Our History

In 1938, a group of 16 women formed a welfare committee to investigate the service needs of surrounding agencies and organizations. This was just the beginning of a long history of dedicated women brought together to service the community and provide funds for needed projects. 

In the 1940’s the League decided to build a children’s museum, the predecessor to today’s York County Museum. In 1963 the League donated the first incubator for the nursery at York General Hospital. In 1973, the League helped establish the Speech and Hearing Center which included renovating a house on Oakland Avenue. In a 20-year span League members screened almost 7,000 preschool children for amblyopia, an eye condition.  In 1983 the League sponsored 14 third graders at the YMCA Day Camp – one from each area elementary school. One of the biggest fundraisers organized by the League in the 1990’s was The Bargain Bonanza, or Trash to Treasure Sale. In the 2000’s the Junior Welfare League created the cook book, Tapestry, which benefitted Early Learning Partnership. Also organized in the 2000’s was the JeWeL Spring Market, one of the League’s largest major fundraiser that was later replaced with the Gobble Wobble Race/Walk raising hundred of thousands of dollars during its nine year run.

A piece of Junior Welfare League that cannot be overlooked is The Follies, a variety show created by league members in 1953. In 1964 The Follies became a part of the Come See Me Festival. By 1984 The Follies, as a part of Come See Me, included a cast of 84 people. In 1981 the Mayor of Rock Hill designated the week of March 2nd, 1981 as “Follies Week.” The last Follies was held in 2001.

The League House, also known as Twice is Nice, is another JWL tradition that benefited the community from 1942 until 2017. More than just a thrift ship, Twice is Nice began as a “Well-Baby” Clinic where families could bring in their children to be checked by a doctor and given basic care items. Between 1951-1961 The Rock Hill Orthopedic School, a meeting place and therapy location for children unable to attend school, was located at The League House. In the 1970’s The League House served as a summer remedial reading center. In 1979 the Twice is Nice thrift shop opened with an initial profit of $244 and remained in operations until 2017.

Today, the League’s largest fundraiser is Frostbites. This event replaced the long-running Gobble Wobble race. Raising nearly one hundred thousand dollars in the first, two years. This sip and savor event has benefitted great local agencies and has continued to grown in popularity within our community.