BOARDMAN — In today’s world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by bad news.

We learn about people in need in our own community and wonder: Is there a way to make a difference? Is there any hope? I’m only one person, what can I do?

There are women in our area who believe, and have shown, that by working together it is possible to make a difference in the life of someone in need. These women belong to a group called the Boardman-Poland Junior Women’s League.

On Saturday, the organization’s “Talk of the Town Tea” took place in Boardman Park to raise money for the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley — one of the many organizations the members support in the area.

Madeline Crish and her mother, Linda Crish, are members. Madeline has been a member for 16 years, beginning at age 12 as a Juniorette.

“This club has instilled in me the desire to give back to our community and help people in need,” Madeline said.

Linda has been a member for 23 years.

“We’ve been in existence for 45 years and have raised over $650,000 to help a variety of charitable organizations in the community. We give back to the people and places who need help,” Linda Crish said.

The Junior Women’s League has a connection with Mahoning County Children Services so they can respond to their greatest areas of need.

They provide care packages for nursing home residents and supplies (including clothing and non-perishable food items) for Veterans Outreach in Liberty.

They work with Northeast Ohio Adoption Services and provide comfort bags for children and teens entering foster care. Members bring items most needed to the monthly meetings from September to May, after which the bags are packed and distributed to the children and youths.

Saturday’s tea featured special guest speaker Crystal Eckman, Mission Ambassador for the Rescue Mission. She said the Rescue Mission is the only homeless shelter in the Mahoning Valley, serving an average of 185 people daily with the average stay being between 30 and 60 days.

She shared the ways the staff work with those who walk through the mission’s doors. Numerous resources are provided for the homeless, such as help with a job search and starting savings accounts.

“There are even employers who come to the mission wanting to interview prospective employees. People like you are making that happen,” Eckman told the group.

She spoke about those who are helped by the mission and then return to serve as a volunteer or employee.

“That makes me happy. We are so much more than a soup kitchen,” she said.

“We’ve held this tea every year for the last 10 years and help a new charity every year. We are making an impact on someone’s life that we could not do individually. Together we can do things to make a difference,” said Yvonne Ford, Junior Women’s League member since 2002 and co-chair of the fundraising tea.

The event included a presentation by Kathie Lutz from Lutz Greenhouse who demonstrated how to create a spring arrangement, which was given away. The tea concluded with gift baskets handed out to those whose ticket numbers were pulled.

The Junior Women’s League hosts various fundraising events throughout the year to raise money for its outreach in the community.

The Boardman-Poland Junior Women’s League is part of the Northeast district’s Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs, which include 75 clubs in seven districts of Ohio and 1,200 members.

It joins with the women from 50 states and 46 foreign countries to form the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and is the largest international organization of volunteer community-based women’s clubs, which have been working for 125 years to address the most pressing needs of their communities.

The League meets monthly on the first Monday of the month at the Davis Becker Funeral Home community room in Boardman. Prospective members are always welcome, Ford said.