Black-tie evening at The California Club will honor JLLA's century of community impact, leadership development, and civic service in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 18, 2026 / The Junior League of Los Angeles (JLLA), one of the city's longest continuously-operating women's civic organizations, will mark its 100th anniversary with a landmark Centennial Gala on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at The California Club in downtown Los Angeles. The once-in-a-century evening will unite current and former members, community partners, and supporters to celebrate an organization that has shaped the lives of thousands of women and touched virtually every major social cause in Los Angeles since 1926.

In a city where nonprofit longevity is the exception rather than the rule, JLLA's unbroken century of service represents a rare institutional milestone. Since its founding, the organization has developed, supported, and launched more than 100 projects addressing foster youth services, food insecurity, children's health, mental health, housing, education, literacy, human trafficking, and domestic violence. Today, more than 850 active members continue that work through hands-on voluntarism, strategic partnerships, and long-term community advocacy.

"This is more than a celebration of our history. It is a testament to the thousands of women who stepped into leadership, rolled up their sleeves, and made a tangible difference in the communities around them," said Dawn Eash Wazzan, JLLA President. "One hundred years later, that commitment is as strong as ever. We are pledging at least another century of promoting women's empowerment, community service, collaboration, and diversity."

About the Centennial Gala

Themed "Legacy of Impact," the black-tie gala will feature a seated dinner, a performance by Matt Mauser, the Sinatra-style vocalist and "America's Got Talent" finalist, a curated auction, and special moments honoring the women who have shaped the League across its ten decades. The evening will premiere "Because of You," an original, short film featuring the voices of past JLLA presidents reflecting on the organization's meaning and legacy. The film captures short, emotionally candid responses from former leaders, creating a chorus of perspectives that spans generations of service.

Following the dinner program, guests are invited to Centennial Encore, an exclusive dessert and dancing experience that extends the celebration into the night. Centennial Encore is also available to supporters who are unable to attend the seated dinner but wish to join in marking the milestone.

"The evening will reflect on the legacy that brought us here, celebrate what we have accomplished together, and look ahead with anticipation to the century to come," said Rebecca Mellos, Centennial Gala Chair. "The League has always been strongest when we stand side by side, and this historic evening would not be complete without the community that made it possible."

A Century of Service in Los Angeles

JLLA was admitted to the Association of Junior Leagues International in 1926, during a period of rapid growth and social transformation in Los Angeles. Over the decades that followed, the organization evolved alongside the city itself, responding to the Great Depression, wartime mobilization, the civil rights era, public health crises, and the ongoing challenges of housing and inequality in one of America's most complex metropolitan regions. Throughout, JLLA's core model has remained consistent: training women in civic leadership and directing their collective energy toward the community's most urgent needs.

The organization is headquartered at Rainey House, a two-story French Regency building in the Larchmont neighborhood of Los Angeles. Named for the late longtime member, Marjorie Hamlin Rainey, whose generosity made its purchase possible, the building has served as JLLA's permanent home since 1995, ending a nearly 70-year search for a headquarters.

The Centennial Year

The gala serves as the centerpiece of a year-long Centennial celebration running from June 2025 through May 2026. The centennial program has included legacy video projects documenting the organization's history, historical exhibitions, community recognition events, and a renewed organizational promise to advance women's leadership for meaningful community impact in the decades ahead.

Event Details

What: JLLA Centennial Gala: "Legacy of Impact"

When: Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 5:30pm

Where: The California Club

538 South Flower Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071

Attire: Black Tie

Tickets: https://losangeles.jl.org/events/the-junior-league-of-los-angeles-centennial-gala/

Media: Credentialed media are welcome. To request press credentials or arrange interviews, contact Kate Wessels, Centennial Marketing & Communications Chair, at katebwessels@gmail.com.

About the Junior League of Los Angeles

The Junior League of Los Angeles is a women's nonprofit leadership and service organization dedicated to improving communities across greater Los Angeles through voluntarism, collaboration, and training. Founded in 1926 as a chapter of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., JLLA has more than 850 active members and has developed, supported, and launched more than 100 community projects over its 100-year history. The organization's mission is to advance women's leadership for meaningful community impact.

Membership is open to women ages 21 and up who complete required volunteer and training hours. JLLA is headquartered at Rainey House in the Larchmont neighborhood of Los Angeles. For more information, visit https://losangeles.jl.org/

SOURCE: Junior League of Los Angeles