Jacksonville Gives 2018

present
JACKSONVILLE
GIVES
2018
J
A city with a great heart
acksonville has long been known as a city that steps up when the need arises. It is a city with a
great heart, generosity and compassion. It also has organizations that can combat the misfortunes
that beset any city. But these organizations are powerless without one essential element ... you.
When you join your passion with that of a nonprofit, a stronger forces emerges.
If you have not yet found an organization that shares that passion, read
about the six nonprofits profiled in this third annual special section.
You'll also meet four millennials who have turned their passion of giving into a career, as well as
two organizations whose mission is to maximize the impact of nonprofits in our community.
Help our city ... and find your passion.
#jaxgives

present
acksonville has long been known as a city that steps up when the need arises. It is a city with a
great heart, generosity and compassion. It also has organizations that can combat the misfortunes
that beset any city. But these organizations are powerless without one essential element ... you.
When you join your passion with that of a nonprofit, a stronger forces emerges.
If you have not yet found an organization that shares that passion, read
about the six nonprofits profiled in this third annual special section.
You'll also meet four millennials who have turned their passion of giving into a career, as well as
two organizations whose mission is to maximize the impact of nonprofits in our community.
Help our city ... and find your passion.
#jaxgives
J2 Sunday, November 11, 2018
jacksonville gives A section overview
A CARING VOICE
“The recession was
disruptive, but the
rethinking brought us
to solutions that made
us focus on our central
missions. It also showed
us how resilient we are.”
Rena Coughlin
CEO
Nonprofit Center of
Northeast Florida
“By saying, ‘Give
United’ and ‘Live
United,’ we are telling
our community giving
united is an approach
to giving, rather than
saying we are receiving
your donations and
distributing them
for you. It is subtle
perhaps, but it makes
a difference in how we
approach what we do.
We are united in our
giving, in our living.”
Michelle Braun
President and CEO
United Way Northeast
Florida
DID YOU KNOW ...
Both the United Way of
Northeast Florida and
Nonprofit Center of
Northeast Florida serve
a five-county area in
Northeast Florida: Baker,
Clay, Duval, Nassau and
St. Johns counties. They
serve by establishing
partnerships, connecting
individuals with available
resources and encouraging
the community to join
in with donations and
volunteer hours. Both are
dedicated to making a difference
in Jacksonville and
Northeast Florida — and
beyond.
For more information, visit
unitedwaynefl.org and nonprofitctr.org.
Nonprofit Center of
Northeast Florida CEO Rena
Coughlin (front left) and
program manager Issis
Alvarez (front right) flank
the 11 nonprofit leaders
participating in the center’s
Leadership Accelerator pilot
program this past year.
The free year-long program
will help them build their
nonprofits to have greater
community impact. [SPECIAL]
First Coast News and United Way of Northeast Florida hold an annual “Stuff the Bus!’’ school-supply drive to help ensure students and teachers start
the school year with the supplies they need. Each July, businesses sign up to collect supplies, then bring them to a designated location to help stuff
the buses. Donations benefit the United Way’s Full Service Schools program. It supports 87 schools in Duval County. [SPECIAL]
By Jean Sealey
Special for the Times-Union
A GIVING SPIRIT
Two agencies strive to strengthen impact of nonprofits
Northeast Florida is
home to an estimated
1,000 nonprofits. The
Nonprofit Center of
Northeast Florida and
the United Way are
agencies that coordinate,
connect and support
many of local nonprofits.
Both make individual
nonprofits stronger
and more efficient with
workshops, direct support
and the advantage of
a larger network.
The Nonprofit Center
of Northeast Florida provides
direct services to
clients and partners with
many other nonprofits in
the area to help provide a
more robust response to
those in need.
“We began collecting
data and issuing
an annual State of the
Sector report in 2005, in
collaboration with the
Jessie Ball duPont Fund,”
Rena Coughlin, CEO of
the Nonprofit Center
of Northeast Florida,
said. “We have collected
data on more than 1,600
organizations in five
North Florida counties
— Baker, Clay, Duval,
Nassau and St. Johns —
and dating back to 1998.”
The data collected in
2013 indicated that nonprofits
in the five Florida
counties generated $6.8
billion in revenues. They
incurred $5.7 billion
in expenses, and they
employed at least 12 percent
of the private work
force.
“In 2013, we were
beginning to regain some
of the losses experienced
during the recession,”
Coughlin said. “But
you can see the kind of
impact nonprofits have
on our community.
Economically to be sure,
and they are the organizations
we depend on for
much of our healthcare
and education and many
other activities.”
