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About Us
 The New Jersey
Jaycees have been an active and vital part of our state
for over sixty years.
The goal of the Jaycees is to
build tomorrow's leaders today through community,
individual, and management development.
Community
- You are probably most familiar with the New Jersey
Jaycees' community projects. These can range from large,
nationally based projects to very small efforts that
help 1-2 people. We generally support causes that our
members are interested in or those that are greatly
needed in the community.
Past projects where the New
Jersey Jaycees have either sponsored or been involved
with include: Top 40 Under 40 in Atlantic City, How to
Purchase a Home / Credit Repair in Orange-Essex, Child
Shield in Westfield, Youth Scholarships in Cranford and
Orange-Essex, Firecracker 400 on 4th of July in
Cranford, Jaycees 5K Run benefiting area charities in
Chatham, 4th of July Parade in Florham Park, Halloween
Parades in Cranford and Florham Park, and Dress for
Success in Orange-Essex.
Individual
-
Our members grow both socially and intellectually
through a variety of fun projects we do. These include
monthly socials and dinners at area restaurants and
taverns, camping trips, golf outings.
Management
-
As a part of the United State Junior Chamber of
Commerce, our roots are based in improving the business
skills of our members. All members have the opportunity
to improve their organizational and budgeting skills by
chairing projects. Other members improve their public
speaking and people skills by taking an office and
helping to lead the organization. In all cases, there is
an on-going mentorship between experienced and newer
members.
The New Jersey
Jaycees are part of the U.S. Jaycees and Junior Chamber
International (JCI), a worldwide federation of young
professionals and entrepreneurs between the ages of 18
and 40. The Jaycees are active in more than 8,000
chapters in 123 nations and territories.
Becoming a
member of the New Jersey Jaycees affords you many
exciting and rewarding opportunities. We'd like to name
a few below:
Ability to Meet New People...
As a Jaycee,
you can develop business contacts and foster new
friendships with others who share similar goals and
interests as yourself. The Jaycees also offer a variety
of social opportunities across New Jersey, the nation,
and internationally.
Career Advancement...
Being a Jaycee
implies to your employer(s) and others that you are
ambitious and enthusiastic, ready to tackle any job and
assume any responsibility. As a New Jersey Jaycee, you
assume responsibilities usually untrusted to older, more
experienced people. When advancement opportunities
arise, you will be prepared for them.
Respond to the Changing Needs of Your Community...
New Jersey
Jaycees plan and conduct many projects each year across
the state based on ideas from local members and the
community. Jaycees around the state are making their
respective communities a better place to live.
Be a Member of an International Organization...
As a Jaycee,
you are an integral part of you local chapter and your
local community. In addition, you are associated with
200,000 Jaycees across the nation and around the world
making a force in their local communities and to their
members .
US Jaycee History:
The U.S.
Junior Chamber founder Henry Giessenbier’s vision of
providing young people with leadership through community
service can be broken down into four Areas of
Opportunity: Business, Individual, Community, and
International.
Business: embodying the line of the Jaycee Creed, which
states “Economic justice can best be won by free men
through free enterprise,” this area provides an
opportunity for individual members to contribute to the
development and enhancement of the economic
infrastructure, prosperity, and well-being for their
community as well as all nations.
Individual:
embodying the line of the Jaycee Creed which states
“Earth’s great treasure lies in human personality,” this
area provides an opportunity for individual members to
realize their personal potential through training
programs.
Community:
embodying the line of the Jaycee Creed which states
“Service to humanity is the best work of life,” this
area develops the sensitivity of individual members to
societal problems and community dynamics by providing
experience in community problem solving.
International:
embodying the line of the Jaycee Creed which states
“That the brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty
of nations,” this area provides an opportunity for
individual members to contribute to the development of
goodwill, understanding, and cooperation among all
peoples.
The Junior
Chamber organization is: “a constructive action
organization of young persons who devote a portion of
their time to community service in the public interest,
developing young persons as leaders in their
communities.” (Taken from The U.S. Junior Chamber Bylaws
Manual.)
The purpose of
the Junior Chamber is: “to promote and foster the growth
and development of young persons’ civic organizations in
the United States, designed to inculcate (to teach and
impress upon) in the individual membership of such
organization a spirit of genuine Americanism and civic
interest, and...to provide them with opportunity for
personal development and achievement and an avenue for
intelligent participation...in the affairs of the
community, state, and nation, and to develop true
friendship and understanding among young persons of all
nations.” (Taken from The U.S. Junior Chamber Bylaws
Manual.)
Simply put,
the purpose of the local chapter is to become a force
for good in the community, determining community needs
and providing solutions by planning and facilitating
community service projects. In the act of serving,
members receive hands-on experience, which translates to
the enhancement of personal growth and the development
of valuable leadership skills. This is the total Junior
Chamber Concept.
Henry “Hy”
Giessenbier visualized an organization that would allow
young men to develop their business skills and
reputations in the community. In his era, most young men
were out of school and working by the age of 15. Their
first jobs were most likely the jobs they held
throughout their lives. With luck and hard work, some
might reach executive positions by their forties.
Giessenbier felt that young men were not receiving the
opportunities necessary to develop their skills at a
younger age, thus depriving our nation of an important
resource, and so he formed the founding ideals of the
U.S. Junior Chamber.
1920's:
1920 - The United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (USJCC)
was formed in St. Louis, Missouri, with 3,000 members.
1923 - Get Out The Vote was the first Jaycee program to
receive national endorsement.
1925 - Beginning of national projects Know America First
and Fire Prevention. Birth of EXPANSION, the first USJC
national magazine.
1926 - Development of aviation adopted as national
project.
