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Youth Mentoring Tutoring Healthy Lifestyles Support For Seniors Literary Arts Domestic Violence Awarness Economic Assistance Les Gemmes Incorporated Upward Onward United We Stand Les Gemmes IncorporatedFrench means the Jewels and pronounced lay gem was founded in September 1955 in Norfolk Virginia by four young ladies who had grown up as friends from childhood. Attending HBCUs in North Carolina and Virginia Melvine Blakeley Lena Siler Queenie Branch and Inez Mercer Brown were educators as well as visionaries. The Organization was incorporated in April 1968 in the state of Virginia and operates as a nonprofit taxexempt corporation under section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Service IRS code. Les Gemmes Incorporated 20242026 Programs Our 20242026 National Program The Dream Initiative continues to build upon the dreams of our Founders with the Mission of Les Gemmes Incorporated.