Jackie Joyner-kersee Foundation

About the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation: 

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation provides programming to youth ages 4 – 18.  We use sports as a hook to engage youth in our programs. Youth participate in JJK Winning in Life ®, a program based on Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s autobiography, “A Kind of Grace” with an emphasis on fourteen (14) principles. This program teaches character building through movement and dialogue. Additional programs include STEAM, Arts & Crafts, Dance, Structured Recreation, Gardening, and Fitness. As part of our sports programming youth participate in Track & Field, Football, Baseball, Softball, Cheerleading, Golf, and Basketball. We also provide transportation to and from for our after-school program.

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation houses the JJK Academy where we currently educate students grades K-4th.

 The JJK Center is located in a food desert; therefore, we have a heavy emphasis on nutrition. During the school year we provide dinner and a snack, and during the summer months youth receive breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.

We plan to expand many of our programs and become a leader in the food nutrition and agriculture space. Thus, we have collaborated with University of Illinois Extension, Donald Danforth Plant & Science Center, and Lansdowne Up to establish the JJK Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN) to further address the food insecurities in our community.

  A few of our accomplishments are as follows:

·      Opened a 41,000 sq. ft. facility in 2000

·      Expanded in 2015 with an additional 20,000 sq. ft.

·      Collaborative with SIUE Head Start in 2015

·      Established the JJK Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN)

·      Opened the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Academy in 2021

·      Annually serve 10,000 youth, adults, and families

·       90% of employees are from the local community

 Fuel the Dream:

Through tireless work and a commitment to ensuring every youth is given the opportunity to achieve greatness, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation has grown to become a safe-haven and learning-rich environment for area youth. The challenges and limitations of one of America’s most notoriously deadly and impoverished cities will never define where a child can go, or who they can become. 

Our Mission: To carry out Jackie's dream to provide youth in East St. Louis the opportunity to Win in Life.

Jackie Joyner-kersee Foundation is a Charity participating in the NASCAR Day Giveathon 2024 a Giving Day event, presented by The NASCAR Foundation.