The Jack and Jill of America Foundation celebrates 55 years of giving

You may have heard of Jack & Jill of America, the legacy organization that promotes the growth and development of Black children and families, right? Beyond housing 252 chapters worldwide, the organization leads the Jack and Jill of America Foundation (JJF).

Today, January 30, the foundation celebrates 55 years of philanthropic efforts dedicated to serving Black communities. The Black-led foundation was initially formed during the civil rights era when Jack & Jill of America’s members recognized that donation dollars given to majority-led organizations could be better used to directly serve the Black populace. This led to the public foundation’s launch in 1968. Since then, the organization has become the oldest Black-led philanthropic organization dedicated to serving Black children and families. 

“We invest in services, programs, and organizations that focus on impacting the underlying issues affecting African American children and families,” said Pier Blake, JJF’s Executive Director. “Our goal is to change the landscape so that children in underserved communities are afforded opportunities by removing inequities.”

In addition to its 55th anniversary, the foundation is celebrating a record-breaking year of giving. In 2022, JFF awarded more than $445k in grants, ranging from $5,000 to $66,000. After receiving 300 grant applications from organizations across the country, the foundation was able to support 65 grantees in a variety of industries. 

For instance, the Young Women’s Preparatory Network’s Houston chapter received a $5k grant for its “To and Through College Path,” which helps students most at risk of experiencing systemic obstacles attain college degrees. Similarly, in California, Greene Scholars received a $10,000 grant to support its efforts to expose scholars to technology careers and build their confidence in math and science.

Alongside these contributions to national organizations, the JJF has a series of ongoing commitments to select organizations like the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), to which it gave $66,000. It also partners with Natural Grocers, which supports the JJ College Fund GAP Fund by donating 1% of sales on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, raising $33,000 this year. 

For more information about JJF’s efforts, visit jackandjillfoundation.org. 

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