Background

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.

Comprised of Community Boards 12 and 13, Jamaica has a total population of 419,886. Of Jamaica’s residents, 74% are 18 or over and 26% are younger than 18. Though socio-economically diverse, 28% of Jamaica residents receive some form of income support. 64% of Jamaica residents are Black Nonhispanic; 12% are Hispanic; 10% are White Nonhispanic; 7% are Asian; and 7% are Other.

32% of U.S. households with children under 18 are headed by single parents. In Jamaica as a whole, single parents head 43% of households with children under 18. Single parents in the Community Board 12 part of Jamaica head 51% of households with children under 18.

Intact families not only provide greater resources for children’s economic, time and social needs, but allow parents to dedicate time to meet community infrastructure needs by serving as coaches, scout leaders, and organizers of other community based activities. Communities in which the incidence of single parent headed households is high, too often exist without some of these infrastructure needs being met. A Better Jamaica endeavors to serve some of these unmet needs.

Legal 

A Better Jamaica is a New York State not-for-profit corporation and is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Click below for a PDF version of A Better Jamaica's tax-exempt determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, or its New York State Office of the Attorney General's Charities Bureau registration statement.