How JABOS is serving Gulf Coast Children

The Gulf Coast Mom Team is excited to partner with Junior Auxiliary of Biloxi-Ocean Springs (JABOS) in order to share more about this incredible, non-profit, volunteer organization and all that they do for our local children!

Junior Auxiliary is a group of women who desire to make a lasting difference in their communities by meeting the needs of its citizens, especially the children. Ninety-one chapters all over the southeast develop and administer hands on projects that embody the organization’s slogan “Caring hearts. Helping hands. Changing lives.”

“I have always known that I when I left this Earth, I wanted to have made a difference in someone’s life. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do that but I knew I would. 

Over the past few years I have really been thinking hard on this passion. My career was not fulfilling this need. I thought motherhood would, and it has slightly but not in the way I needed. I was looking to be able to serve children who really needed help. In true Sarah fashion, I started looking for ways to make an impact on children in our local area. With some guidance from a dear friend, I found Junior Auxiliary of Biloxi-Ocean Springs (JABOS). In this organization members serve a total of 5.5 years.

I am about to enter my third year as an active member. During these past two and a half years I have been able to impact many children's lives and even my own. I have brought my children with me while shopping for others, refilling our Tiny Libraries, painting a mural on a daycare and so much more!”

- Sarah Hayes

JABOS is a non-profit volunteer service organization that serves the needs of children, youth, and families in the service area of Biloxi, D’Iberville, St. Martin, Woolmarket, Ocean Springs, and Vancleave. This group is a diverse group of women - some who are moms, some are expecting moms, and some hopeful to become moms. Even our careers are diverse with having stay at home moms, teachers, counselors, corporate professionals and children advocates. We all have different goals in life but we do have one common goal and that is to serve. 

“ During the past year, our organization has served over 30,000 children and their families. As individuals and as a chapter, we continually look for ways to improve the lives of children by developing and implementing programs to meet physical, medical, emotional and educational needs. This is accomplished through community service projects in the health, welfare, civic, educational and cultural fields and by working closely with schools and other organizations in our community that help us identify needs and meet them. I have completed my first full year as an active member, and this is exactly what my heart needed.

Due to confidentiality, I do not always get the see and speak to the children but even though they don’t know me, I know I did something impactful to their life.”

Every year, JABOS hosts a Gala For The Kids, a fundraising event to be able to continue our efforts in serving the children in our community. This year our theme is “Rooting for the Kids” and will be hosted on Saturday, June 15th at Beau Rivage in the Magnolia Ballroom. There will be music by Unfazed, cash bar, food, split the pot, silent auction, Louis Vuitton purse raffle and much more! Tickets to the event, split the pot, Louis Vuitton purse raffle, and online silent auction can be purchased at jabos2024.givesmart.com

Donations can also be submitted through this website. More details on the Gala can be found on Junior Auxiliary of Biloxi-Ocean Springs Facebook page or on our website at http://www.jabos.org