JA PROJECT
Leigh Holt organizes clothing during a Clothing Room Workday .
Jennifer Sims and Meagan McCoy are hard at work organizing stock in our clothing inventory .
Joanna Covington and Martha Imes pause for a photo during a clothing appointment .
Clothing , In Depth , Clothes To Go & Best Foot Forward
One cannot deny the power of properly fitted clothing and its direct correlation to a positive self-image . In 1942 , the ladies of Junior Auxiliary of Columbus saw a need in the Lowndes County community and took action , thus the clothing project was born . Clothing offerings , which consist of non-uniform , In Depth , and Clothes To Go , is Junior Auxiliary ’ s longest running project . Seeking to promote a positive self-image by helping children feel more confident , the program operates on referrals from school counselors or faculty . For non-uniform students , following the initial recommendation , the welfare chairman contacts the parent or guardian and gathers any additional necessary information and schedules a clothing appointment at the Junior Auxiliary Hut . At the appointment , members clothe the child with new shirts , pants , socks , shoes , undergarments , a coat , and a hygiene bag . Non-uniform clothing operates from July through March . For the 2024-2025 year , members have worked to provide clothing for over 275 area school children .
Another component of the Junior Auxiliary of Columbus clothing project provides much needed and fast assistance in times of unforeseeable tragedy . Known as In Depth , this project provides immediate clothing assistance for families in extreme circumstances , usually due to house fires , floods , or tornadoes . Members have worked to
Arie Carlton takes shoe measurements during a clothing appointment .
provide assistance to over 40 children for the 2024-2025 year .
Junior Auxiliary of Columbus also operates Clothes To Go , a clothing delivery project that provides uniform clothing to all Columbus City Schools . Initially developed in 2020 as a trial extension of our traditional clothing project , Clothes To Go reduces the challenges parents face making their clothing appointments due to transportation or scheduling conflicts . School guidance counselors refer children to Clothes To Go after
identifying the need and fitting them at the school , just as Junior Auxiliary members would during a traditional clothing appointment . Junior Auxiliary committee members then pack the clothing bags for delivery to the school every Friday morning . For the 2024- 2025 year , Junior Auxiliary Clothes To Go committee members then pack the bags of clothing for delivery to schools every week .
Best Foot Forward was added in the spring of 2023 as a way to provide quality footwear as a supplement to the existing clothing programs offered . Originally , shoes were provided through a national nonprofit but as the need quickly outweighed the supply , Junior Auxiliary of Columbus has since absorbed the financial commitment of this welcome addition to our clothing project . We are immensely grateful for a generous grant from the Lowndes Community Foundation that has helped to provide almost 300 pairs of shoes to deserving local children .
Junior Auxiliary of Columbus strives to make a difference in the lives of children who give the brightest of smiles and words of appreciation that are not just solely intended for our members , but also shared with those in our community whose generous donations allow us to continue serving their needs . Thank you for your support of Junior Auxiliary of Columbus and our continued effort to serve and provide aid to the children of Lowndes County .
Report to the Community 2025 Junior Auxiliary of Columbus , Mississippi , Inc . 35