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Jack and Jill of America, Inc.         North County San Diego Chapter

Foundation

National Foundation History

Volunteer service was an early priority. With the goal "to seek for all children the same advantages we desire for our own," chapters adopted projects, conducted fundraisers, and contributed to a variety of worthy causes. The first beneficiary of any nonprofits aided by Jack and Jill of America, Inc. supported National Research on Rheumatic Fever. Later support went to the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, March of Dimes, Freedom Fund, Legal Defense Fund, National Association of Mental Health, and NAACP Life Membership.

Without representation on the boards of these organizations, there was little opportunity to influence policy. The onset of the civil rights movement in the 1960's and the protests of African-American youth as evidenced by sit-ins and boycotts caused Jack and Jill of America, Inc. to pause and examine its own policies and their implementation. The membership decided that it was necessary to come to grips with the issues at hand and to directly address the contemporary problems facing its children.

In 1968, Jack and Jill of America, Inc. became a first among African American national service organizations to create a philanthropic arm. The Jack and Jill of America Foundation was established as a non-profit corporation exclusively for the purpose of supporting "educational, literary, scientific and charitable" projects which benefit children, especially African-American and other minority children.

Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than three million dollars in annual grants to charitable organizations that provide programming channeled toward eliminating "some of the contemporary obstacles that confront minority children and young adults." The Foundation is supported by funds from the local chapters of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Other funding is received from corporations, foundations, matching funds, and friends of the organization.

The Foundation's goals are to focus on leadership skills, training, and development for children and teens, as announced in July at the Jack and Jill of America, Inc. 2000 National Convention in Charlotte, NC.

As the service arm of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., the Foundation provides a framework for the parent organization to utilize a wealth of expertise and knowledge existing within its ranks.

 

 

 

Barbara Miller

Foundation Chair