Incorporated in 1992, Jammat (pronounced Jah-Maht) Housing and Community Development Corporation is a community-based, minority-operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Providence. We serve individuals and families throughout Rhode Island, with programs in Providence, Warwick and Pawtucket.
Jammat provides educational and support services, including child care, residential care for youth, recreation, education, and community events. Two major programs carry that work: Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Center, for children from six weeks to six years, and Turning the Corner, residential programs for youth ages 12 to 21 placed in our care by the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF).
Our mission is to provide holistic opportunities that enable people to develop and transform their lives, families, and communities for the better.
We believe all people have an intrinsic value that can and should be cultivated, so they can become the best persons they can be, whatever historical odds they have faced. And we believe that by investing in our staff, we help them make a difference in the communities they serve.
Robert W. Lewis, Jr. was an original incorporator of Jammat. A businessman who served the West End of Providence for more than 25 years, he was a tireless advocate for the underprivileged and the underserved, and a catalyst for change in the community.
His efforts included voter registration, affordable housing, services for senior citizens, anti-drug rallies, and employment opportunities for people returning from incarceration. It was Bob’s caring and compassion that led him to found Jammat. The building that houses Beautiful Beginnings is dedicated in his honor.
Wallace (Wali) Bey is also an original incorporator of Jammat, and its mover and shaker. He makes sure young people who graduate high school have a path to post-secondary education or real economic opportunity.
Wali started the Youth Alternatives Program to mentor young men at the Rhode Island Training School, and built the links with New England Institute of Technology, Brown University, and local unions that give our young people the chance to make lasting change.
Jammat is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for all positions, at both Beautiful Beginnings and Turning the Corner, without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.