www.jackandjillinc.org

Our Chapter is a Five Star Chapter Excellence Chapter

The Greater Pikes Peak Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Incorporated was organized by Mrs. Tonya Crawley who was a member of the Greater Tampa Chapter. Tonya and her family moved to Colorado Springs in 2010. In 2011, she joined the closest chapter in Denver, Colorado which is approximately 70 miles away. She gladly drove the 140 miles round trip several times each month for two years because she believed in Jack and Jill’s mission. At the end of the program year in 2013, then Vice President Linda Williams of the Denver Chapter and Tonya began strategizing about forming a local chapter in Colorado Springs. Tonya reached out to Regional Director Debrah Mitchell and she shared the timeline for forming a Provisional Group. Tonya transferred from the Denver Chapter to a National/ Regional member in the summer of 2013.

In August Priscilla Alston and Tonya met and made a list of mothers they thought would be a good fit. They ordered business cards and “We are Jack and Jill of America Inc. booklets”. The first official informational meeting was October 20, 2013, at the Olympic Training Center. After that meeting, Priscilla and Tonya became intentional in their planning and decided to provide events/opportunities that included children’s programming followed by a brief informational meeting at the end. With the help of the Denver Chapters Meosha Brooks and Vanessa Howard, they held a Youth Leadership Seminar on September 20, 2014. In February 2015, the Colorado Springs Interest Group sent in the provisional group application on behalf of 26 mothers. On April 8, 2015, the Jack and Jill of America Incorporated National Executive Board approved a change of status from interest group to provisional group.

Our first official meeting as a Provisional Group was held March 1, 2015, at Penrose Library, where we voted to call ourselves M.O.C.H.A. Mothers of Color Harvesting Achievers. We got to work quickly and celebrated our first Black Family Day on May 3, 2015, by worshipping and breaking bread together. The group had the guidance and support of NVP Joli Cooper-Nelson, Regional Director Debrah Mitchell, our sponsoring chapter liaison Yvonne Pace of the Denver Chapter, mentor Cyreena Boston-Ashby of the Portland Willamette Valley Chapter in Portland, OR, and Casey Curry, Greater Tampa Chapter Associate and Tonya’s sister.

On July 29, 2016, in Palm Desert California, M.O.C.H.A. received a unanimous vote to become the Colorado Springs Provisional Chapter at the 42nd National Convention.

On Sunday, October 16, 2016, the Colorado Springs Provisional Chapter officially became the Greater Pikes Peak Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Incorporated with a chartering membership of 18 visionary mothers.

We recently celebrated our 6 year anniversary and the impact that our children and teens have made in the Colorado Springs community.

About Jack and Jill of America

The late Marion Stubbs Thomas founded Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, on January 24, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twenty mothers came together to discuss creating an organization to provide social, cultural and educational opportunities for youth between the ages of 2 and 19. In 1946, 10 chapters were involved in the national restructuring process. The constitution and bylaws were drawn up, and the organization was incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware.

Today, Jack and Jill boasts 262 chapters nationwide, representing more than 50,000 family members.

Each chapter plans annual programming activities guided under our five point programmatic thrust:

Cultural Awareness

We remember the ways of living developed by communities and passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions and values. Through our cultural heritage we honor and preserve those who are making a difference in our community by teaching our children to cherish their past and be excited about the future.

Educational Development

The core of the Jack and Jill of America philosophy is that every child – if given the proper guidance and opportunity – can be developed into a leader. Whether it is through skill enhancement or understanding the concepts of integrity, Jack and Jill has become a national icon in creating effective leaders.

Social/ Recreational

We are social beings with a need for balance to function and maintain healthy lives. We believe it is necessary to engage our children both socially and recreationally, learning to interact with peers and others in a healthy, positive and productive manner. These activities promote processes that help to refresh and reinvigorate both the mind and body.

Health

Chapters continue to embrace the importance of being more aware of health issues that impact our communities, resulting in an organization that is more health conscious. We are committed to providing healthy behaviors and personal empowerment programming and training for families to live healthy lifestyles.

Civic

Since our inception, we have been committed to legislation aimed at bettering the lives of all children. Past and present legislative advocacy focus has been on violence in the media, health and wellness initiatives, voter registration, responsible gun laws, and equal access to quality education.

Membership

We are a membership organization of mothers with children ages 2 to 19, dedicated to nurturing future Leaders by supporting children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty. Jack and Jill has 262 local chapters within 7 geographical regions in the United States.

Become a Member

If you are interested in becoming a member of this chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., you must be sponsored by a member(s) of the chapter. You will be invited to attend a meeting where pertinent information, such as the qualifications, cost, selection process, and other information will be discussed

An individual meeting all requirements and qualifications must then be approved by chapter vote to complete the selection process. Each chapter is autonomous and has specific criteria for sponsoring new members.

Legacy Membership

If you are a child or the spouse of a child whose mother graduated from a chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. in good standing and you meet the other criteria for membership, you are eligible for membership as a Legacy Member. Legacy forms can be obtained from our National Office.