The recession had the
same effect on nonprofits
that it had on for-profit
organizations. It threw
some companies into a
tailspin. Others found
ways to keep operating
and they survived.
“Nonprofits constitute
an industry,” Coughlin
said. “The word ‘nonprofit’
does not mean we
don’t have revenue and
money coming into the
company and costs to
pay. Agencies operate as
a business, and a collection
of businesses is an
industry.”
Coughlin said nonprofits
were forced to
examine and challenge
some assumptions about
the concept of charity.
“There was a time
when one agency
attempted to be the
answer to all the immediate
needs,” she said.
“When donors cut back,
and we were unable to
provide as many services
to as many people, we
were put in the position
of perhaps focusing
on one or two needs
and then collaborating
with other agencies to
provide a fuller menu of
services.”
The old days of building
an enterprise that
could do everything for
everyone had to change
if nonprofits were to
survive. Another related
issue is that nonprofits
are not funded to build
infrastructure, limiting
their ability to expand
and grow.
“The recession was
disruptive, but the
rethinking brought us to
solutions that made us
focus on our central missions,”
Coughlin said.
“It also showed us how
resilient we are.”
The solutions involved
increasing collaboration
with other nonprofits,
a strategy that has
strengthened the fiber of
See OVERVIEW, J19
This special section,
Jacksonville Gives 2018, was
produced by the Specialty
Publications Department of
the Florida Times-Union and
Times-Union Media:
Managing Editor of
Specialty Audience: Joe
DeSalvo
Section writer: Jean Sealey,
a Jacksonville-based freelance
writer
Section design: GateHouse
Media Center for News &
Design
Section photos:
Photographs used in this
About this section
section have been provided
by the agencies or
taken by Dede Smith, a
Jacksonville-based freelance
photographer.
Times-Union Media
Advertising Director: Liz
Borten
Cover: The cover of
“Jacksonville Gives” illustrates
both the essence
of the city of Jacksonville
and the essence of its
spirit. The illustration was
provided by Thinkstock.
com. The six photos —
from top left to bottom
right — feature several of
the agencies and individuals
in Jacksonville Gives:
1. First Coast News and
United Way of Northeast
Florida hold an annual
"Stuff the Bus!'' schoolsupply
drive to help ensure
students and teachers start
the school year with the
supplies they need. Story on
Page 2.
2. Allie Runnestrand works
at Ronald McDonald House
with critically ill children
and their parents. She's a
millennial whose mission
trips during college convinced
her a life of service
was her calling. Story on
Page 11.
3. Rethreaded founder
and president Kristin Keen
helped co-found a business
that provides a safe place
for survivors of human trafficking.
Story on Page 6.
4. Jewish Families and
Community Services, which
has several volunteer opportunities,
is an organization
that provides child-welfare
services, protecting more
than 4,000 children each
year. Story on Page 5.
5. Bernabe Murguia,
Brittany Giles and Fenton
Reese are all staff members
at the Boys and Girls Clubs
of Northeast Florida. They
have a passion and commitment
to make a difference
in members’ lives. Story on
Page 14.
6. The Donovin Darius
Foundation has hosted
25 camps and has had an
impact on more than 5,500
families through the foundation’s
programs and events.
Story on Page 12.
JACKSONVILLE
GIVES
2018
J
A city with a great heart

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J3
jacksonville gives Feeding Northeast Florida
A CARING VOICE
"Feeding Northeast
Florida is working
to bridge the gap
by aligning with
key partners and
organizations to
collectively develop
a strategic plan to
position Northeast
Florida as one of the
strongest economies
in the country, while
bringing relief to
children, seniors and
veterans who are
underserved in the
community.''
Frank D. Castillo
President & CEO
Feeding Northeast
Florida
HOW TO HELP
Feeding Northeast
Florida
1116 Edgewood Ave. N.,
Units D/E
Jacksonville, FL 32254
(904) 513-1333 (main/
fax/text)
feedingnefl.org
Packaged foods and fresh produce, dairy and lean meats are collected and distributed from Feeding Northeast Florida’s warehouse facilities. [PHOTOS
PROVIDED BY FEEDING NORTHEAST FLORIDA]
FOCUS ON FOOD
Agency working
hard to break
cycle of poverty
By Jean Sealey
Special for the Times-Union
Frank Castillo has
an unusual goal for a
president and CEO of a
company: Be so effective
at his job that he and
his company will not be
needed.
As head of Feeding
Northeast Florida, he
puts it like this:
“If I am providing food
for someone today, I
want to help that individual
get to the place that
my services are no longer
necessary,” Castillo said.
