Marion Stubbs Thomas
JACK AND JILL of America
Founded 1938
Black Charity Foundations Serving and Changing Black America Communities throughout the United States.
There are many charity foundations that have made significant impact in the African American Communities. I have to mention this particular Foundation for they have truly inspired me to do this research. To find out more on the foundations please view all listed charities in which I have taken the time to do. Now let’s move forward and discuss.
JACK AND JILL of America was founded during the Great Depression. It was formed in 1938 by African American mothers with the idea of bringing together children in a social and cultural environment. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. .
Marion Stubbs Thomas socialite and daughter of John Patrick Turner, M.D and Marion Carmencita Harris organized a group of twenty-one mothers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the idea of establishing a social and cultural union for their children. From the beginning, this new club, Jack and Jill, focused on instilling values and leadership skills in their children and providing “all the opportunities possible for a normal and graceful approach to a beautiful adulthood.” This group in Philadelphia quickly inspired others to found similar organizations. The second “chapter” of Jack and Jill was established in New York City in 1939, and a third in Washington, D.C. in 1940. The local group became an inter-city association, expanding to Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Maryland, Boston, Buffalo, New York, Columbus, Ohio, Durham, North Carolina and Memphis, Tennessee between 1944 and June 1, 1946 — the birth date of the national organization. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is divided into seven geographic regions for administrative purposes. Each region has a Director, Treasurer, Secretary and Foundation Member-at-Large, and is represented on a National Executive Board. At present, there are more than 230 Jack and Jill chapters in 35 states across the United States, with more than 10,000 mother members and 40,000 parents and children.
In 1968, the organization created its philanthropic arm, the Jack and Jill of America Foundation, incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois. The Foundation has been responsible for the origin and funding of a large number of educational and charitable projects benefiting children and families in communities across the United States. Through the years, Jack and Jill of America has made contributions to other organizations and projects, including: Africare, The United Negro College Fund, Rainbow/PUSH, King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (also called March of Dimes), the Children’s Defense Fund, and to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The foundation have made a significant impact in the young African Americans youths, by doing every aspects of their foundation work with the best integrity for each community such as environment, education and health. They have accomplished their mission and will continue to make each life of a young African Americans positive and productive by making great contributions to society.
As Stated by JJA on their site:
Our priority is improving the lives of African American children. We are concerned about making a difference in the areas that can significantly shift their outcomes in life. We are committed to supporting services, programs and organizations that focus on impacting root causes of social problems affecting African American children and families.
Our investments will improve outcomes for core issues in the following Philanthropic Focus Areas and work to improve key issues affecting African American children and families.
The main office and contact information is as follows:
Jack and Jill Foundation
1930 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone 202-232-5290
Fax 202-232-1747