Jazz Foundation of America

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The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) is a non-profit organization based in Manhattan, New York that was founded in 1989. Its programs seek to help jazz and blues musicians in need of emergency funds and connect them with performance opportunities in schools and the community.

The Jazz Musicians' Emergency Fund and Housing Fund, established with corporate help, assists freelance musicians who lack benefits, pensions, or health insurance to cover one-time expenses. Musicians can apply to the foundation's social workers for help with rent, housing, mortgage payments, and health care. The foundation created a volunteer network of professionals throughout the United States to provide free legal, dental, and other health services when needed.

The foundation's Jazz in the Schools program occurs in eight states as educational outreach and an employment service. The program offers free performances by musicians which include information about instruments and the history of jazz. Musicians are paid by the foundation. The Varis/Jazz in Schools program employs over 120 musicians in New York City and hundreds throughout the south, reaching public schools and hospital schools. The current artistic directors are Steve Jordan and Meegan Voss.^[1]