“That means I need to do
much more than just provide
food. Food has a high
priority, of course, but a
lack of food is simply one
of many barriers people
who need us face in their
efforts to become selfsufficient.
I’m talking
about breaking the cycle
of poverty.”
Many Jacksonvillians
have a preconceived
notion of Northeast
Florida, particularly
the northeast quadrant
of Jacksonville
(west of Interstate 95)
which is perceived as
having a large African-
American population,
limited incomes and high
unemployment.
Castillo said the racial
balance in the area is
approximately 50 percent
white and 50 percent
black.
“Two-thirds of the
residents of the area have
See FOOD, J16

J4 Sunday, November 11, 2018
jacksonville gives The Arc Jacksonville
A CARING VOICE
"Business leaders
and citizens of
Jacksonville have
joined together with
The Arc Jacksonville
to work towards
making this an
inclusive community
for individuals
with intellectual
and developmental
differences. Everyone
should have the
opportunity to
use their unique
abilities, and we are
excited to share this
message to further
our work and provide
innovative programs
to help those we
serve achieve their
dreams.''
Jim Whittaker
President/CEO
The Arc Jacksonville
HOW TO GIVE
The Arc Jacksonville
1050 N. Davis St.,
Jacksonville, FL 32209
Phone: (904) 355-0155
Website: arcjacksonviille.
org
Email: info@arcjacksonville.org
Culinary students learn to cook through The Arc
Jacksonville work-readiness program.
Ryan (left) and his friend, Josh, had known each other since they were children. Because they lived on opposite sides of town, their friendship was
mostly by phone. After moving to The Arc Village, Ryan told his mother the thing he likes most about having a home there is, “When you open the door,
your friends are there.’’ Josh lives across the street.
ABILITY TO THRIVE
Clients become physically, mentally, socially and economically independent
By Jean Sealey
Special for the Times-Union
The Village may look
like any other modern
apartment complex
dotting the landscape.
The Arc of Jacksonville
Village, however, is much
more. It is, in fact the first
of its kind in the nation.
“The Arc of
Jacksonville Village
does, indeed, provide
housing like other apartment
complexes,” Jim
Whittaker, president
and CEO of The Arc
Jacksonville, said, “What
makes it different is
the unique clientele we
The Arc Jacksonville has a college studies program in conjunction with the University of
North Florida. Students enter into a four-year non-degreed program that includes audit
courses focusing on skills that would make them more marketable. Past UNF President
John Delaney and Arc Jacksonvile President and CEO Jim Whittaker are with Maddie, who
earned an On Campus Transition (OCT) program certificate this past April.
serve.”
Whittaker describes
The Village’s residents as
individuals with differing
abilities.
“Living in a community
where freedom to come
and go is not restricted is
often a new concept for
our residents,” Whittaker
said. “Giving people the
opportunity to live independently
is a top priority
for us, and with access
to a broader community,
residents connect with
the world in meaningful
ways.”
Currently, The Village
has 121 residents in 97
affordable one- and twobedroom
rental units.
“Of the 121 occupants,
70 have jobs outside
the complex,” Vice
President, Development
Sara McMillan said. “Our
mission is to provide the
tools needed to navigate
a sometimes complex
world of finding a job,
securing transportation,
managing money and all
that goes with being a
good citizen in a larger
community.”
In addition to The
Village, The Arc staffs
and serves the needs of
individuals in grouphome
settings throughout
the area.
“We have group homes
on the Westside, in
Arlington, in Mandarin
and a new one under
construction on Cox
Road,” McMillan said.
“They have one- and
Village residents enjoy learning how to grow vegetables and herbs at their home. [PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE ARC JACKSONVILLE]
“We were ahead of
the curve from the
beginning, and we
continue to be leaders
and innovators in
our vision and in
our processes. We
see a community
where disability is a
distinction without a
difference.”
Jim Whittaker
two-bedroom options
and accommodate up
to six people. Each one
is a state-of-the art
accommodation meeting
the Americans with
Disabilities Act guidelines
and offering each occupant
the privacy of his or
her own bedroom.”
The Arc Jacksonville,
a 1965 grassroots
movement to provide
educational opportunities
to persons with different
abilities, preceded
by 10 years Public Law
94-142, which, when it
was passed in 1975, guaranteed
a free appropriate
public education to each
child with a disability.
The Arc preceded
the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990
by 25 years. ADA is farreaching
legislation that
affirms a national commitment
that people of all
abilities have the right to
live, work and fully participate
in the community
alongside their fellow
citizens
“We were ahead of the
curve from the beginning,
and we continue to
be leaders and innovators
in our vision and in our
processes,” Whittaker
said. “We see a community
where disability
is a distinction without a
difference.”
