We Are

Pasadena

Who Are We?

The Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce is the Pasadena chapter of JCI, a nonprofit organization of active young citizens who are committed to creating a positive impact in their commuities.

We are an organization made up of young professionals between the ages of 21 and 40, who want to improve the lives of those in the Pasadena area through community service.

But, it doesn’t stop there. We’re young. We’re fun. And we get things done! In addition to community service, the Pasadena Jaycees put on monthly social events and have a yearly exchange with a Jaycee chapter in Japan.

Becoming a member of the Pasadena Jaycees means getting the opportunity to enrich the lives of the Pasadena community and to make new friends to last a lifetime.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce, nicknamed the “Jaycees”, was founded in 1929 as a civic association for young professionals dedicated to becoming a positive force in the Pasadena community. Nearly a century later, the Pasadena Jaycees remain true to this founding goal. We are an organization made up of young professionals between the ages 21-39, who want to improve the lives of those in the Pasadena area through community service. We give our members a chance to develop leadership skills through these numerous service projects as well as fundraisers held throughout the year.

The Jaycees (or Junior Chamber) is a worldwide community of young, active citizens who share the belief that in order to create positive change, we must take collective action to improve ourselves and the world around us. Engaging in activities ranging from community development to international projects, members demonstrate their social responsibility and improve themselves through participation, leadership, and action.

Our goal is to provide leadership training through community service. The Individual Development area sets the Junior Chamber apart from other organizations. While many other groups offer community service and social activities, only Junior Chamber chapters offer members the opportunity for self-improvement. By chairing a local project, a young person can practice organization, delegation, time and resource management, public relations and motivational skills. The Jaycees also offer training that teach these skills. 

The Junior Chamber organization starts with the local chapter. This chapter will typically serve one or more communities. Chapter members are automatically a member of a state organization, as well as the National organization (U.S. Junior Chamber) and the International organization (Junior Chamber International).

The Pasadena Jaycees support a variety of non-profit and local organizations, including, but not limited to: Five Acres, Friends In Deed, and Union Station. We support foster youth, families, and low-income folks in and around the Pasadena area through our community service and outreach projects. 

We host a variety of social and volunteer events throughout the year, giving members many ways to be involved. In addition to our monthly mixers held at local businesses, we volunteer with various charities in addition to hosting our own events. Notable projects include Five Acres Parties, Operation Gobbler, Operation Santa, and Program Sales. 

No! In fact, we welcome folks who are curious about becoming a member to attend one of our monthly mixers to meet other members and see what we’re all about. We welcome members from in and around our community to volunteer with our projects and participate. 

You do not have to live in Pasadena to become a member. We welcome folks, regardless of where you live, to participate in our events and join. 

Members of the Jaycees must be between the ages of 21 – 40, though we welcome anyone, regardless of age, to join our mixers and participate in our service projects.

Membership dues are $95 annually, which includes opportunities for social and civic engagement with the community for an entire year, in addition to leadership opportunities, networking, and exclusive discounts.

We offer discounts for couples and offer free membership for the year to those that participate in Program Sales, which happen annually during the Rose Bowl Game every year. Additionally, all members receive a discount if they’ve served on a committee within the past 12 months. 

We love working with other organizations to meet our mutual goals and support our community! Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to see how we can work together. Some ways we can collaborate include hosting an event at your business or supporting your philanthropic projects. 

We’re excited you want to join us! A great way to see if you’d like to join would be to attend one of our monthly mixers, held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at a local business. You can also fill out an application here, and one of our Board Members will be in touch shortly to answer any questions you may have. 

Now, get involved! Come to a mixer, keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities, and follow our social media to keep up to date with everything going on. 

Board of

Directors

Thank you to our Project Chairs

Program Sales

Jared Gonzalez
Email Jared

Five Acres Party

Justine Gray (2022)
Email Justine

Kasukabe Exchange

Jonathan Eshom (2022)
Email Jonathan

Operation Gobbler

Claire Pukszta (2022)
Email Claire

Operation Santa

Shawn Sauerwein (2022)
Email Shawn