1927 - Jaycee Charles A. Lindbergh made the first solo
flight between New York and Paris. Jaycees worked with
Lindbergh to develop the U.S. Air Mail Service.
1930's:
1931 - Distinguished Service Awards program established
at the chapter level.
1935 - Death of founder Henry Giessenbier.
1936 - National Wildlife Federation established with
guidance of USJC.
1937 - Programs begun at state and national level to
inform public of need for diagnosis and treatment of
venereal disease.
1938 - Future Magazine established. USJC name Ten
Outstanding Young Men for the first time.
1939 - Safety with Light campaign gained national
attention as thousands of street lights were donated to
communities by Jaycees.
1940's:
1940 - USJC endorsed the principle of a military draft.
1944 - Junior Chamber International (JCI) formed at Pan
American Congress in Mexico City.
1946 - USJC established permanent headquarters in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. Junior Golf program begun.
1947 - Official approval of Jaycee as synonym of
organization. Adoption of Jaycee Creed.
1950's:
1951 - War Memorial Headquarters in Tulsa dedicated. At
urging of Andy Mungenast, the reference to “Faith in
God” was added to the Jaycee Creed.
1953 - Jaycees sponsored stops on Professional Golfers’
Association tour for first time at Greensboro, North
Carolina, and Hartford, Connecticut.
1954 - First Outstanding Young Farmer and Junior Tennis
programs held.
1959 - Jaycees supported statehood for Alaska. Hawaii
gained statehood the following year due to Jaycee
efforts.
1960's:
1961 - First Governmental Affairs Leadership Seminar
conducted.
1962 - Jaycees urge adoption of Uniform Vehicle Code,
with emphasis on state action resulting in adoption
nationally.
1963 - Clean Water Program launched to improve water
quality in communities across America.Gun
Safety/Shooting Education adopted as a national program.
1964 - Project Concern adopted as International
Relations activity. Program raised money and equipment
for clinics providing medical care to Chinese refugees
in Hong Kong.
1965 - Jaycees presented first annual National Award of
Distinction from National Clean Up-Paint Up-Fix Up
Bureau.
1966 - Name of organization officially changed to U.S.
Jaycees.
1970's:
1970 - Do Something campaign sparked national interest
in volunteerism. Jaycees’ cooperation with other service
organizations resulted in the founding of the National
Center for Voluntary Action.
1971 - More than 3,000,000 volunteer hours were provided
by Jaycees to help administer seven million doses of
rubella measles vaccine.
1972 - Jaycees undertook model Operation Identification
program to combat burglaries and aid crime prevention
efforts. Five million stickers were distributed
nationally through Operation Red Ball to reduce fire
fatalities. Bylaw change admitted 18-year-olds as
regular members.
1973 - The United States Jaycees’ Center for Improved
Child Nutrition opened in Bloomington, Minnesota.
1977 - Operation Threshold, a program dedicated to
reducing alcohol abuse, reached more than 23 million
Americans. Muscular Dystrophy Fund Raising adopted as
national program.
1980's:
1980 - Daisy/U.S. Jaycees Gun Safety/Shooting Education
program honored with National Safety Council Award for
Youth Activities.
1982 - Healthy American Fitness Leaders adopted as
national program.
1984 - Bylaw change admitted women as full and regular
members. Sign Up America campaign collected 1.5 million
signatures supporting America’s Olympic athletes.
1985 - The U.S. Jaycees endorsed Campaign for Liberty to
encourage public support for restoration of Statue of
Liberty. St. Jude Fundraising adopted as national
program.
1986 - First woman honored by Congress of Ten
Outstanding Young Americans.
1987 - Bylaw change established membership age as 21
through 39. Name of U.S. Jaycees’ official publication
changed to JAYCEES MAGAZINE.
1990's:
1990 - Name of organization officially changed back to
The U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce.
1992 - National Wake Up America program urged
communities to get involved in politics by coordinating
voter registration campaigns, hosting debates, and
embracing pertinent community issues. Jaycees responded
to devastating hurricanes in the Southeast with national
support.
1993 - GreenWorks! environmental education and community
action program adopted by USJC. Jaycees Against Youth
Smoking (JAYS) adopted as national program. Junior
Chamber members were instrumental in bringing relief to
the flood-stricken Midwest.
1994 - Junior Chamber Mission Inn Foundation created to
build a nationwide network of care facilities for
children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS.
1995 - The Jaycee Alliance was formed as a non-partisan,
educational, grassroots governmental advocacy
organization to give young Americans a voice in
government. The Jaycee KidCare I.D. Program was
organized to provide identification to aid in the
recovery of missing children.
1996 - The Jaycees Wake Up America Tour bus began a
journey through the 48 contiguous states promoting
programs and membership. Social Security Reform Town
Hall Meetings program initiated.
1997 - Junior Chamber Center for Entrepreneurship and
Career Advancement begun — a program designed to train
young entrepreneurs and improve local economies.
1998 - Junior Chamber Center for Entrepreneurship and
Career Advancement name changed to Junior Chamber Center
for Business Advancement. Two new programs, National
Business Network and Virtual Networking, added to
encourage Junior Chamber members to business network via
the Internet both nationally and internationally.
1999 - JAYS program reintroduced as an educational
program that informs children about the dangers of
smoking. Value Investing and Career Advancement added to
the Junior Chamber Center for Business Advancement.
2000's:
2000 - First female elected National President. Junior
Chamber Center for Business Advancement develops
web-based video seminar training.
2001 - Name changes to The United States Junior Chamber
2004 - Bylaw change established membership age as 18
through 40.
For more insight on how the Junior Chamber has affected
the lives of its members, the following book is
recommended: A Legacy of Leadership, by John W. Clark,
USJC Historian. |