To illustrate that point,
McMillan described the
education opportunities
available to The Arc of
Jacksonville clients.
“We have a college
studies program in
conjunction with the
University of North
Florida,” she said. “Our
students enter into a
four-year non-degreed
program that includes
audit courses focusing
on skills that would make
them more marketable.
Right now, 30 students
are enrolled, assisted by
UNF student mentors.
Our rate of employment
for people completing
the program is about 85
percent.”
The Arc Jacksonville
is also proud that one of
its college students was
crowned Mr. UNF last
year.
Employment for The Arc
Jacksonville program participants
and residents has
been cultivated with local
businesses who see the
value of training and hiring
a dedicated, reliable and
capable work staff. Some
of the companies who have
responded in this initiative
include Vistakon,
Mercedes-Benz and Fields
Automotive Group.
“We have a contract
with Vistakon to assemble
boxes used to package
and ship contact lenses,”
McMillan said. “Students
work here in this facility
for about four hours
a day, and they are paid
by Vistakon for every box
they put together.”
Automobile dealerships
are also opening their
doors to more employment
opportunities.
“Mercedes-Benz
is a good example,”
Whittaker said. “Arc
residents are on the
payroll, and they wash
automobiles. A staff
person accompanies
them to keep them on
task if need be, to help
them work though any
challenges and to help
them find answers to
their questions.”
Other models being
considered are food
preparation and places
where program participants
already volunteer,
such as nursing homes,
foodbanks and the
Jacksonville Zoo.
The Arc Jacksonville
has a $9 million annual
operating budget, a
team of 175 dynamic
and diverse staff members,
including 24
AmeriCorps members
and six VISTA members,
and a 22-person
board of directors. With
these resources, The Arc
Jacksonville serves 500
adults each day.
To learn more about
the residential opportunities
and programs for
community members
with different abilities,
visit online at The Arc
Jacksonville: https://
www.arcjacksonville.org/.

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J5
jacksonville gives Jewish Family & Community Services
A CARING VOICE
“Jewish
Family &
Community
Services
is built on
a strong
foundation of
tradition that
begins with
helping our neighbor. It doesn’t
end there. It stretches out to reach
people of all creeds and faiths who
need help. Since 1917, we have been
helping people help themselves.
Whether it is a short-term
challenge or one that may require
more intense or longer engagement
with our services, our doors are
open to the entire community.”
Colleen L. Rodriguez
Executive Director
Jewish Family & Community Services
HOW TO GIVE
Jewish Family & Community Services
8540 Baycenter Road, Jacksonville, FL
32256
(904) 394-5752
jfcsjax.org
Join millions of others Tuesday, Nov. 27,
for #GivingTuesday — is a global day
of giving fueled by the power of social
media and collaboration.
Celebrated on the Tuesday following
Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely
recognized shopping events Black Friday
and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday
kicks off the charitable season, when
many focus on their holiday and endof-year
giving\. By giving in multiples
of $18, you can join JFCS and the global
movement this #GivingTuesday as we
continue to “help people help themselves”
right here in Jacksonville.
Why $18 in ’18?
Founded by Jewish rabbis in 1917, we
continue to help the entire Jacksonville
community, regardless of religious affilition,
in the Jewish tradition of Tikkun
Olam: repairing the world. The word
chai in Judaism means life. The sum of
the Hebrew letters that spell chai is 18.
The number 18 is significant in Judaism
because of its connection to life and
hope. 2018 is the year of chai or the year
of life.
Judge David Gooding (left) hosts a “Home for the Holidays” adoption event each year around the holiday season, which is also the time
for Jewish Family & Community Services’ Holiday Gift Giving Campaign. The campaign delivers gifts for Christmas, Jewish and other
religious celebrations to more than 1,500 children in agency programs, as well as to seniors in the community. For information about how
you can sponsor a child or donate a gift, contact Donna O’Steen (904) 394-5714) or by email at dosteen@jfcsjax.org. [PROVIDED BY JEWISH
HISTORY OF CARING
FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES]
Tradition and faith
strengthen programs
that help
those in need
By Jean Sealey
Special for the Times-Union
Imagine Jacksonville
100 years ago. The
population was a little
more than 90,000.
Today, it is estimated
to be nearly 900,000,
making it the most
populous city in
Florida. This is due in
part to the consolidation
of the city and the
county in 1968 which
added population and
square mileage.
