Established in 1999, the Friends of Jack & Jill Center is a support group of volunteers committed to developing community awareness, fundraising, and program assistance for the Center’s children and their families.

Why Friends?

Many Jack & Jill Center parents who work at low wage jobs remain on the waiting list for subsidized child care for many months, or may not qualify for subsidized care at all. The purpose of Friends is to establish a long-term base of support that will allow Jack & Jill Center to provide early childhood education scholarships and family services so these parents can continue to work knowing their children are in a safe and nurturing environment. The Friends helps to fulfill this need by raising money through membership drives and special events. The Friends have proudly raised more than $6.1 million for Jack & Jill Center!

Goals

Membership: Develop, sustain and grow a support group for the Center.
Awareness: Raise community awareness of the Center, including needs of the Center and of the children and families.
Volunteer: Develop volunteer opportunities to support the Center’s children and families.
Scholarship: Raise supplemental funds for children’s scholarships and educational programs.

Events

The Friends Board holds a variety of events throughout the year to raise funds for the children and families of Jack & Jill Center. These events include a Power Lunch in the fall, Light Up Downtown during the holiday season, a Winter Carnival and our signature spring event: Flip Flops on the Docks, voted the Best Fundraising Event in 2021 and 2023 by Fort Lauderdale Magazine.