Celebrate Mentor Program on Georgia Gives Day

The Jasper County Mentor Program, an organization that matches local volunteers with children in the public schools, will be participating in Georgia Gives Day on Thursday, Nov. 12. In addition to one-on-one mentoring, the program also provides additional educational opportunities and literacy support.

Led by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, Georgia Gives Day—a 24-hour flash mob of giving—brings together more than 2,000 participating nonprofits as well as donors, businesses and other supporters across the state.

The mentor program seeks to raise $6,000 for an upcoming Christmas dinner for mentored children, mentors and their families, a field trip to the Georgia Renaissance Festival, mentor recruitment and retention and age appropriate books for children at the holidays.

Donations made to the mentor program on Georgia Gives Day will be matched dollar for dollar up to $1,000 thanks to a challenge grant from its board of directors. Donations of $25 or more made on the Georgia Gives Day platform will also be eligible for random drawings of $250 and will go towards numerous prizes. In addition, six local businesses have partnered with the mentor program to provide additional incentives for donors that day.

When community members donate to the mentor program on November 12, they may take their receipt of donation to get 50 percent off a regularly priced item at The Snap’n Turtle, 20 percent off at NAPA, 50 percent off a fresh flower arrangement at Crazy Daisies, 20 percent off pet supplies at Town and Country, a free latte, smoothie, hot chocolate or cappuccino at The Vanilla Bean and free small cone at Dairy Queen. All donors may take advantage of these deals on Georgia Gives Day.

“We decided to focus on six children and six businesses on Georgia Gives Day,” explained Jehan El-Jourbagy. She continued, “I am so grateful that the six businesses were all incredibly supportive and willing to help the mentor program in this way.”

Last year, supporters donated just under $5,000 to the mentor program on Georgia Gives Day, which helped the program win an additional $4,000 in prizes from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. The foundation is not providing incentive funds this year, though the mentor program will still be eligible for state-wide prizes, such as $1,000 for the most donations of $25 or more given during “Power Hours” (every hour between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m., 3 and 4 p.m. and 5 and 6 p.m.).

For more information and to donate, visit GAgivesday.org and type in “Jasper County Mentor Program.”

Since the inception of Georgia Gives Day, it has secured 41,000 donations and helped participants raise $5.2 million, including almost $2.3 million in 2014.