2026 Projected Fund Projects and Initiatives
 

​The R. & C. Jones Memorial Fund remains committed to supporting vulnerable populations through compassionate, community-centered initiatives. As a small nonprofit organization, we seek to maximize our impact by partnering with trusted organizations that share our mission—helping individuals and families not only survive, but thrive.

Our 2026 initiatives reflect this ongoing commitment.

1. Children's Back-to-School Drives

Supporting children’s education remains a cornerstone of the Fund’s outreach. We are especially mindful of students and families facing homelessness, food insecurity, illness, or financial hardship.

In 2025, the Fund continued its annual participation in Back-to-School Drives, responding to requests from public school teachers and administrators for essential classroom and student supplies, including backpacks, notebooks, pens and pencils, folders, USB drives, staplers, hand sanitizers, and other instructional materials.

In 2026, the Fund plans to support the following initiatives: 

• Hernando County Education Foundation “Tools for Schools” Initiative https://hernandoeducationfoundation.org

• Word of FaithFamily Worship Cathedral 

  • Annual School Supply Drive

  • Austell, Georgia https://www.woffamily.org​​

2. Senior Citizen Eldercare – 2026 Seasonal Giving Project

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​Caring for an aging population has become an increasing challenge across many communities. In previous generations, seniors often lived within extended family households, contributing financially or through childcare and household support. Today, longer life expectancy, complex medical needs, and the economic pressures on working families frequently result in seniors residing in institutional care facilities.
 

This transition can lead to isolation and financial hardship. Recognizing this growing need, the R. & C. Jones Memorial Fund participated in eldercare support during the 2025 Christmas season by partnering with the Seasonal Giving Initiative of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral.

Through this partnership, the Fund supported residents of Sadie G. Mays Health & Rehabilitation Center, an assisted living and skilled nursing community in Atlanta, Georgia that provides rehabilitation, hospice, and long-term care services.

The Fund provided residents with:
        •       Clothing
        •       Personal care items
        •       Recreational materials such as puzzles, games, and books

For some residents, these items represented the only Christmas gifts they received.​​​​​​​​​

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3. Educational Aid, Grants, and Scholarships – 2026

The R. & C. Jones Memorial Fund was established 25 years ago to help severely handicapped girls in Africa gain access to formal education. Since its founding, the Fund has consistently supported students through educational grants covering school fees, uniforms, books, and assistive technology.

In 2025, our educational mission continued uninterrupted. Support included:
        •       Sponsorship of the Youth Development Organization (YDO) in Uganda, providing youth with career training and development opportunities
        •       Support for female students through the St. Lawrence Secondary Schools Project
(Girls’ Education in Malawi Schools – GEMS)
        •       Continued educational assistance for Shereese, now in her sophomore year at the University of the West Indies 

Educational empowerment remains one of the Fund’s longest-standing and most impactful commitments.

4. New Proposed Project:  “Adopt a Family in Need”

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The Fund is currently exploring the launch of a new initiative for 2026: Adopt-a-Family in Need.

In recent years, families in both the United States and abroad have approached the Fund seeking assistance with food, clothing, household essentials, medical needs, and educational support for their children. As a small nonprofit, we are carefully evaluating how such a program could be structured responsibly and sustainably.

This proposed initiative remains under development.

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Emergency Aid and Community Support

Each year, the Fund sets aside limited resources for emergency and crisis assistance. These funds allow us to respond, when possible, to urgent needs such as storm-related devastation, serious illness, housing displacement, food insecurity, and temporary shelter needs.

We believe deeply in the African proverb: “It takes a village to raise a child.”

Community matters to us.

In 2025, emergency support included:
        •       Assistance to a storm victim in Jamaica who lost the roof of his home during a devastating weather event
        •       Support for a family relocating during terminal illness, including help with specialized medical furniture
        •       Contributions to families facing hunger and bereavement

Though small, the Fund strives to extend a helping hand whenever possible—and we plan to continue this vital work in 2026.

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Thank You for Your Support

We thank you for your continued prayers and generosity. If you are able, we invite you to support the R. & C. Jones Memorial Fund by visiting the Donate link on this website.

Together, we can continue making a meaningful difference.

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