Jean, a single woman with a heart for hurting little ones, cared for the first few children placed with her by their biological parents or through the courts as a non-relative.  A few years later she met Mario, one of her first volunteers, who later became her husband.  Together they became the first house parents. They cooked, changed diapers, cleaned and were “Mami Jean and Papi Mario” to the first twelve children who lived at His House, located in Miami, FL.

His House now celebrates over 20 years of service to the community and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).  Jean oversees over 180 staff members, the care of over 200 children, and the expansion of programs and services. 

In partnership with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), His House International was established in 2008 to care for Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) under the age of 18 who left their native countries due to gang violence, homelessness, economic hardship and abuse in the hopes of starting a new life in the U.S. This program, as do our others, includes case management, residential care, counseling and education.  In 2010, the agency also became a center for providing temporary care and expediting adoptions for orphaned children arriving from Haiti.  Since Jan. 2010, His House has received and cared for over 500 Haitian orphans and their pre-adoptive families.  This includes a residential care, medical home, education and culturally appropriate activities.

The His House Academy offers at-risk children from K-8th grade a faith-based private school education in a trauma-sensitive learning environment.  Partially funded by the Children’s Trust, the after-school enrichment program includes music, dance and aviation exploration.  According to Our Kids of Miami-Dade Monroe, Inc. His House was the top performer of all agencies for the 2010 fiscal year.  This year, His House exceeded its adoption goal for the 4th year in a row!

Jean has been featured in the media as a community servant and won the “Good Neighbor” award from Channel 4 “Neighbors for Neighbors” as well as the “Champion for Children” Award by The Children’s Trust in 2010.  She is still playing multiple active roles.  A mother of three, she daily makes crucial decisions concerning the lives of children at His House. You will find her attending a His House child’s birthday party or speaking to the many civic and church organizations about the mission and needs of His House.

Today, Jean and her husband Mario live on the His House campus and are parents to Jordan, Julianne and James.  “Mami Jean” has touched the lives of over 4,500 children in South Florida by giving them hope, love and a safe place to call home.