The Jefferson Davis Outreach Ministry began its 18th year of after school ministry to the children of Jefferson Davis County Aug. 19, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

Applications are now available for this year’s L.I.F.T. (Log In For Transformation) program K-6th grades.

“The ministry’s purpose is and has always been to change lives by touching one at a time,” said JDOM Director Bettie Drummond. “It has been a busy year for the Ministry and 2019-20 will be also.”   

The children’s afterschool program operates under the MS Dept. of Human Services Child Care license and guidelines.  The program tutors homework, reading and math and helps students develop good study habits, good work ethics and importance of self and others.

The afterschool tutorial program is not a babysitting program. Students who participated in L.I.F.T are now reaping rewards from their work.

All the 2018-19 L.I.F.T. 3rd graders passed their mandatory reading test the first time. Two former students were recipients of the Reginald Weary Scholarship Fund: Kevin Hall a senior and Khadeja Milloy a sophomore both at Alcorn State University.   

In October 2018, the Ministry sponsored its annual Thanksgiving luncheon for the JDC inmates and in March the children attended the youth and family conference at Zion Community Church of God.

The summer program June 3-21 ended with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese in Hattiesburg for the children.

The ministry receives no government funding and holds fundraisers and accepts contributions. They also recieved a grant from the R.E.A.L. Christian Foundation.

The most successful fundraiser last year for the organization was initiated by Dr. Kristi Lewis for her birthday.

JDOM also hosted its annual Thanksgiving Christmas Fundraising Dinner Nov. 10 and sponsored their first annual Good Friday Walk-A-Thon, a successful event that included visitors from the R.E.A.L. Christian Foundation Dr. Marcus and Rosie Weary and new president Shanda Roby, as guests.

“JDOM was blessed with a new employee through the Senior Citizen Program and Ivy Bass has been a big asset to the Ministry,” said Drummond. Others who work beside Drummond include Earnestine Bridges, Versie Johnson and volunteers Roy Drummond and Rose Powell.

“Because of people like you who care about the children of Jeff Davis County, we are able to offer our children a safe, Christian, drug-free learning facility.”

Come by the JDC Outreach facility on Prentiss main street at 2126 Columbia Ave. and get an application for your child/children or call Bettie Drummond at 601-792-9604 or 601-310-9669 for more information.