A Member's Perspective
JATC means long lasting friendships, commitment, dedication, cooperation, hard work, and many, many great memories! Being part of an organization that is recognized and respected by our community is very rewarding and makes you proud to be a member of JATC. It is very rewarding to speak to community members and get positive feedback about our projects. There is a sense of sisterhood that comes from being in JA -- you can always learn something new about the women involved in this organization, and we all know that we can depend on them to be there for help and support during a time of need. What a huge gift in the lives of each JA member! We work hard, but we socialize and laugh and encourage one another.
Some specific times that help make JA special from different member’s perspectives:
“Working in the Women’s Crisis Center Donation Room can feel overwhelming and like an endless chore. One Saturday, I was once again organizing the shoes into pairs and separating out the adult and children’s shoes. And then a woman and her 4 year old son came in looking for shoes because they had just come to the Crisis Center the night before and needed summer shoes to wear. Because the shoes were organized, she did not have extra stress trying to find what she needed. This really brought it out for me why we do what we do. I feel blessed to be able to have the time and luxury to spend a few hours on Saturday morning doing this so I can make the life of the women who come to the Crisis Center just a little bit easier.”
“The experience of a "marvelous moment" at Homework Helpers when one of the kids finishes reading a story out loud and his whole face lights up with pride and delight.”
“Crafting for Santa’s Gift House and then taking the children shopping so they can enjoy the gift of giving. Their smiles and laughter tell us why we worked so hard to make the gifts.”
“I was thrilled to hear my neighbor say that their little boy had received one of our Tender Critters when he had to visit the Emergency Room. “D’s mom” said it helped him pull it all together as he focused on the Critter instead of the tests they were running on him.”
“Seeing a girl try on a prom dress and commenting that ‘You made me feel just like a princess.’”
That’s the magic of JATC as we continue our journey with one another. What a huge gift to work and get to know this diverse group of women who always have as their motto “It’s all about helping the kids!”