About Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Orange County
We are proud to say, the Orange County Chapter has been in existence since 1980, in a county that comprises of less 3% African Americans. For almost 4 decades, we have made a significant impact within our surrounding communities through our activities, community outreach and the leaders we have developed over the years.
Our chapter began in result of the fact received from the 1980 census report which indicated that Orange County had a Black population of well over 25,000 people with a median age of thirty-two. Many of the adults reflected in the census data were the parents of young children and they were seeking communication, fellowship, and the preservation of cultural values for their children. Like other parts of the country, it was necessary to provide an organization where African American families could interact and keep in touch with their roots.
Organizing an Orange County Jack and Jill Chapter was the direction our founding members believed would assist African American mothers and their children with an opportunity to meet and develop bonds through recreational, educational, civic and social events and activities. The founding members of our organization felt strongly that the establishment of an Orange County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated would offer an excellent vehicle to provide a positive, supportive environment for Black children to develop healthy feelings about themselves and others. On Sunday, February 6, 1983, the Orange County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated was officially installed by the newly elected National President of the Far West Region, Mrs. Ramona Arnold. There were fifty charter members.
Since then, our organization has worked to support programs throughout the Orange County community. Service programs include: food drives for homeless and child abuse centers; a letter writing campaign and “care packages” sent to our Armed Forces stationed in Iraq; a voter registration drive conducted by our Group 5 teens to increase voter participation; and a chapter-wide shoe drive to benefit the Soles4Souls charity with the collection of more than 1,600 pairs of gently used shoes that were donated to families in Kenya and Tokyo. The collection of toys to distribute to disadvantaged youth at Christmas and the successful fundraiser our chapter held which generated over $10,000, which was donated to the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation of Orange County. Additionally, for every Chapter-wide activity, we select a community service activity, and for our 2020 National Day of Service in honor of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the children and adults of the Orange County California Chapter donated time to help end hunger in their community by packaging food at the Orange County Food Bank in Garden Grove, California.
