Jason E. “Jay” Jacques epitomizes the qualities sought in a CHSAA Alumni Hall of Fame inductee and is consistent with those who have achieved this recognition in the past. As a 1993 graduate of Coventry High School, Jay has built and expanded a successful and thriving small business and has done so in his own hometown of Coventry, RI. Despite the difficulties of owning a small business which requires constant attention and long hours, Jay is also always willing to help local community groups and individuals with their fundraising efforts. Whether it be events for struggling individuals and families or community organizations such as Pink Heals or our own CHS Alumni Association, Jay is always there with donations of food, gift certificates and/or attending and participating first-hand. As just one example, when CHSAA held a ‘Funny For Funds’ event, Jay approached the CHSAA and provided a significant amount of food for attendees free of charge, made a monetary donation as a major sponsor and attended the event along with several of his employees.

Jay has been a major supporter of Pink Heals. Whether it be raffle items, gift certificates, or food for a family that is struggling during their war with cancer, he has never refused to help, going above and beyond to make it happen. For the last 2 years, he has also donated $1 for every customer that has gone into his place of business for the entire month of October, totaling well over $5,000.

In times of sadness and tragedy, Jay has donated meals to those in need so many times. These donations include those to First Responders and members of the military at both a town and state level, families experiencing unexpected deaths/funerals, those who have lost their homes due to fire or tragedy, and cancer victims for whom funds are being organized. When there was a recent tragic house fire on Johnson’s Pond which resulted in the total loss of a home, Jason donated food for 3 fundraisers that were held for the family, provided $5 from each gallon of soup he sold each weekend for the entire spring, donated literally hundreds of dollars’ worth of prizes to the raffles at each fundraiser, bought hundreds of dollars’ worth of raffle tickets, often giving back whatever prizes he wins to be raffled off again.

Because of his hard work, compassion for others, and his amazing generosity, the CHSAA proudly inducts him into the CHS Alumni Hall of Fame.

November 2, 2022