March 8, 2022
Most of us at Bolles know of the Epping Forest Yacht Club, only a few minutes away from the San Jose campus. But few know about its founder, Alfred I. DuPont, or his wife, Jessie Ball DuPont. They were philanthropists who owned properties that would eventually become organizations like Nemours Children’s Hospital and the St. Joe Paper Company.
After her husband’s death in 1935, Jessie Ball DuPont went on to open a foundation in his name and build the businesses he’d begun, continuing to donate to multiple organizations, including Bolles.
In 2013, the president of the DuPont Fund, Sherry Magill, suggested purchasing the former Haydon Burns Library and transforming it into a center to unite nonprofits. “We call it the Jessie because it’s cool and fun and short. It kind of keeps her name in it, because otherwise people just call it ‘the center’ and it loses her name,” director of the Jessie, Mark Walker, said.
“So, the first and foremost purpose is to offer below-market rental rates for nonprofits in class-A buildings,” Walker said.
The goal of the 125,000 square foot building is to offer nonprofits the best possible environment to operate, to allow them to retain focus on their mission. The fund itself focuses on placemaking and equity. According to Walker, the fund will give out around $20 million in grants to organizations across the country this year.
So how did a crumbling library become the heart of philanthropy in our community?
After its purchase in 2013, the DuPont fund spent two years revamping it to build the “city hall for nonprofits” that it is today. “Sherry, the message she wanted to send was that nonprofits need to operate in the best possible environment. They shouldn’t have to scrimp and save. Let’s create an environment that says this work matters. And she did that very successfully.
Across the country, conversations are happening about new monuments honoring diverse perspectives.“In the entire city of Jacksonville, prior to the work that we had done, only two pieces of permanent public art represented minorities and both were sculptures of African American sports stars. We more than quadrupled representation of minorities in the public garden that we put up that’s permanent,” Walker said.
“How do we make this a space for all, and a space that all people are welcome, not just the people that come here for work or services, but someone like you or other students from Bolles?”
Bolles students, or anyone interested, can partake simply by walking around the building and observing its artwork to learn about historical figures on the African American history walk, seeing a statement about immigration from one of the biggest artists in Puerto Rico, or enjoying artwork inside the Corner Gallery. The building offers a variety of activities, including various volunteering opportunities helping with Art Walks that take place every Wednesday, or other events.
“We activate the whole building. There’s usually film screening in the lecture hall, performers in the loading dock and on the porch by the Corner Gallery, and vendors and food trucks on the loading dock,” Walker said. “This month, we’re promoting black businesses. It’s Black History Month and there are no vendor fees, so everything they sell, they’ll be making profit.”
“There’s many, many things that can be enjoyed, from taking in the indoor art to the performances, but also opportunities for students to engage in community conversations, because you’re our next leaders.”
