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JUNIOR
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
NURTURING
EXECELLENCE IN
SPORTS
Jones Inc. is a youth-focused foundation dedicated to providing free camps and clinics for children ages 7–11 from New Haven and the greater Connecticut area. Our mission is to inspire young athletes not only through sports, but also through academic excellence and personal growth.
OUR IMPACT
Jones Inc. (Junior Opportunities for Nurturing Excellence in Sports) is a youth-focused foundation dedicated to providing free camps and clinics for children ages 7–11 from New Haven and the greater Connecticut area. Our mission is to inspire young athletes not only through sports, but also through academic excellence and personal growth.
585 Children
In our first year of operation, Jones Inc. served nearly 600 young athletes at our camps and clinics.
$10,000
Jones Inc. is committed to providing free and low cost access for local youth. $10,000 of scholarship funds will be awarded in 2027.
COMMUNITY
Our strength begins with community support and partnership with local elementary and middle schools such as Mauro Sheridan and East Rock Community Magnet.
LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP
What Kids Receive...
Participating in youth basketball camps and clinics taught by Yale University players gives children a unique chance to learn elite athletic fundamentals while gaining positive mentorship from high-achieving student-athletes. Kids improve their dribbling, passing, and shooting skills in a fun setting, and they build confidence by working closely with collegiate role models. It is also our hope that these young individuals are inspired athletically but also academically.
What Players Receive…
Coaching young athletes in camps and clinics sharpens vital leadership skills for Yale basketball players by forcing them to master clear communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. To successfully guide children aged 7–11, players must translate complex collegiate strategies into simple, engaging instructions, an exercise that directly builds their patience and verbal clarity. Managing large groups of energetic kids requires them to command authority with empathy, command attention instantly, and practice real-time conflict resolution. Ultimately, guiding these camps and clinics transforms the players from individual team contributors into confident mentors who can inspire, motivate, and direct others under pressure.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Coach James Jones and the Yale basketball team have established a strong tradition of community engagement through regular visits to New Haven public schools, highlighted by a 21-year history of visiting Mauro-Sheridan Interdistrict Magnet School. During these visits, Coach Jones and his players align their messages with the schools' monthly character-building themes, such as "Opportunities Happen So Stay Focused" and "Making the Right Choices". By speaking directly to elementary and middle school students about the critical importance of education, discipline, and pursuing personal goals, they serve as athletic role models who inspire young minds toward academic excellence. These educational visits are further complemented by local sports clinics, such as the Bulldog Boys Basketball Camp for K-8 students, and broader district-wide initiatives like expanded city-run after-school academic and sports programs.
BECOME A SPONSOR
We keep our camps and clinics free so that every child in New Haven has access, regardless of ability to pay — and that access depends on the generosity of our partners.
You're not choosing between investing in youth development, education, or development — you're funding all three, through one program, on one court.
Whether a business can offer a national platform or a local storefront, there's a role to play — in-kind product donations, facility access, meal sponsorship, event sponsorship, academic-program support, scholarship funding, or direct financial support of coaching stipends and free camper enrollment.
We welcome conversations with businesses of every size — from a neighborhood restaurant to a national brand — who want to see their name, their product, or their support show up in the hands of a kid learning to shoot free throws, in a senior heading off to college, and in a young leader learning to run an organization.Interested in partnering with us? We'd love to talk about what sponsorship could look like for your organization, at whatever level makes sense for you.
LOCAL AND NATIONAL
SUPPORT
COLLABORATION AND SPONSORSHIP
2026-27 CALENDAR
8/30 Back to School Clinic
12/6 Holiday Clinic
4/11 Spring Clinic
6/12-6/13 Summer Camp #1
8/14-8/15 Summer Camp #2
We will also visit 6 schools throughout the year.
DONATE NOW
Change starts with people like you. Your donation helps make a real impact, one action at a time. Together, we can do more.
$0 raised
Fundraising goal: $100,000,000
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Frequency
One time
Monthly
Amount
Clinic for one child
$100
Clinic for 5 children
$500
Clinic for 10 children
$1,000
Other
0/100
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