Who Doesn't Love Care Packages?

Remember when you were a first-year college student? So do we!

There's the loneliness. The stress. The desire for the comforts of home, whatever home may mean.

That's why we created the JMB Award Care Package and shipped one to each of our recipients this fall. A virtual hug in a box, the items were collectively curated by our mentors and included the practical and the indulgent. Toward the latter end of the scale was a signature Jill item: Snickers®. Jill marked bad days as "six-Snickers bars days." We included six, but went with the fun size. Moderation, amiright?! 

Summer Retreat

We had a jam-packed agenda for our first summer retreat with recipients and their mentors: 

• Budgeting basics
• Transitioning to college
• Building a strong mentoring relationship
• Networking and risk-taking

Through it all, personal stories and experiences took center stage.

Everyone had tips on how to stretch a dollar, and those entering their first year of college got additional pro tips on how to afford costly college books and late-night pizza ordering.

Money-saving wasn't the only thing on recipients' minds. Many benefited from a Q&A session with former recipients, especially as they discussed their transition to a rural campus with less pavement and diversity.

When our board joined later in the day, recipients heard their stories of perseverance, taking risks, accepting help, and leaping into the prepared-for unknown. This last session struck the deepest chord with our recipients, many of whom were reassured to learn "our path is not determined" and "everyone hits rock bottom in their life, and it's okay. It's about how you pick yourself back up." 

We couldn't say it better.