Jesup, GA – Three local organizations recently came together to fulfill a season-long commitment benefiting survivors of domestic violence. Players from the Wayne County High School Varsity Baseball Team joined representatives from Fair Haven Shelter and Wayne Memorial Hospital to celebrate a $450 donation to Fair Haven. For several years, Wayne Memorial Hospital has pledged to donate $50 to Fair Haven for every home run hit by the Wayne County High School varsity baseball team during the season. This year’s team hit nine home runs, resulting in a $450 contribution to support the shelter.
Angie Jones, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Quality and Risk Management at Wayne Memorial Hospital, as well as a former Fair Haven Board member, underscored the significance of the partnership. “Throughout my career, including my time as an Emergency Room Director, I have witnessed the profound impact domestic violence has on adults, children, and families,” Jones said. “Many survivors come to our hospital seeking medical care with few personal belongings and nowhere safe to turn after discharge. Access to a secure, supportive environment is a critical first step in their journey toward healing and independence. Organizations like Fair Haven provide that lifeline through the dedication of their staff, volunteers, and community supporters. Wayne Memorial Hospital is honored to partner with and support their mission of helping survivors rebuild their lives.”
Krystal Flowers, a hospital pharmacy employee and President of the Fair Haven Board shared, “On behalf of the Fair Haven Boad of Directors, we are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Wayne Memorial Hospital and the outstanding community spirit shown by the high school baseball team. Their donation and willingness to serve help ensure Fair Haven can continue providing shelter, resources, and hope to those who need it most.”
Wayne County High School Varsity Baseball Head Coach Justin McDonald said the team is honored to contribute to the annual initiative. “We’re grateful to Wayne Memorial Hospital and Fair Haven for allowing our team to be part of this special project,” McDonald said. “We also want to recognize our players, whose hard work throughout the year makes this annual donation possible. Giving back to our community is an important part of our baseball program, and we’re glad to support an organization that provides such meaningful services to local families.”
“One of the greatest blessings of this work is witnessing what can happen when a community comes together,” said Deitra Neal, Executive Director of Fair Haven. “Every act of generosity, whether through a donation, volunteer service, or community partnership, allows us to provide life-changing services to victims of domestic violence across Wayne, Appling, and Jeff Davis counties. With the support of our community, survivors can find safety, hope, healing, and the resources they need to build brighter futures for themselves and their children. We are sincerely grateful to Wayne Memorial Hospital and the Wayne County High School Varsity Baseball Team for believing in our mission and investing in the families we serve. Together, we are strengthening families, fostering hope, and creating safer communities for generations to come.”
Wayne County Protective Agency, Inc., doing business as Fair Haven, is the only state-certified domestic violence program serving Wayne, Appling, and Jeff Davis counties. Since 1995, Fair Haven has provided compassionate, confidential services to victims of domestic violence and their children through its 12-bed emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis hotline, outreach services, legal advocacy, safety planning, housing assistance, counseling referrals, transportation, children’s services, and community education. Their mission is to provide compassionate, confidential, and nonjudgmental support to victims of domestic and family violence and their children by empowering survivors with safety, advocacy, resources, and hope as they rebuild their lives and work toward a future free from violence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call Fair Haven’s 24-hour Crisis Hotline at (912) 588-9999. To learn more about their services, volunteer opportunities, or ways to support their mission, visit fairhavenjesup.org. The public may also shop, donate, or volunteer at the Fair Haven Market, located at 488 SW Broad Street in downtown Jesup, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Wayne Memorial Hospital, whose mission is to provide high quality health care services to all patients, built a state-of-the-art facility in 2007. It is the third largest employer in Wayne County with 500 employees, 84 beds and is a three-time winner of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Small Hospital of the Year Award.