A Better Jamaica

Established in January 2007, A Better Jamaica, Inc. is a tax-exempt nonprofit community service organization that engages in activities designed to strengthen a set of southeast Queens, New York neighborhoods known collectively as Jamaica. A Better Jamaica has six program initiatives: Classic Film Fridays; Family Movies in the Park; Jamaica Reads, Jamaica Solutions, Jamaica311, and The Jamaica Ball. Brief descriptions of each of these programs can be found below.

For additional information about any of A Better Jamaica's programs visit the "Programs" page by clicking on the link above. As a non-profit, we survive on donations. If you are so inclined, please click on the "Donate" button below to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!

A Better Jamaica's Founder Named "Black New Yorker" by the Amsterdam News

Greg Mays, A Better Jamaica's Founder, was recently named the "Black New Yorker" of the week by New York's Amsterdam News. Click on the link below to see the full article.

Don't just party; party with a purpose! Party on behalf of the non-profits that work for the betterment of Jamaica, Queens. Save the date for the Jamaica Ball: A Party With a Purpose. 90% of every $50 Jamaica Ball ticket will go directly to the participating Jamaica, Queens non-profit of your choice. Only 250 tickets are available. Tickets will be sold exclusively online. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.thejamaicaball.com

Jamaica Reads

At the end of April, we'll wrap this year's Jamaica Reads. For a second year in a row, we've picked up a group of fabulous senior-citizens from the Allen Senior Residence on Merrick Boulevard and bussed them to P.S. 48 where they work with 1st graders struggling with the acquisition of their reading skills. It's been a great three months -- for the seniors and the kids. Thanks to uber-principal Pat Mitchell for welcoming us back for a second year, and to the TD Charitable Foundation, Hitachi Metals America, and the Hitachi Foundation for their financial support.

We can fix the problem of only fifty percent of 3rd and 5th graders in Community Boards 12 and 13 failing their English Language Arts exams -- but only if we really want to. Our program warrants expansion from three to six months, but we can't expand without additional funding. If you know of possible funding opportunities, please don't hesitate to let us know about them. In the meantime, if you haven't already seen it, please check out the Jamaica Reads promo video below.

Click the photo above for a link to a Queens Chronicle article about Jamaica Reads.

Click the photo above to view a Jamaica Reads YouTube slideshow.

Jamaica Solutions

On Wednesday, November 17th, A Better Jamaica hosted Jamaica Solutions -- a conference designed to give the leadership of locally based/focused non-profits the opportunity to discuss our efforts and share best practices so that we can individually and collectively better serve our organizational constituents and the community. The first of these annual conferences, Jamaica Solutions 2010 featured leadership roundtables of locally based: youth sports/recreation organizations; arts educating/presenting organizations; and, health advocacy organizations.

The schedule for the day was as follows:
8:00 am to 9:00 am - Breakfast/Check-In
9:00 am to 11:00 am - Youth Sports/Recreation Leadership Roundtable
11:00 am to Noon - Early Lunch / Check-In
Noon to 2:00 pm - Arts Educator/Presenter Leadership Roundtable
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Late Lunch / Check-In
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Health Advocacy Leadership Roundtable

Jamaica Solutions 2010 was held at the Harvest Room in downtown Jamaica. For additional information, please contact Greg Mays via phone at (718) 657-2605, or via e-mail at greg.mays@abetterjamaica.org.

Click the picture above to see a set of Jamaica Solutions 2010 pictures.

Click the picture above to see a movie version of Jamaica Solutions 2010 pictures.

Family Movies in the Park

A Better Jamaica's Family Movies in the Park is a summer series that presents family friendly movies in four of Jamaica's neighborhood parks -- Cambria Park, Brookville Park, Baisley Pond Park, and St. Albans Park. The films are exhibited on a 25' inflatable screen and begin at dusk -- between 8:00 pm and 8:30 pm. Films included in the 2010 line-up included: Happy Feet; Pride; Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events; Jaws; Shrek; The Wizard of Oz; Love & Basketball; and Sherlock Holmes.

Click the picture above to see a set of FMITP 2010 pictures.

Click the picture above to see a movie version of FMITP 2010 pictures.


				*A Better Jamaica*



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