HOW IT ALL STARTED
So where did John's Boys begin? Where most things begin nowadays: social media.
Skylar Jordan Brown, feeling slightly fiesty, made a post during the locally renowned Daddy-Daughter dance time of year regarding the fact that we moms like to get down with our boys (and not only by digging in the dirt) but aren't getting much love with opportunities! When that post hit 300-400 interactions (likes, comments, shares), she decided it was time to do something about it... backyard barbecue anyone?
If you know our wonderful COB (Chairman/woman/person of the Board, President, El Jefe, Motivator Extraordinaire), she never does anything half way and so a backyard barbecue wasn't going to cut it. A couple corporate sponsors, a partner, a venue, and a few Starbucks meetings later, the idea to do a Mother-Son dance formed, and we were going put on the inaugural "Jurassic Jam"... in 122 days!
The core group that continued to make decisions regarding Jurassic Jam eventually became "John's Boys". One of our former board members Clay Hollis, along with his wife, are foster parents who have fostered 3 infants. John (a.k.a. John Boy) was Clay and Megan's first foster baby. While planning the dance, events occurred that made us want to honor their relationship (we hope to do you proud John Boy!). Clay and Megan have been a font of information and knowledge for the Board and helped connect us to Voices For Children!
Skylar Jordan Brown, feeling slightly fiesty, made a post during the locally renowned Daddy-Daughter dance time of year regarding the fact that we moms like to get down with our boys (and not only by digging in the dirt) but aren't getting much love with opportunities! When that post hit 300-400 interactions (likes, comments, shares), she decided it was time to do something about it... backyard barbecue anyone?
If you know our wonderful COB (Chairman/woman/person of the Board, President, El Jefe, Motivator Extraordinaire), she never does anything half way and so a backyard barbecue wasn't going to cut it. A couple corporate sponsors, a partner, a venue, and a few Starbucks meetings later, the idea to do a Mother-Son dance formed, and we were going put on the inaugural "Jurassic Jam"... in 122 days!
The core group that continued to make decisions regarding Jurassic Jam eventually became "John's Boys". One of our former board members Clay Hollis, along with his wife, are foster parents who have fostered 3 infants. John (a.k.a. John Boy) was Clay and Megan's first foster baby. While planning the dance, events occurred that made us want to honor their relationship (we hope to do you proud John Boy!). Clay and Megan have been a font of information and knowledge for the Board and helped connect us to Voices For Children!
122 DAYS LATER...
Jurassic Jam 2019 raised over $8,000 for our designated donation recipient, Voices for Children - CASA. We were very fortunate to have Peach Creek Ranch donate their venue; Fab 5 Bakery did all of the amazing cookies; Seyle Daniel Photography did a photobooth; Party Time Rentals made sure we had amazing games for the kids; and thanks to sponsors such as Texas Farm Bureau Insurance and 2nd Generation Arc N Spark, it all looked FABULOUS!
SO WHAT ARE WE WORKING TOWARDS?
Part of the donation we were able to make included 72 of our Go Bags. Each bag provides children with basic necessities including comfort items, toiletries, and other age-appropriate essentials. One of our two core projects is to supply incoming foster children with a Go Bag. Most people are not aware that when a child is removed from a home, they are given a trash bag and a few minutes to gather their belongings. We hope that one day, every child who enters foster care in our community receives a Go Bag.
Additionally, we are launching an exciting program designed to increase foster child participation in extracurricular activities and support foster parents as they work to provide a sense of normalcy for these children. Extracurricular programs are not covered under any other area of the foster system and we believe participation in such activities creates a sense of belonging, instills core values, and develops the child's natural talents and abilities. The program will include providing scholarships to cover the costs of enrollment, uniforms, and equipment so that these children may participate in activities which they might otherwise not have access to.
With your help and our exciting upcoming events, we hope to raise the funds we need to increase awareness, education, and advocacy for the foster community in our area!
Additionally, we are launching an exciting program designed to increase foster child participation in extracurricular activities and support foster parents as they work to provide a sense of normalcy for these children. Extracurricular programs are not covered under any other area of the foster system and we believe participation in such activities creates a sense of belonging, instills core values, and develops the child's natural talents and abilities. The program will include providing scholarships to cover the costs of enrollment, uniforms, and equipment so that these children may participate in activities which they might otherwise not have access to.
With your help and our exciting upcoming events, we hope to raise the funds we need to increase awareness, education, and advocacy for the foster community in our area!
Skylar Chairman |
Courtney board member |
Becky board member |
Erika Marketing |
Megan gobag coordinator |