Jamaica Mission
Why Jamaica
We are a Caribbean nonprofit organization run out of Hyattsville, Maryland. The work it pays for happens in Jamaica.
That split is on purpose. We raise money here, among Jamaican and Caribbean families in the Washington area who have a little to give. We spend it there, on young people who have almost nothing.
Who We Work For
At-risk youth in Jamaica whose schooling is about to stop, or who finish with nowhere to go.
What We Fund Now
Books, school supplies, scholarships, mentoring, and community outreach.
What We are Building Toward
A leadership training center in Jamaica. Not built yet. We are raising the money for it now.
The Connection is Not Abstract
The people who run JEPF are from Jamaica. Officers serve as volunteers and take no compensation, which is unusual enough to be worth stating plainly: the money that comes in is not paying anyone here.
The team includes educators and alumni of Howard University, the University of Maryland, and Georgetown University. Several of them also work as substitute teachers at local high schools including High Point, Roosevelt, and Northwestern. That is team experience, not an institutional partnership, and we are careful about the difference.
What Ends a Jamaican Student's Education
It is almost never one big disaster. It is a uniform nobody can replace. Exam fees due the same week as everything else. Bus fare that runs out. Small amounts. They decide everything.
That is why JEPF's day-to-day work looks unglamorous: supplies, fees, books, backpacks, computers. It is also why the foundation does not stop there. Covering a term does not answer what a student does after the last term.
Where the Leadership Training Center Fits
The center is the answer to that second problem. A permanent place in Jamaica offering leadership development, education, mentorship, personal development, preparation for work and adult life, and a route into community involvement.
It is in the fundraising stage. No construction has started, no site has been announced, and no opening date has been set. When any of that changes, it gets published rather than implied.
How the Jamaica Work Gets Paid For
Fundraising events in the Washington metropolitan area, including the JEPF Food & Wine Festival.
Business sponsorships from companies across Maryland, DC, and Virginia.
The JEPF supporter business directory, which turns local businesses into recurring supporters.
Online donations from individuals, families, alumni, and organizations.
Follow the Jamaica Work
Leave your details if you want updates on the Jamaica programs and the leadership training center, or if you want to help fund them.
Common Questions
Where does JEPF operate?
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JEPF is based at 8003 24th Ave, Hyattsville, MD 20783, and its programs serve at-risk youth in Jamaica. Fundraising and community activity happen throughout the Washington, DC and Maryland area.
How does JEPF support youth in Jamaica?
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Through books and school supplies, scholarships, youth mentoring, leadership development, and community outreach, with the long-term goal of building a leadership training center in Jamaica.
Is JEPF a nonprofit?
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Yes. The Jamaica Education for the Poor Foundation, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity in Maryland, EIN 30-0207531.
Keep Reading
Jamaica Youth Programs
The programs themselves: education support, mentorship, and leadership development.
Read moreLeadership Training Center
The flagship project, what it will provide, and where it actually stands.
Read moreDonate
Fund the Jamaica work directly, once or on a recurring basis.
Read morePut Money Behind the Jamaica Mission
Every donation, ticket, sponsorship, and business listing ends up in the same place. A young person in Jamaica who needs a reason to keep going, and the money to do it.