THE THOMPSON QUINTUPLETS Gladys Henderson
National Program Director
The Final Report
I
’m extremely proud to say that the commitment Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated made in 1998, to provide financial, educational and other resources to the Thompson Quintuplets until their 18th birthday, has successfully been met. For the past seventeen years our mothers have provided extensive support that has aided in giving Stella, Octavia, Richard, Emily, and Anne’ Marie, born on May 8, 1997, an opportunity to become self-sufficient adults in the same manner we would want for our children.
them through a National Service Project titled “The Village Project”. The name was based upon the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”. The body also approved a $50 per chapter suggested annual donation to help build a trust fund for the five Thompson Children. As a result of this encounter, the Thompson’s and JJOA appeared in Jet magazine (July, 2001).
THE BEGINNING
Our commitment as a national organization was to assist the parents in raising the children until they were 18 years of age. This type of a commitment was a strong statement of how the organization on a national level promotes and exemplifies two of the aims of our national organization:
The nation’s first African American sextuplets – Stella Kimberly, Octavia Daniella, Richard Lindon, Emily Elizabeth, Allison Nicole (deceased at birth) and Anne’ Marie Amanda - were born to Jacqueline and Lindon Thompson at Georgetown University Hospital. They were the third living set of sextuplets in the United States and the only Black set of sextuplets. After the initial hype, the nation soon forgot about the family of seven and vast demand on its resources. Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated (JJOA) recognized a need and developed a plan to address it. At the 1998 National Convention in New York, members voted to provide assistance to the Thompson Family. At the 2000 National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, not only did the family attend and met 90-year old Louise Truitt Jackson Densch one of our founders, but the body also voted to support 24
SCOPE 2016
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To aid mothers in learning more about their children by careful study.
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To seek for all children the same advantage which we desire for our own.
Over the years the organization has provided varied support for activities and household maintenance. We also provided the guidance needed to thrive and pursue their goals based on their individual interests and strengths.