Another significant
factor was
Jacksonville’s climate
and lifestyle, which
attracted new residents
from other parts
of the country and the
world.
With all the changes
that have occurred in
Florida’s First Coast
over the last 100 years,
one thing has not
changed.
There were people
in poverty in 1917 just
as there are today. The
Jewish community in
Jacksonville saw the
need and took action.
They came together
to form United Jewish
Charities, now known
as Jewish Family &
Community Services.
“Jewish life is
steeped in tradition,”
said Executive
Director Colleen
Rodriguez, a licensed
clinical social worker.
“Our tradition and our
faith tell us that we are
expected to help each
other in times of need.
If someone is hungry,
without shelter or
needing clothing, we
cannot turn away.
It doesn’t matter
whether the person in
need is Jewish or not.
We are taught that if
we help one, we must
help all.”
More than 100
See JFCS, J8

J6 Sunday, November 11, 2018
jacksonville gives Rethreaded
A CARING VOICE
RENEWING HOPE
Opportunities created
for humantrafficking
survivors
By Jean Sealey
Special for the Times-Union
“We walk together and
support each other
through the highs
and lows because
that is what changes
community for the
better. That is the
community we seek
to create every day
at Rethreaded. When
people become part
of Rethreaded, they
become part of a
community that seeks
to give life and create
opportunities.”
Kristin Keen
Founder and president
Rethreaded
HOW TO GIVE
Rethreaded
820 Barnett St.,
Jacksonville, FL 32209
(904) 438-8109
rethreaded.com
General Inquiries: info@
rethreaded.com
Events: jason@rethreaded.
com
Every dollar donated goes
to helping restore chocie
for survivors of human
trafficking.
Go to rethreaded.com/
pages/donate.
Also, you can support
women locally and globally
through purchasing
survivor-made gifts available
at rethreaded.com.
Rethreaded hosts a
monthly meeting to
introduce members of
the community to its
mission and its methods.
At noon on Sept.
20, about 20 men and
women gathered in a
conference room at
Rethreaded’s production
facility and gift
shop. Co’Relous Bryant,
Rethreaded’s partnership
development manager,
called the meeting to
order.
“We are not shy about
the topic,” he said.
“The topic is human sex
trafficking.”
Human sex trafficking,
as everyone must
know, is a problem in
third-world countries
where women and
children are held against
their will and forced into
prostitution or adult
entertainment.
Bryant continued.
“In Jacksonville.”
Human trafficking in
Jacksonville?
According to the
National Human
Trafficking Hotline
based on 2017 data,
Florida ranks third in the
nation (after California
and Texas) with 604
human trafficking cases
reported in the state.
Jacksonville ranks
48th on the list of cities
nationwide. Trafficking
Founder and President Kristin Keen is in the Grace Scarf display area of the gift shop inside Rethreaded, located on
Barnett Street in Jacksonville. [DEDE SMITH/SPECIAL]
can be for purposes of
sex (prostitution and
sex entertainment)
or forced labor. Men,
women and children can
all be victims of human
trafficking.
Rethreaded’s founder
and president, Kristin
Keen, lived and worked
for five years in Kolkata,
India.
“My first year there, I
listened to the stories of
women caught in the trap
of the area's sex trade,”
she said. “I wanted those
women to know that
they have value. An estimated
10,000 women
are reportedly victims
of human trafficking
there, and 30 percent are
underage.”
Keen helped co-found
a business that would
provide a safe place for
these women.
Today, that company
— Sari Bari — is
a thriving business in
Kolkota, employing more
than 120 people who
create blankets and other
cloth products using traditional
Indian fabrics.
Sex trafficking is a
form of modern slavery
that exists globally.
What makes a woman
vulnerable to exploitation
varies.
A woman may become
romantically involved
with someone who then
manipulates her into
prostitution. Another
may be lured by the
promise of a job dancing
or modeling. Yet another
has an addiction to drugs
and desperately needs
money or her trafficker is
her supplier. Runaways
are vulnerable and young
children have few if any
ways to escape.
When Keen came back
to Jacksonville, she saw
a need here to be able to
offer women options and
a way out.
See RETHREADED, J17

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J7

J8 Sunday, November 11, 2018
jacksonville gives Jewish Family & Community Services
JFCS
From Page J5
years after its founding
in 1917, Jewish Family &
Community Services follows
the same blueprint
for serving that its founders
intended.
Child welfare
“We are the largest
child-welfare agency
in Northeast Florida,”
Rodriguez said. “We are
committed to preventing
child abuse or neglect
with a goal of keeping a
family together if possible.
