JBFC in 2015: Big Plans, Goals, & Dreams

As an eternal optimist (this is no shocker to those who know me well…or even slightly well), New Year's Eve is always an exciting time for me.

It is the one time of the year when you are supposed to look forward. You make promises and goals for the next year, and it is actually socially acceptable to dream. So, in honor of the season's spirit, I wanted to share with all of you a few things I am excited about for JBFC in 2015.

 

First and foremost, I am excited to see our first batch of students and girls flourish into their next phase of life! Thirty students, eight of which are our own JBFC residential girls, will be graduating our secondary school and moving on into the world.

 

 Some of them will be getting apprenticeships and jobs, some of them will be going to trade schools, and others will go on for higher education. No matter what the path, I am excited to see these girls we have spent almost eight years raising grow into beautiful, young women, who are truly making an impact on their communities.

 

 

But, 2015 doesn’t just mean the graduation of our girls- we as an organization are graduating! We have been growing rapidly for almost nine years and 2015 will be no different. However, 2015 will represent some significant milestones – we are growing in Tanzania, adding a second campus in an entirely different community and taking in an entirely new set of neglected girls. We are also growing in the U.S., adding more staff and moving into a new office. We are not only graduating our girls, but we, as an organization, are growing and maturing.

And we’re not going to stop there.

 

We have goals to improve production on our farm (which is already producing more than 400 pounds of produce weekly). We have goals to officially start our trade school at our on-campus restaurant, Papa's, training eight underprivileged youth per year in the tourism industry. And, we plan to provide healthcare education to our community through regular seminars on various topics to improve the health of our entire community.

I am excited for the ride ahead, but most importantly, I am excited to share this ride with you. Each and every single one of you is a valuable member of our JBFC family and only with your presence can all of our 2015 goals become a reality. I look forward to being in touch and seeing and speaking with all of you in 2015!

One last plug, if you haven’t already given a year-endtax-deductible donation to JBFC, please donate by clicking here.

Happy New Year!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Gates is JBFC's Founder, CEO & Head Dreamer