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A BETTER JAMAICA INC
Jamaica, NY · EIN 113804421 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE T31 · Philanthropy & Grantmaking · Small ($100K-$1M) · abetterjamaica.org
revenue
$452K
expenses
$526K
net assets
$204K
employees
14
program ratio
77%
mission · from form 990

To engage in activities designed to strengthen the set of Southeast Queens neighborhoods known collectively as Jamaica.

profile · synthesized from sources

A Better Jamaica strengthens communities in southeast Queens, New York through cultural, educational, and civic programs. The organization runs initiatives including free afterschool arts programming, literacy tutoring by seniors, outdoor film screenings, and festivals celebrating local music and dance. It also supports community engagement through information sharing, advocacy, and capacity-building events for local nonprofits.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $33K
    ABJs CASA - ABJs CASA Cultural Afterschool Adventures provides free afterschool arts programming in two local elementary schools.
  2. #2 $31K
    Jamaica Reads - Jamaica Reads deploys senior citizens to two local elementary schools where seniors provide one-on-one tutoring to 1st graders struggling with the acquisition of their reading skills.
named programs · 13 · from sources

What they call their work

ABJ’s CASA
Free afterschool arts program providing arts training in weaving, singing, painting, and musical theater production for children at P.S. 36 and P.S. 95.
Civic Duty
Civics education program for 11th-grade young men, featuring visits to civic institutions and colleges to explore community engagement and higher education options.
Classic Film Fridays
Summer film series presenting five curated classic films on a 25’ inflatable screen at dusk, themed around genres such as classic horror.
Family Movies in the Park
Exhibits 16 free family-friendly movies across four local parks on a 25’ inflatable screen at dusk to strengthen community ties.
JAC’s Holiday Music
Seven-night live music performance series in the Jamaica Center subway station leading up to Christmas Eve, with a Valentine's Day edition added in 2019.
Jamaica Advocacy
Advocacy for community projects including the development of southeast Queens' first skatepark and leading the Southeast Queens Music Education Taskforce.
Jamaica Funk
Local news website covering events and activities in the southeast Queens neighborhoods collectively known as Jamaica, addressing the lack of local news sources.
Jamaica Reads
Program pairing senior citizens with first graders struggling with reading skills to provide one-on-one tutoring and help them catch up with peers.
Jamaica Solutions
Conference series giving leaders of local nonprofits opportunities to discuss efforts and share best practices in areas such as youth sports, health, workforce development, and community gardening.
Jamaica311.com
Community-wide information dissemination platform providing a weekly e-blast of events to over 1,000 subscribers and a free web-based calendar for local organizations.
The AirTrain Jazz Festival
Live jazz performances on Thursday afternoons/evenings from October to May at the Jamaica AirTrain Station concourse level, celebrating Jamaica’s jazz legacy.
The Jamaica Ball
Collective fundraiser for over 25 local nonprofits, where participating organizations keep 90% of ticket sales, with major costs underwritten by corporate sponsors.
The Jamaica Dance Festival
Four Saturday evenings of professional dance performances in Rufus King Park, celebrating Jamaica’s rich legacy of dance education and diverse population.
activities · 10 groups

