteers are saying about KICS:

“This is my first pair of new shoes, EVER!” – 2^nd grade student, Guerrero-Thompson Elementary

“I only had these shoes, and they used to be my big sister’s, but now they’re too small. Thank you.” – 4^th grade student, Guerrero-Thompson Elementary

“Prior to this pilot program, many of our students were in shoes that didn’t fit or were falling apart. The week before you came here, one little boy came in because his shoes were so old that the tongue of the shoe had broken off!” – Administrator, Guerrero-Thompson Elementary

“At Coats for Kids this year, it had snowed that week, but there were kids standing in line in flip flops because they didn’t have any warmer shoes. Now I know how important the KICS program is.” – The Junior League of Austin member

KICS FAQs:

Can I donate a pair of gently used shoes?

Pediatricians tell us that wearing pre-owned shoes isn’t advised, because even very gentle use leaves a wear pattern on the insoles of the shoes that doesn’t match the new recipient’s feet. This can be particularly detrimental to growing feet and growing skeletal systems. For this reason, the shoes we distribute through KICS are purchased new through a bulk discount.

Then can I donate $20 to buy a new pair of shoes for a child?

Absolutely! Only $20 buys a new pair of shoes for a child who needs shoes that fit.

What else can I do to help?

We’re looking for organizations to sponsor the purchase of shoes AND come out and volunteer by distributing the shoes to the kids. If you know a company or group who can sponsor at any level, email kics@jlaustin.org.

The Community Impact Center is a place where our members come together in partnership with the community, united by a resolve to “do something” in response to today’s pressing needs.

Learn More…

Through FIT, more than 250 JLA member volunteers commit approximately 200 hours to packing and delivering over 8,000 food items in backpacks to 1,000 Del Valle ISD students every week during the school year. Find out how to support FIT.

Become a Merchant

The Junior League of Austin, its partners, and the community at large have an impressive and beautiful history of bringing warmth to the children and families in our community.

Austin Entertains supports the entrepreneurs and innovative women in the culinary arts by showcasing Austin’s most talented female chefs and bartenders and local winemakers, breweries and spirit purveyors. Austin Entertains has become a “who’s who” in the Central Texas food scene featuring chefs and bartenders from Austin’s most recognized and awarded restaurants and bars.

Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact The Junior League of Austin Fund Development Vice President at funddevelopmentvp@jlaustin.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT – austinentertainschair@jlaustin.org