Meet Our Founder
Jennifer Jones
If you know Jennifer Jones, you know she’s not shy to hard work. If anything, she encourages it. As a wife, the mother of three and a business owner, she works hard to remain grounded.
Jennifer is a graduate of Columbia College where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2007. She honors the second women’s college in South Carolina as the foundation of her growth. She prides the college for its commitment to the development of world leaders.
After facilitating her first nonprofit job for four years, she felt a pulling on her heart to lay down the foundation of her own nonprofit organization, Beauty Marks for Girls. Beauty Marks for Girls is a leadership program for young girls whose mothers are incarcerated. After living through the incarceration of her own mother, she states she would not want to do anything else.
"The call that the Lord has placed on my life is to protect and equip young girls who are in a place that I once lived in. Everyone gets a pen to narrate their own story. Despite the odds, I teach our girls that you are the designer in your own destiny. You must be resilient. My vow is to pass down everything that I have learned to each participant in my program. I would have never known that the very thing that hurt me the most in my past, would help save someone else’s future. Young girls need so much direction today, I try hard to be the role model that I needed when I was young,” states the founder.
The Founder also enjoys serving in local prisons. Jennifer faithfully traveled back to her hometown and served at Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, SC. She acknowledges that the institution pushed her to a completely different level in life. Jennifer recalls the first class she taught at the institution to be extremely intimidating, but empowering. "I did not just find my voice teaching in women prisons, I found my calling."
When asked what is one of her favorite quotes to sum up her life right now she replies, “The important question is never who's going to let me do something great in my life, the question is who dares to stop me!” This seems to sum up a little of this fierce leader’s drive and passion for life.
Jennifer remains enthusiastic about being an advocate for children affected by parental incarceration. She states the goal in her organization will always be focused around raising awareness for the girls in her program and providing for them a safe place to grow.
Why we Serve?
- According to research, an estimated 5 million children in America have at least one parent in jail or prison.
- According to a study conducted by Central Connecticut State University, children of the incarcerated are around three times as likely as other children to be juvenile justice-involved.
- The loss of a parent to incarceration can have a significant impact on a child. Some of those impacts include financial hardship, the physical care of the child, and psychological distress.
- Unfortunately, children with incarcerated parents are often forced to give up their dreams and future due to choices made by their parent(s), not through any fault of their own.
Our Focal Areas
Identify & Self-Compassion
Social behavior and Wellness
Identify & Self-Compassion
Most girls look up to their mothers. In fact, a mother’s self- esteem is one a girl learns to mirror first as a child. Well, what happens when a girl no longer has that role model to look up to? Girls who have a mother incarcerated are sometimes left alone in a big world trying to find inner strength and self-worth. Statistics show that
Most girls look up to their mothers. In fact, a mother’s self- esteem is one a girl learns to mirror first as a child. Well, what happens when a girl no longer has that role model to look up to? Girls who have a mother incarcerated are sometimes left alone in a big world trying to find inner strength and self-worth. Statistics show that unhealthy self-esteem can lead to depression, destructive behavior, self-harming, eating disorders or alcohol/drug abuse.
Our organization ensures that our participants have a strong sense of true beauty and self-respect. We conduct monthly activities with our young girls to help strengthen their core values. In addition to that, we partner with local beauticians to serve our girls hair needs. We also provide personal hygiene and care package needs.
Education
Social behavior and Wellness
Identify & Self-Compassion
Research shows that children of incarcerated parents may be particularly at risk in disconnecting from school and becoming involved with negative peer groups. For this reason, we focus heavily on education to ensure that our participants have everything that is needed in order to thrive in their schools. We do not want our young girls t
Research shows that children of incarcerated parents may be particularly at risk in disconnecting from school and becoming involved with negative peer groups. For this reason, we focus heavily on education to ensure that our participants have everything that is needed in order to thrive in their schools. We do not want our young girls to just ”go” to school; we want them to be leaders in their school.
Our Leadership program offers free after-school tutoring, weekend assistance, and monthly progress reporting. We partner with every participant’s principal, guidance counselors and teachers to guarantee that our girls get the attention and support needed inside the classroom.
Social behavior and Wellness
Social behavior and Wellness
Social behavior and Wellness
The overall wellness of the youth in our program is extremely important to us. Studies show that separation from a primary caregiver can impact a child’s emotional well-being. One behavior that is linked to girls having a mother incarcerated is destructive relationships. Some girls tend to shut down completely from trusting other people
The overall wellness of the youth in our program is extremely important to us. Studies show that separation from a primary caregiver can impact a child’s emotional well-being. One behavior that is linked to girls having a mother incarcerated is destructive relationships. Some girls tend to shut down completely from trusting other people, while others have difficulty developing healthy relationships with men and women. Additionally, most young girls with a mother incarcerated victimize themselves in believing that it is “my fault.”
We, at Beauty Marks are committed to breaking the cycle of wrong thinking. We plan purposeful monthly exercises with our participants to find out how they are truly feeling inside. Our girls are taught how to use these various activities to express their emotions. We are also partnered with a certified child therapist to help with more severe cases that need immediate attention. So whether they feel alone on another Mother’s Day or the first day of school, we show up for our participants to guide them through difficult times.
Educate. Empower. Inspire.
Help our organization build!
All of your contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions for the families we serve.
Beauty Marks for Girls, Inc
501 (C)(3)
EIN-82-548-7846