We teach parenting
classes and when appropriate
we address drug
addictions. About 420
children have had to be
removed from the home
and placed in foster care,
preferably with a relative,
in a group home or placed
with a family through
adoption.”
Jewish Family &
Community Services
provides child-welfare
services, protecting more
than 4,000 children
each year. That includes
providing foster-care
services for about 100
children each year.
The best possible outcome
is for the family to
be restored and children
returned to a stabilized
and safe home. Adoption
is another possible outcome
that is considered
a favorable one when it
is not possible to return
the child to the original
home. Eighty-four adoptions
were finalized last
year, and those services
included emotional and
financial support and
counseling; guidance
and preparation for the
adoptive parents; and,
visits to the home to
assist with adjustment
and assess needs.
Preventing child abuse
through in-home services
helped more than 3,300
children last year. The
agency also helps teens
transition from foster
care to independent living
as adults.
Student support
“Achievers for Life is
a drop-out prevention
initiative developed by
United Way of Northeast
Florida,” Rodriguez said.
“Other partners include
Communities in Schools
and Big Brothers Big
Sisters. By equipping
at-risk middle school
students with the tools
they need to succeed and
supporting their families,
we helped more than 1,300
students at 10 schools last
year. We are proud that 90
percent of those students
go on to high school.”
Food, financial
support
The Max Block Food
Pantry provides meals to
more than 60,000 people
in the area, and emergency
funds are provided
for unexpected financial
needs. When people
face decisions about
buying food or paying
the rent, Jewish Family &
Community Services has
funding from federal, state
and private monies to help
through the hard times.
Counseling services
Dupont Counseling
Group, another division
of Jewish Family &
Communities Services,
offers professional
Make a child or a senior a priority this holiday season. When you sponsor a child or a senior, you will receive a wish list
with suggestions, sizes, etc. If you donít have time to shop, JFCS will shop for you. Call for details: (904) 394-5714, or via
email at dosteen@jfcsjax.org. [PHOTO PROVIDED BY JEWISH FAMILIES & COMMUNITY SERVICES]
council to families,
individuals, couples
and group counseling
to adults and children.
Specialties include abuse
and neglect, managing
illness, transitions and
relationships, anger management
and behavioral
problems.
Senior services
An aging population
often requires assistance
to live in their homes
alone. Children and other
relatives provide care as
they are able, but jobs
and family responsibilities
doesn’t allow for
much-needed time and
attention. The Senior
Solutions program is
geared toward independent
living by helping
with meals and transportation,
taking seniors to
checkups and appointments
and helping with
transitions when living
at home is no longer an
option.
Jewish services
The entire community
can access all the services
of the agency, and there
are specific programs for
the Jewish community.
These include Holocaust
survivor services, rides
to synagogue services,
doctors’ appointments
and running errands.
Meals4You delivers
frozen kosher meals. For
children with special
needs who are enrolled
in Jewish schools, there
is the Inclusion Program.
The PJ Library is a
resource for local Jewish
children to enrich their
understanding of their
culture and traditions.
The recently opened
Holocaust gallery honors
survivors and shares this
piece of history with the
community.
“We have recently
opened The Frisch Family
Holocaust Memorial
Gallery,” Rodriguez said.
“It is a tribute to survivors
and their families,
and we are dedicated to
honoring and remembering
those individuals. It
is a place for learning, a
place for reflection and a
place to search for peace.
The art is a powerful
representation of history
and the reality of war. It
reminds us we must never
go this way again.”
The exhibits go beyond
history. They address
issues of justice, human
rights, responsibility.
The Frisch Family
Holocaust Memorial
Gallery is inside the
Jewish Family &
Communities office complex
at 8540 Baycenter
Road in Jacksonville.
For tours and hours, call
(904) 394-5752.

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J9

J10 Sunday, November 11, 2018

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J11
jacksonville gives Millennials and nonprofi ts
A CARING VOICE
“I learn so much
from each client,”
she continued. “And
everything I learn,
I know I will be
able to use again
with another client
someday. It is a
challenge to keep
a positive attitude
all the time, but it is
necessary for me and
for my clients that I
do so.”
Kate Corrigan
Case manager
Catholic Charities
MILLENNIAL
TRAITS
These are some commonly
observed traits
in the millennial generation.
Of course, not
everyone will have all
these traits, but you may
know a millennial or two
who fit this to a T.
• Nurtured by omnipresent
(helicopter) parents,
optimistic, and focused.
• Respect authority.
• Falling crime and teen
pregnancy rates. Their
threat is knowing they
could be shot at school.