What they do

  • Dance Performance and Community Engagement 1 activity
    • Annual Jamaica Dance Festival
      Presents four Saturday evenings of professional dance performances annually in Rufus King Park, Jamaica, Queens, serving approximately 600 people.
  • Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
    • Civic engagement education program
      Runs Civic Duty, a hands-on civics education program for 11th-grade young men in Jamaica, involving visits to civic institutions and colleges to promote civic participation.
  • Cultural Exchange and Community Integration Events 1 activity
    • Cultural programming in Jamaica, Queens
      Presents eight evenings of cultural programming annually featuring food, music, and movies centered on immigrant communities in Jamaica, Queens.
  • Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
    • Development and implementation of community programs
      Developed and implemented sixteen community programs focused on cultural engagement, education, and civic participation in Jamaica, Queens.
  • Youth Musical Theater Productions 1 activity
    • Free afterschool arts programming
      Provides free afterschool arts programming in two local elementary schools in Southeast Queens, including musical theater productions involving approximately 30 children each at P.S. 36 and P.S. 95.
  • Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
    • Funding for local nonprofits via collective fundraiser
      Organizes The Jamaica Ball, a collective fundraiser that supports over 25 local nonprofits in southeast Queens, with participating organizations retaining 90% of ticket revenue.
  • Early Literacy Promotion 1 activity
    • Jamaica Reads tutoring program
      Operates the Jamaica Reads program since the 2010/2011 academic year, deploying senior citizens to provide one-on-one reading tutoring to 1st graders at two local elementary schools to improve reading skills.
  • Free Outdoor Music Concerts 1 activity
    • Live music series at transit hubs
      Produces JAC’s Holiday Music, a seven-night live music series annually at the Jamaica Center subway station during the holiday season since December 2013, and co-presents The AirTrain Jazz Festival with up to 28 live jazz performances annually from October to May at the Jamaica AirTrain Station.
  • Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
    • Outdoor and summer film programming
      Exhibits 16 free family-friendly movies annually across four local parks in southeast Queens, including the annual Classic Film Fridays summer series featuring five themed classic films and outdoor movie screenings in St. Albans Park and other locations.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Advocacy for community infrastructure and education
      Took the lead in developing southeast Queens' first skatepark at Laurelton Playground and led the Southeast Queens Music Education Taskforce to examine the state of public school music education in middle schools across the region.
    • Capacity-building for nonprofit leaders
      Hosted the first Jamaica Solutions conference on November 17, 2010, to enable local nonprofit leaders to share best practices and strengthen community organizations.
    • Community information and news platforms
      Operates Jamaica311.com, a community information website, and sends a weekly e-blast to over 1,000 subscribers; also operates Jamaica Funk, a local news website covering community activities in southeast Queens neighborhoods collectively known as Jamaica.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$452K
Contributions & grants$452K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$526K
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead21%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$190K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$349K
Cash$42K
Investments$0
Liabilities$145K
Net assets$204K
Liquid reserves1.0 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -5.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 6
  • Gail Lewis — Board Chair
  • Greg Mays — Executive Director
  • Jacques Leandre — Board Member
  • Kirlyn Joseph — Board Member
  • Roslin Spigner — Board Treasurer
  • Samantha Inniss — Board Secretary
relationships · 8

Who they work with

  • Donovan Richards Government — Supported the development of southeast Queens' first skatepark as Council Member.
  • Melinda Katz Government — Supported the development of southeast Queens' first skatepark as Borough President.
  • New York City Council Member Funder — Provided funding support for early outdoor movie programs in St. Albans Park.
  • Resorts World Casino Funder — Founding sponsor that underwrites costs for The Jamaica Ball.
  • Rufus King Park Partner — Hosts the Jamaica Dance Festival on a temporary stage erected in the park.
  • Sutphin Boulevard Partner — Partnered with Sutphin Boulevard to launch The AirTrain Jazz Festival.
  • established local non-profit Partner — Provided fiscal sponsorship for A Better Jamaica during its initial program launch.
  • jetBlue Funder — Founding sponsor that underwrites costs for The Jamaica Ball.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Collaborative Nonprofit Networking
    methodology: collaborative_nonprofit_ecosystem
    By creating forums for local nonprofits to share best practices, we improve collective service delivery, because peer learning and coordination reduce duplication and strengthen the local ecosystem.
  • Community-Driven Programming
    methodology: community_driven_development
    By designing programs based on direct assessment of community-identified needs, we achieve greater relevance and participation, because local ownership ensures alignment with lived realities and priorities.
  • Intergenerational Engagement Model
    methodology: intergenerational_engagement
    By engaging senior citizens as tutors in youth literacy programs, we improve educational outcomes for children and enhance quality of life for seniors, because shared purpose and mutual support strengthen both generations.
  • Shared Cultural Experiences for Community Cohesion
    methodology: shared_community_experiences
    By hosting free outdoor cultural events in public parks, we strengthen social cohesion and build stronger communities, because accessible, inclusive gatherings foster collective identity and trust.