About Us
Our Story
In the 1990s, founders Joe Blackstone and Jamie Mohn volunteered to be readers for the USC JEP organization. They would read to 1st and 2nd graders in the USC School of Five inner-city elementary schools every week. Very quickly they became aware of the alarming number of students that were reading below grade level. More alarming, was the fact that if a child didn't have a strong reading foundation at an early stage in their education then that student would most likely get lost in “the system” and have an arduous road ahead of them.
Through this volunteer work, Joe and Jamie had the opportunity to witness the impact that took place when these children were given the attention and opportunity to help strengthen their reading skills and bolster their reading confidence. It was then that the seed of becoming part of that impact and change had been planted. In 2011, J3 Foundation was created with initial work being to fund foundations and charities focused on child development. In 2018, J3’s Cozy Reading Club was developed. They created an after school reading program that focuses on elevating the reading skills, reading confidence, reading habits, and increasing book access for 4th-grade students in high needs areas. Joe and Jamie have set out on a mission to give these students a fighting chance and keep them OUT of the system. They set a goal in 2018 to reach and serve 1,000 students within a 10 year period of time through the J3 Foundation. With the recent racial tensions and inequities in 2020, they have elevated that goal to reach those 1,000 students as soon as possible.
Our Approach
The J3 Team
Board of Directors
Joe Blackstone, Co-Founder
Chair
Jamie Mohn, PsyD, Co-Founder
Vice Chair & Treasurer
Lindsey Palmer
Secretary
Advisory Board
Margarita Artavia, LCSW
Rick Barry, PhD
Sebastian Cognetta, EdD
Jane Sandor
James G. Ellis
Humberto R. Gray, JD
Roger H. Howard, JD
Carron Brown
Beth Anderson
Sherry McKuin
Sonia Lowman
Our advisory board includes educational practitioners & researchers, parents, authors, entrepreneurs, and professionals in several fields.
Jessica Blackstone
Kid President
Meet J3
“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.”
- Kate DiCamillo