The JUMP Program Has Fun Putting Around Saturday

As they do every month, the JUMP program had a group activity that was above par! The JUMP program, which is a part of the Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau, is a mentoring program for kids in Montgomery County. This past Saturday, despite predictions of rain, the mentors and mentees of the program met at the Hole in One Family Fun to play miniature golf in Lafayette. Afterwards, everyone was treated to ice cream at Dairy Queen.

The JUMP program exists to help mentor the children of Montgomery County community so that they can get the support and guidance they need to grow into productive and healthy adults. This program matches adult volunteers with youth, and they spend one on one time together. The goal is that they will develop friendships that last a lifetime. Although the program currently has over 50 matches of mentors/mentees, there is always a waiting list. Some of the kids waiting are in the Crawfordsville area, but others are in the outlying areas, such as Waynetown and Darlington. It can be difficult to find matches for these kids because it is a longer drive and time commitment. The JUMP program is continuously looking for volunteers in Crawfordsville and those who are also willing to travel to some of the surrounding areas.

Jill Hampton, the JUMP Program Manager said, “The program is actually a lot of fun as far as volunteering goes. When an adult is matched with the right young person it can be beneficial to both of the parties involved.”

She went on to say, “I think sometimes a volunteer may be concerned about what to do with a child but that is where I, as the JUMP Program Manager, am able to help. I send out ideas for activities on a monthly basis to all of the mentors about what fun/interesting things are going on in the area. This is in addition to the one monthly group activity the YSB provides at no cost to the JUMP members.”

“If you are thinking about becoming a Mentor but haven’t quite made up your mind, call or email so I can discuss with you any questions or concerns you may have about the program! My phone is 362-0694 ext. 103 or email at [email protected],” Hampton said.

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.

The Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau is a United Fund Partner Agency.