SERVICE LEAGUE
FORT BEND JUNIOR
Women Bringing Positive Change to Their Community
The Fort Bend Junior Service League (FBJSL) began in January of 2001. Made up entirely of women, FBJSL was conceived to support six placements outside of the league and two internal placements that serve the needs of Fort Bend County residents. Since its inception, it has raised over $6 million for these agencies. Members select a core placement for which they devote many volunteer hours, giving them the ability to serve each agency directly.
The organization is “committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the Fort Bend County community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Our purpose is exclusively educational and charitable as well as providing an atmosphere of friendliness, goodwill, and camaraderie for all members,” according to the mission statement on its website.
At its heart, FBJSL embraces: impacting the community in a meaningful way, recognizing the value of its volunteers, strengthening its financial resources for the needs of the community, espousing cultural diversity, maintaining its tradition of excellence, empowering women to be leaders, training highly effective volunteers, offering the fellowship of volunteering with other women, and building on its past accomplishments. A leader amongst women’s volunteer service organizations, FBJSL is recognized for its compassion, integrity, and committed involvement in community outreach.
Key placements are reviewed every two years. The six external placements for the 25/26 and 26/27 period are: Child Advocates of Fort Bend; Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels; Fort Bend Hope;
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Reining Strength Therapeutic Horsemanship; GiGi’s Playhouse, Sugar Land; and East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. The two internal placements are Fort Bend Teen Service League and the Sugar Plum Market. Although members select a placement as their primary each year, they are free to volunteer at any or all of the other placements as well.
FBJSL supports the community in numerous ways, including donating monies raised from fundraisers to event beneficiaries, providing grants from its Community Assistance Fund, and awarding scholarship recipients. Its signature and largest fundraiser is the annual Sugar Plum Market, which has raised $4.5 million since 2001. It is the festive event people wait for all year and is one of the most beloved holiday traditions in Fort Bend County. Entirely run by FBJSL volunteers, this holiday shopping extravaganza is imbued with holiday spirit and features over 100 vendors from across Texas enticing thousands of shoppers with distinctive gifts to pick up for their friends and family. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to nonprofit organizations within Fort Bend County supporting critical programs that strengthen and uplift families across the county, making it a truly magical experience for everyone involved and proving extraordinary things can be accomplished when a community comes together. Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital is the title sponsor of the event.
Beneficiaries of the Sugar Plum Market have included: AccessHealth (formerly Fort Bend Family Health Center, Inc.), American Red Cross, ARC of Fort Bend County, Ballet Forte, Boys and Girls Club of Fort Bend, Child Advocates of Fort Bend, DeWalt Heritage Center, East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry, Fort Bend Community Partners Rainbow Room, Fort Bend Community Theater, Fort Bend County Women’s Center, the FBJSL Community Assistance Fund,
Fort Bend Family Health, Fort Bend Family Promise, Fort Bend Habitat for Humanity, Fort Bend Lawyers Care, Fort Bend Regional Council on Substance Abuse, Fort Bend Symphony, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land, Literacy Council of Fort Bend County, Robert C. Tate Community Center, Texana Center, and YMCA of Greater Houston – Fort Bend YMCA and T.W. Davis YMCA.
In 2026, FBJSL will celebrate its Silver Anniversary marking 25 years of women-led service and philanthropy across Fort Bend County. Its place as an essential asset to numerous worthy causes has been cemented during that time. Having brought hope and assistance to so many in Fort Bend County over the past 25 years, it will continue to do so in the future.
