15,320 – The number of women serving their communities through the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries.

247,690 – The number of service hours Junior Auxiliary members worked in their communities in 2013-14.

$2,685,420 – The amount of money Junior Auxiliaries invested in seven southeastern states in 2013-14.

Return on that investment – priceless.

The hard work goes on year-round, but during the first week of April each year, the Junior Auxiliary of Brookhaven pauses to say thanks to the community for another great year.

Right now JA of Brookhaven is preparing our annual Girl Talk/Boy Talk.  This is an education service hosted by JA and assisted by local physicians to provide general health education to 6th graders at all of our local schools.

Mamie Martin Principal, Rob McCreary commended the volunteers for their work.

“At Mamie Martin – JA is a vital part of our school.  The EARS program gives our students a valuable partner to read with them to provide extra practice outside the classroom that they may not get anywhere else.  The JA clothes closet is maintained and helps those students with emergencies.  This has been vital with two families that lost their house due to a fire.  The Junior Auxiliary Wish Tree has helped hundreds of students over the years whose family cannot afford Christmas.  All in all we at Mamie Martin are extremely grateful for JA’s caring heart when it comes to the children of our community,” McCreary stated.

A year packed with service to families and children through 16 service projects that include everything from Wish Tree to Healthy You Kids Fair.  JA of Brookhaven has 32 members who each donate 40 service hours every year to the chapter’s various projects. Our ladies work tirelessly to make a positive impact on our community.

The chapter raises funds each year through its sole fundraiser – The Peel ‘Em & Eat ‘Em Shrimp Dinner held in October.  The planning has already been started for this year’s event, which will be held October 15 at the Brookhaven Recreation Department.

“This is such an exciting week for us because it gives us a chance to thank all of the citizens of Brookhaven and Lincoln County for supporting us in this work and to recognize our wonderful corporate sponsors who finance these projects,” Juliana Adams, PR Chair said. “The families and children we serve are so deserving and thankful for this assistance, and none of that would be possible without the support of the entire community.”

Junior Auxiliary has a rich history of service, and the Junior Auxiliary of Brookhaven, is carrying on that tradition. This Chapter embraces the founding principles of our national organization, “helping children and making a difference in their lives,” said Beth Holbert NAJA President.

The Junior Auxiliary of Brookhaven is a part of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA), a non-profit organization founded in 1941 with headquarters in Greenville, MS. NAJA has 15,320 active, associate, and life members in 97 Chapters in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.

The NAJA slogan is “Care Today – Character Tomorrow.” Junior Auxiliary Chapters are working more than ever to provide care to those less fortunate in order to make their tomorrows better.

For more information, or to make a tax-deductible donation to JA of Brookhaven, mail to P.O. Box 169 Brookhaven, MS 39602 or contact 601-757-0551.  For more information on NAJA, visit www.najanet.org or call (662) 332-3000.