Jack & Jill Center

Jack & Jill Center was originally established in 1942 by the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale to provide childcare for women entering the workforce as their husbands were called to fight in World War II. Today it serves the young children of high-need parents who work or attend school in order to strengthen themselves and their families. It is the oldest nonprofit provider of early childhood education in Broward County, though its core work has remained the same: continuing to serve women-led households, educate young children and support and advocate for families.

As the needs of its community has evolved, so has Jack & Jill. Today it is a school for children of high-need working families; its service model has expanded to address long-term and systemic inequality by supporting families as they overcome barriers to build a better life for themselves and their children. Jack & Jill focused on both the child and the family unit as a whole, offering family strengthening programs so that the entire household, children and parents alike, have the tools they need to succeed.

Since its founding, Jack & Jill has served more than 20,000 children and families in its community through the following programs:

• Early Education Programs provides quality, year-round early childhood education focusing on enabling children to grow emotionally, physically, and socially in a safe, caring environment using age-appropriate methods for cognitive growth. The Center is open year-round, Monday through Friday, and serves children who are six weeks to five years old.
• Madelaine Halmos Academy (MHA) is a private elementary school, serving kindergarten through 5th grade students. MHA’s unique program nurtures the whole child by combining academic, social-emotional, and wellness elements to ensure a highly effective educational experience.
• Family Program is designed to complement Jack & Jill’s educational programming by addressing the needs of the whole family. The Family Program strengthens families by providing intensive parent education, case management and referrals, a food and clothing pantry, and an emergency assistance fund.
• HEALTH (Helping Everyone Achieve Long Term Health) Program enhances the health and wellness of its children, families and community through comprehensive health assessments, provision of health services, preventative healthcare, and community partnerships.