They learned early the
world is not a safe place.
• Schedule everything.
• Feel enormous academic
pressure.
• Great expectations for
themselves and their
generation.
• Prefer digital literacy
having grown up in a
digital environment. All
their information and
most of their socialization
is from the Internet.
• Prefer to work in teams.
• With unlimited access
to information tend to
be assertive with strong
views.
• Want fast, immediate
processing.
• Told repeatedly they
are special, and they
expect the world to treat
them that way.
• Do not live to work;
prefer a relaxed work
environment with hand
holding and accolades.
Allie Runnestand of Ronald McDonald House enjoys playing piano with patient Gracie Gould-Kinney, 11. [DEDE SMITH/SPECIAL]
GIVING GENERATION
Millennials appreciate opportunity to impact lives
By Jean Sealey
Special for Times-Union
No two people are alike.
We are as unique as our
thumbprints.
Yet, researchers insist
on dividing us into
generational groupings
and then casting us into
molds with the same
traits, characteristics and
even world view.
Who are millennials?
The millennial generation
is defined by the
Pew Research Center as
anyone born between
1981 and 1996, so they
would be between 22 and
37 in 2018. Pew studies
generations primarily
relative to key political,
economic and social
factors that would have
affected their formative
years.
Millennial
experiences/
similarities
Because millennials
were most likely raised
by hovering parents, they
are optimistic and usually
focused. They respect
authority. They must
schedule everything.
They rely on the Internet
for information and most
of their social contacts.
They are not patient and
want fast, immediate
answers. They prefer
working in teams. They
like a relaxed, informal
work environment.
What is the appeal
of a career in a
nonprofit?
For millennials like
Kate Corrigan, a case
manager for Catholic
Charities, an appreciation
of what it means to
help others was instilled
in her when she attended
Bishop Kenny High
School.
“Volunteering was
a graduation requirement
at Bishop Kenny,”
she said. “At first, we
might not have liked the
idea we had to do it, but
the emphasis on service
created an environment
that made you want to
volunteer.”
Her duties at Catholic
Charities involve helping
veterans who may be
homeless or at risk for
homelessness.
“Growing up, it was
instilled in me that we
need to be part of a
good-news story, and
that’s what I want to do,”
Corrigan said. “I hear
heartbreaking stories,
tragedies and sadness,
but if I’m doing my job
correctly, I can impart
a sense of empowerment
to my client. Our
goal is to strengthen,
not necessarily doing it
myself, but encouraging
the client to do it. We
teach clients to overcome
the barriers to becoming a
fully functioning member
of society again.
“I learn so much from
each client,” she continued.
“And everything I
learn, I know I will be able
to use again with another
client someday. It is a
challenge to keep a positive
attitude all the time,
but it is necessary for me
and for my clients that I
do so.”
Allie Runnestrand
works at Ronald
See MILLENNIALS, J18
Jami Houston, community and board liaison for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, guides visitors through a club tour at the NFL YET Club. Tours allow visitors and board
members to interact with staff and students, giving them a first-hand view of programs and facilities. Houston also works with representatives from the community to provide
accurate information, strengthen relationships and ensure transparency of the agency’s operations. [PROVIDED BY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA]

J12 Sunday, November 11, 2018
jacksonville gives Donovin Darius Foundation
A CARING VOICE
"With every breath
of my life I will serve
God and his people.
I will assist everyone
towards their
destiny. I will lead by
pointing people to
model after Jesus, the
Christ. To model his
ways, his character,
his ideas, and his
purposes for their
lives. I will utilize
my gifts of teaching
and encouraging
to inspire and
motivate everyone
from the least to
the greatest. In this
type of leadership,
I will not be the
focus, just the one
behind, underneath
and beside everyone
— assisting them
forward in achieving
their destiny. This
is the purpose and
focus of my life.''
Donovin Darius
President
Donovin Darius
Foundation
HOW TO GIVE
For information about
the Donovin Darius
Foundation and the
contribution it makes to
families, children and the
community, visit online
at http://donovindariusfoundation.com.
The
website contains links to
action videos, information
about volunteering
and upcoming events or
contact by telephone at
(904) 290-3320, or visit
on Facebook, email at
contact@donovindarius.
com, or https://www.
facebook.com/donovindariusfoundation/
about.
The Donovin Darius
Foundation is partnering
with other local nonprofits
to provide shoes
and socks and clothing
to men, women and
children in the community.
There will be food,
entertainment, haircuts
and family fun noon to 3
p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17,
at St. Phillips Episcopal
Church, 21 Union St.
