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Holiday House

Photography by Meredith Melody | Accessories from Tanarah Luxe Floral

Celebrating three decades of success, Holiday House heralds the holiday season and offers the best selection of unique gifts.

Junior League of Little Rock will welcome shoppers and patrons to the Statehouse Convention Center again this year. It’s an extravaganza that boasts merchants from across the country with gifts to give + get and special events throughout the weekend. Holiday House generates $300,000 to $500,000 annually to support the organization’s mission fulfillment work – improving the lives of women and children in Central Arkansas. This revenue supports JLLR community projects, with an emphasis on school preparedness and wellness. 

   More than 50 Junior League of Little Rock members serve on the committee and devote a year of service to Holiday House. From logistics to marketing and merchant selection, the committee keeps a finite focus on every detail of the special events during the week as well as the shopping experience of guests. Innovative partnerships forged throughout Central Arkansas strengthen Holiday House and the funding of JLLR initiatives. Holiday House Chairman Keri Richmond recognizes the significant investment that presenting sponsor Simmons Bank makes in the future of JLLR and Central Arkansas. “We’re thrilled to have Simmons Bank with us at Holiday House this year. The bank has generously extended a matching gift commitment of $15,000. This will make our efforts even more profitable which, in turn, means we can do more through our community projects and be more effective.”

   Simmons Bank SVP Community Loan Officer Natalie Hairston is also a Junior League of Little Rock member. Her professional and civic leadership blend seamlessly into community engagement and the JLLR tradition that is unwavering. “I’ve enjoyed learning more about the nonprofit organizations that the league helps, like KOTA Camp at Camp Aldersgate and Our House, and use that experience at work every day. At Simmons Bank, we strive to truly be a part of the community – this kind of training is very valuable.” This year, Natalie serves on the Holiday House Committee and the Our House Board of Directors as a JLLR representative. 

   As Junior League of Little Rock embarks on a century of community service, the organization’s commitment to education and wellness remains steadfast. Junior League of Little Rock President Maradyth McKenzie elaborates, “As part of our mission, Junior League of Little Rock is proud to be empowering the next great civic leaders who understand that local efforts have a global reach, and it all begins with creating local leadership opportunities that put women’s skills and passion to work. Our current members will be the visionaries who will continue our legacy of impact.” In an effort to promote organized volunteerism and support public education, Volunteers in Public Schools (ViPS) was established and is forty years strong. Additionally, JLLR provides backpacks to more than 2,500 students in the Little Rock School District through Stuff the Bus and has hosted COVID-19 vaccine clinics that promote wellness and safety for all Arkansans. Natalie elaborates, “These measurable outcomes are a result of Holiday House; it comprises nearly 50% of our annual budget.” With plans to surpass expectations, keeping guests safe is paramount. Keri adds, “Holiday House is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of Junior League of Little Rock and help secure our community projects. Guests can shop safely and feel good about helping us stuff backpacks with school supplies and so much more.”

COVID-19 protocols will be in place, which will include compliance with all local directives.

Inviting Arkansas

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