Nollie Jenkins Family Center
..At some point we need to quit playing games & engage in the struggle to ensure that all our children receive a
"quality" education, not one that pushes them out, but rather a quality education that prepares them with the skills, tools and values to stay in & help build their communities"
Helen R Johnson
Co-Founder
Building Strong Leaders
Empowering Communities
Our Programs
Here to take your Social Media to another level
01
Youth Leadership & Development Program
The training program builds the capacity of young people to understand and use their collective power
02
Parent, Education, Training & Support
PETS, provides education, training, and support to enhance the capacity of parents to advocate for the needs of their children in public schools
03
Scholars of Peace
Scholars of Peace is a program aimed at teaching the values and importance of peace, morals and Community Service Learning for Social Change.
04
Princess & Queen Initiatives
The mission of the Princess and Queendom Initiative is to foster self-esteem and identity development among girls and offer a safe space and the resources needed to overcome challenges.
05
Reading Program
Targets k- 3rd grade students but all students are welcome. Our Love to Read & Read to Learn Program helps students to improve reading & writing skills, while exposing them to African American authors & illustrators.
Mission
NJFC’s mission is to empower the citizens of the community by developing and supporting grassroots leaders, community organizers, parents, students, and members of the African American community, as well as community-based organizations so that they have the necessary tools/skills of community organizing, advocacy, and activism to increase family engagement, build for meaningful social change, effectively impact local and state policy, family and governance structures; and build stronger/sustainable organizations and communities.
Vision
We envision an energized and engaged community where all people, young and old are valued, nurtured and supported as we work together to build and sustain equitable and purposeful communities that ensure that the environmental, political, cultural, recreational, educational, economic, and spiritual needs of its citizens are actualized and preserved.
Our Story
Incorporated in 1994, Nollie Jenkins Family Center’s (NJFC) initial design intentionally sought to create an inclusive setting that would provide safe, affordable and quality childcare for children from birth until five, and afterschool and summer programming for middle and high school students. The Center operated solely as a childcare facility in the city of Lexington for three years.
In the fall of 1997, NJFC relocated to Treadwell Grove, a rural community outside the city of Lexington. At this time, the Center’s mission shifted to providing a broader range of services for youth. The following spring the Center, recognizing the power of individual transformation and collective movement-building, expanded it's community organizing and child advocacy.
We are now located in Durant (Holmes County), MS. Poverty remains an intended consequence of conscious policies, education is still a gatekeeper, and racism is woven into the entire fabric of our culture and compounds every problem. Low-wealth rural communities of color are struggling to become architects rather than objects of policy in order to cast off these contrived burdens and open the gates to all children regardless of race, class, national origin, language, status, culture or sexual orientation.
get involved make
a difference in
what matters
social justice.advocacy.organizing.
YOUTH TESTIMONYS
Shanterrius Sly, 12th grade
NJFC taught me and others that our voice matters and that if we never speak up it will never be heard.Nollies also taught me history that I haven't learned in school like Juneteenth or Medger Evers.
Oriya Watson, 11th grade
Knowing our history allows us to appreciate the progress we made and recognize the struggles and achievements of those who came before us .
Zoecca Winters, 10th grade
NJFC offered us free therapy sessions. It was something new to me I had never done it but I loved it. One thing I learned about myself while I was in therapy was being more confident to talk to my therapist and more outgoing .
