Page 79 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2025

Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport.
The current national focus for NAJA is “Disconnect to Reconnect – Break the Cycle.” This focus emphasizes the importance of taking a break from technology and other distractions to foster stronger connections with family, community, and oneself, with the ultimate goal of improving the well-being of children. The organization’s overall mission remains centered on child welfare and providing support, resources, and training to its chapters to optimize community service.
This modern national focus might be different from the war
slogan in 1942: “Children; The Last Line of Defense,” but is it really? Children still have the same needs as they always have, and, still today, children are our last line of defense. Even though the slogans have changed, we owe it to our children for years to come to educate, feed, and clothe our future generations so they can grow into well-adjusted adults.
In 2026, NAJA will be 85 years old; certainly, that longevity makes a statement about the work that this non-profit organization does in helping children.
Junior Auxiliary of Hancock County.
Junior Auxiliary of Biloxi-Ocean Springs.
Gaye Winter, Ph.D., teaches English at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and is currently serving as President of the Biloxi Garden Club. Reach her at gaye.winter@mgccc.edu.
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