SGNN MEMBER FOCUS: Lajuanta Mattox, Nourishing Bodies and Souls in Clinch County

Lajuanta Mattox, a member of the South Georgia Nonprofit Network (SGNN), dreams of making an impact on the lives of children and families in Clinch County through her organization, Jesus and Jam. For the past 11 years, Mattox and her team have been delivering sack lunches to the community every Saturday, providing not only food but also a message of hope and love.

What started as a simple act of kindness has grown into serving the community in numerous ways. Each week, Jesus and Jam prepares and distributes over 1,100 sack lunches, which include a PB&J sandwich, a drink, and a snack item. The organization partners with Bridges of Hope, an addiction recovery program, to prepare and deliver these lunches. The workers from Bridges of Hope say they have found a sense of purpose in their collaboration. “We see this as feeding spiritually!” she says.

Five years ago, Jesus and Jam built a hosting facility where AA and Al-Anon meetings are held, providing a safe space for those struggling with addiction and their loved ones. The organization also started an after-school program last year, which began with 24 children and aims to help those struggling academically. “Their grades are improving,” Mattox reports, as the program enters its second year.

In addition to these initiatives, Jesus and Jam partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, ensuring that each child in participating families receives their own book every month. This is the third year of the partnership, which aims to foster a love of reading and learning among the community’s children. The organization also sponsors summer reading parties at the library working with Family Connections.

This year, Jesus and Jam has partnered with The Haven to offer social media awareness training, equipping families with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world safely. They have also collaborated with the county extension to provide life skills classes, teaching cooking, sewing, and planting.

Through her efforts and partnerships, Lajuanta Mattox and Jesus and Jam are nourishing both bodies and souls in Clinch County.

To learn more about Jesus and Jam and support their mission, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JesusAndJam/.