Jessica McCall, Founding Director

Jessica McCall has a heart of gold, the compassion of Mother Theresa, and the courage of Eleanor Roosevelt in taking action when she sees poverty, injustice, or

inhumanity, especially to children. Jessica has been a source of hope and support to children and families around the world. She began her humanitarian work with Jessie's Place in the Los Angeles area in 1991, then expanded into Mexico, and eventually shared her love with the children of Africa.

Jessica was so moved by a story she saw on television about the work of a philanthropist in Rwanda, Mrs. Carr, that she used all her resources to travel to Rwanda in 2004. She brought teddy bears for children who had been orphaned. In 2005, Jessica moved the Jessie's Place operations to Gisenyi, Rwanda. In partnership with other respected organizations working in the area, Jessie's Place has served thousands of individuals living with physical and mental challenges, and assisted parents with challenged children. For a decade, Jessica stayed in Gisenyi for lengthy visits. In 2014 she made Rwanda her home.