Local real estate businessman John D. (Jack) Jones has donated $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica for a new community branch located in the Mar Vista Gardens apartment complex.
“I hope that my support for the Club will influence others to make similar investments in our communities,” Jones said. “Local executives have the means and desires to see the community’s children grow and prosper. My wish is for my own children and grandchildren to carry on our family’s tradition of investing in our community and supporting local kids.”
The Club’s newest branch – The Jack and Cindy Jones Youth Center – is located at 4901 Marionwood Drive in Mar Vista Gardens.
Working with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, the facility will undergo a major refurbishment over the next few months and becomes the newest addition to the Santa Monica Boys & Girls Clubs’ community branches.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica President and CEO Aaron Young said Jack’s commitment of giving back to the Los Angeles community in this way was truly inspiring.
“The Mar Vista Gardens project would not be possible without Jack’s vision and dedication,” Young said.
The Youth Center will provide a range of recreational and educational resources for youth to enjoy that help youth achieve outcomes of academic success, good character & citizenship, and healthy lifestyles.
A few years ago, when Jones learned about the Boys & Girls Clubs from his friend Cal Johnston, he knew his dream was to eventually open a club in Inglewood.
After a couple of false starts, the opportunity did not materialize; but a new door opened in 2009 when he met Aaron Young, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica. They established a great relationship and Jones has since served on the Club’s board of directors.
Last year, amidst City and County budget cuts, the stars aligned enabling Jones’s dream to come true with the chance to open a new Boys & Girls Club in Mar Vista Gardens.
Rather than closing down the existing Community Center, the Housing Authority of Los Angeles solicited bids from non-profits to operate the facility for the benefit of the community.
When the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica was selected, it created the perfect opportunity for Jones to fund the new club.
