EAST ST. LOUIS - The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation will host the official open house and grand opening of the JJK FAN Innovation Center on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in East St. Louis, Illinois, opening a new facility aimed at educating and supporting youth and families through agriculture, nutrition, and STEM-based learning.
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The event will begin with an opening ceremony and ribbon cutting from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by an open house from 10 a.m. to noon at the JJK FAN Innovation Center, 109 Jackie Joyner, East St. Louis, Illinois 62204.
The center, described by organizers as a transformative facility, was created through a collaboration among the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, Lansdowne UP, the University of Illinois, and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. According to the provided information, the partnership is intended to create pathways through food, agriculture, nutrition, education, and workforce development.
Founded by Olympic gold medalist and humanitarian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the center reflects her ongoing work in underserved communities, according to the announcement.
The JJK FAN Innovation Center will provide youth with access to hands-on agricultural and STEM learning experiences, nutrition education and healthy lifestyle resources, career exploration in science, agriculture, and technology, and skill-building opportunities intended to support long-term success.
“This center is about access, opportunity, and belief,” representatives of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation said. “We are creating a space where young people can see what’s possible and begin to build a future for themselves right here in their community.”
Attendees will be able to tour the Innovation Center and grow facilities, take part in interactive demonstrations, meet program leaders and community partners, and learn more about upcoming programs and initiatives.
According to the announcement, the center represents a long-term commitment to strengthening East St. Louis through education, innovation, and collaboration by combining agriculture, nutrition, and science in a setting focused on real-world learning and preparation for college and career pathways.
