Our Mission

The mission of the JP4 Foundation is to enrich the lives of youth in underserved urban communities through healthy activities, healthy meals, and healthy relationships.

 

We support our mission with year-round programming, summer-long camps, and an after-school program, the Diamond Club. We use mentor relationships to ignite children’s dreams and potential, fueling lasting optimism about the future and inspiring them to flourish as teens and adults.

 

Summer-Long Camps – We partner with local schools, community centers, and other youth organizations to provide eight weeks of mentor-led summer-long camps for children ages 5-13 in underserved urban areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

 

Diamond Club –  Our after-school program is designed to ensure elementary students can create meaningful and authentic relationships with young adult mentors who share the students’ community and culture.

Both programs are mentor-led and follow lesson plans developed by an Urban educator expert and are aligned with the MN Department of Education Social Emotional Implementation Guidelines. Lesson plans and activities are centered around our core mission:

  • Healthy Meals– children receive healthy snacks of whole grains, fruit, and protein and have opportunities to take food home.
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  • Healthy Activity – physical activity combined with life skill building provides a unique and engaging approach to academic and social-emotional learning and promotes positive social interaction with peers and adults.
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  • Healthy Relationships – We maintain a 2:1 child-to-mentor ratio to ensure each child feels seen and heard. Healthy adult relationships profoundly impact a child’s development, providing support, inspiration, and the necessary skills to navigate life’s challenges and foster a brighter and more promising future for children, especially in underserved communities.