Our History

READY 2000, Inc. is the brain-child of Pastor Samuel C. Watkins and First Lady Diane Watkins. The organization was created to connect the younger generations of Bulloch County with positive, engaging mentors. Diane and Samuel believed that supporting spiritual growth, improving education, and providing access to positive, enriching experiences for our young people, could unlock the untapped potential these new generations possessed. The Watkins' also wanted these services to be easy to access and affordable for every budget. In 1999, the READY 2000, Inc. charter was signed and the organization became the new face of outreach ministry for The Body of Christ Assembly, Inc.

 

 READY received a warm reception from the community and decided to seek non-profit status. On December 18, 2000, faith and a lot of hard work led to the organization obtaining its 501(c)(3) status. Since then, READY 2000 has served over 800 students, created a yearly "College Experience Camp" at Georgia Southern University, and raised funding to award a 4-year scholarship to one deserving student annually. 

 

As a nonprofit, R.E.A.D.Y. 2000 strives to put the youth first by providing the tools and resources our children need. For 20 years, we have been blessed to instill confidence in each R.E.A.D.Y. participant. We have pushed them to pursue their  dreams. It is our prayer that these experiences have acted as  a catalyst for the students to transform into  productive citizens for our communities- who may one day impact the world.