Jack and Jill of America Foundation Celebrates 50 Year Anniversary

  WASHINGTON, DC - 02/05/2018 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

Jack and Jill of America Foundation, the non-profit philanthropic arm of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary in 2018. The Foundation is committed to supporting the charitable vision of the Jack and Jill of America organization of more than 10,000 mothers and 40,000 family members in transforming African American communities one child at a time. 

Incorporated on February 4, 1968, the Foundation was created for the purpose of increasing opportunities for children in the areas of Education, Cultural Growth, and Civic Responsibility. During the national expansion of Jack and Jill chapters in 1940s and 1950s, the spirit of charitable giving became a hallmark of the organization, especially with regard to assisting impoverished and segregated African American communities. Large sums of money were being raised to support various charities centered around children’s health, including the Rheumatic Fever Foundation and the Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (which would become the March of Dimes).

In the following decades, Jack and Jill Foundation dedicated millions of dollars to invest in scholarships, mental health and wellness initiatives, early education programs, the Rebuild America Project with Habitat for Humanity -- and has solicited creative and vibrant community-building ventures. Presently, the Foundation is awarding grants in the areas of STEM, heart and mental health awareness, and community service -- while sustaining its support of existing grants in early literacy and teen leadership. 

In July 2018, Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated will hold its 43^rd biennial National Convention in Kansas City, MO. During that time, there will be a number of commemorative events in recognition of the Foundation’s 50^th Anniversary while the members celebrate 80 years of service and the transformative impact that Jack and Jill members have had on their communities, and its rich history of cultivating strong African American leaders. 

While the Foundation’s services and operations have expanded -- and its focus areas have become more diverse -- its underlying principles have remained constant. Jack and Jill of America Foundation thanks its partners, grantees, leadership, and the membership of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. in celebrating its 50 year milestone.

Contacts:

For more information, please contact:

Jack and Jill of America Foundation

Pier A.H. Blake, Executive Director, (202) 232-5290, pblakce@jackandjillfoundation.org 

ABOUT JACK AND JILL OF AMERICA FOUNDATION

Backed by over 235 chapters of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., the Foundation is investing and positively impacting African American communities across the United States. Since its inception in 1968, the Foundation has invested millions of dollars in communities all across the nation under following its mission to address issues affecting African American children and families through programs and services that create a strong foundation for children to thrive long-term.

The foundation concentrates on three Philanthropic Focus Areas: African American families, Education, and Health and Wellness to promote meaningful impact. To learn more about Jack and Jill of America Foundation, please visit https://jackandjillfoundation.org.