The Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau JUMP program is reaching out to families in Montgomery County with children or know of children who could benefit from having a mentor.
Before COVID-19, a majority of JUMP program participants were referred by or informed about the program through teachers and school counselors. Due to the changes in the school system to help with the safety of the adults and youth alike, referrals have been down. The need for children to have a positive role model in their life still exists, but the word is not getting out.
The JUMP program is similar to the Big Brother/Big Sister program. The process to become part of this program begins by filling out an application. The child must be between the age of 6-14. Once the application is complete, the parent and the child are interviewed by the program manager. After all of that is completed, a mentor with similar interests will be matched with that child and begin meeting with them on a regular basis. They will get together and do fun things and while doing so, talk about issues that are going on in the child’s life. All of this will benefit the child by providing an extra support person they can talk to and count on to be there. Many times, a life long relationship forms that will allow this child to grow in a positive way.
This program is for kids in all walks of life. It can be a child in a large family that needs more one on one time with an adult, a child from a single-parent home or just a child that wants to try new things and have a variety of life experiences.
If your child would like to have a mentor or if you know of a child that would benefit from this program, contact Jill Hampton at 765-362-0694, ext. 103, or email at jill@mcysb.org.
To learn more about the Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau, visit www.mcysb.org or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcysb.org.
