Jamie’s Kids is a non-profit corporation that was formed in 2013 to honor the memory of our friend, Jamie Jacoby.
Jamie taught kindergarten and second grade at Valley Grove Elementary School. She served on the boards of Child Development Centers and Oil Region Ballet. She was truly a great teacher who cared for the children in her classroom and in her community. Jamie passed away from cancer in July 2013.
Our mission is to provide assistance to benefit children referred by educators and community organizations as having an identified need.
Jamie’s Kids gives aid to children identified by educators as having a need, regardless of size. Referrals are received throughout the school year and include requests for school supplies, shoes and clothing, activity fees and trips, as well as many other types of assistance. We have a special referral form for Christmas, and each child receives “a want, a need, a wear and a read”. We couldn’t do it without the help of the countless number of volunteers who help us make our Christmas referrals extra special for the kids. We also pay for area second graders to attend Oil Region Ballet’s annual ballet production.
Each school year, Jamie’s Kids provides aid to hundreds of children.
Our organization benefits children in Venango County school districts, including Cranberry, Franklin, Oil City, Valley Grove, Titusville and Allegheny Clarion School District. We plan to include pre-school age children in the future.
Our funds come from donations and fundraisers.
The amount of requests for assistance that we receive grows each year. We rely entirely on donations and proceeds from our fundraisers. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation or supporting Jamie’s Kids in other ways!
Annual Events & Fundraisers
- We participate in Bridge Builders Week of Giving. When you donate through BBCF’s Week of Giving, you not only qualify your favorite organization for a larger share of the Week of Giving stretch pool, but also for additional event prize money.
- We partner with the Venango County Humane Society for a Bingo fundraiser.
Jamie’s Kids hosts a Golf Outing on the third Saturday of June (Father’s Day Weekend) at Mr. Hope Golf Course in Guys Mills, PA. The event is a four-person scramble (men, women and mixed teams) and includes hole prizes, hole games, optional mulligans and skins, a basket raffle, and a 50/50 raffle. With food and beverages, including breakfast, hotdogs at the turn, and a homemade picnic dinner, it’s a great time for golfers and volunteers alike!
We host an annual benefit dinner on the last Saturday in October at the Rocky Grove Fire Hall in Franklin, PA. This event includes a spaghetti dinner, basket raffle (we’ve been told it’s the best one around!), a 50/50 raffle, pumpkin decorating, a coloring contest for area school children, and a performance by local youth choir, HOLeY Jeans.
Jamie’s Kids participates in Franklin’s Electric Lights Parade each November as part of the Light-Up Night festivities. We decorate a school bus for the holidays, fill it with children, and surround it with volunteers who spread holiday cheer to the crowds gathered to enjoy the parade. Jamie Jacoby’s birthday was November 17th, and participating in the Electric Lights Parade helps us honor and remember her during this special time of year.
Board of Directors
Justine Cashdollar
Valley Grove Kindergarten Teacher
Megan Douglas
Jamie’s Daughter
Kim Eberle
Oil City Middle School 5th Grade Teacher
Stephanie Gordon
Valley Grove 1st Grade Teacher
Amanda Hill
Franklin 1st Grade Teacher
Brooke Hoffman
Venango County Outreach
Wendy McKain
Cranberry High School Math Teacher
Rachael Rubaker
Community Resource Coordinator, Titusville School District
Family Service & Children’s Aid Society
Jessica Schultz
Marketing Coordinator at Child Development Centers, Inc.