To donate or find more
information about this
give-away, visit the
website http://donovindariusfoundation.com/
soles-and-socks-forsouls.
More than 300 people attended this Father’s Day Life Camp held by the Donovin Darius Foundation at TIAA Bank Field. [PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DONOVIN DARIUS
GAME OF LIFE
FOUNDATION]
Former Jaguar makes
major impact with
Life Camps
By Jean Sealey
Special for the Times-Union
Donovin Darius poured
his energy, talent and
passion into his NFL
career as a defensive back
and safety. He came to
Jacksonville in 1998 after
being drafted in the first
round out of Syracuse,
making an impact on the
field, on the team and on
the game for nine years
before being sidelined by
an injury that ultimately
brought his career to an
end in 2007.
Darius, 43, made a
choice when he retired
from football to use what
he had learned about
facing challenges to help
others.
Donovin Darius prepares volunteers for their jobs at a family Life Camp in Daily’s Place.
[PHOTO PROVIDED BY KEVIN SPARGUR PHOTOGRAPHY]
“One important lesson
I learned was that our
purpose in life is to
have an impact on our
workplace, our community
and the world
This Youth Football Camp in Jacksonville taught 65 young people skills, strategies and sportsmanship.
in a positive manner,”
said Darius, who grew
up in Camden, N.J. “So,
I invested $500,000
in the Donovin Darius
Foundation to get it
going. I always believed
people should put their
money where their values
are, and that’s exactly
what I did.”
The foundation’s Life
Camps were born.
“Our mission is, ‘To
educate, equip and
empower youth and
their families with life,
character and leadership
skills that help them,'''
Darius said. “Those are
not empty words, and this
is the core value of our
foundation. We entertain,
and we have fun, but the
bottom line is we are here
to give young people and
their families the tools
they need to maximize
their potential and fulfill
See DARIUS, J13

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J13
jacksonville gives Donovin Darius Foundation
DARIUS
From Page J12
their purpose in life.”
Partnering with other
nonprofit organizations
in the area, the foundation
has hosted 25 camps
for families and has had
an impact on more than
5,500 families through
the foundation’s programs
and events. Darius
received a Super Bowl 50
philanthropic award for
his impact and endeavors
in creating and producing
the camps.
Life Camps are oneday
events with themes
such as “Boys Dare to
Dream,” “Girls Dare
to Dream,” and “Pay it
Forward.” The Fathers’
Day and Mothers’ Day
camps have grown and
are now have a larger
focus and have been
moved to a larger venue
to accommodate as many
families as possible.
“We held a Fathers’ Day
celebration this year at
Daily’s Place downtown,
and plans are underway
for a Mothers’ Day celebration
in May next year,”
Darius said. “Daily’s is
a large venue and great
for the type of program
we want to present and
the number of people we
want to serve.
“As the need grows, we
must grow to have the
impact we are committed
to having in Jacksonville,
in Florida and beyond,''
Darius said. "We dream
big and we pursue our
dreams with passion and
purpose. We are fortunate
to have so many
partners, volunteers,
supporters and a caring
community.”
This youth football camp at TIAA Bank Field taught 65 young people skills, strategies and sportsmanship. [PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DONOVIN DARIUS FOUNDATION]
Darius is also founder
and head coach of
Donovin Darius Next
Level Training and
Performance, an athletic
training organization that
focuses on developing
athletes for on- and offthe-field
success.
Next Level Training
& Performance camps
focus on developing
athletic skills. Next Level
Training has hosted more
than 135 sports camps,
nationally and internationally,
since Darius
retired from the NFL.
Darius received a Sports
Emmy Award for this
athletic program.
In planning camps and
other events, Darius is
focused on energizing his
campers.
“What we remember
about a situation is the
energy of the moment,
and the emotion it produced,”
he said. “It’s my
job to see to it that experiences
at our camps are
energized and emotionprovoking.
That is how
we can have an impact
These guys are having a little family fun with Donovin Darius before settling down for one of the foundationís Life Camp.
on hearts and minds and
souls. That is my vision,
my calling, and that is
what I want to share with
others.”
Darius, who has an
MBA from Jacksonville
University, is an
international speaker,
trainer and motivator for
corporations and teams.
His book, "Next Level
Motivation: Principles
for Living Life to the
Fullest,'' was released last
year.

J14 Sunday, November 11, 2018
A CARING VOICE
jacksonville gives Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida
INSPIRATION CLUB
Safe, loving environment enables youth to pursue goals
By Jean Sealey
Special for the Times-Union
"Boys & Girls
Clubs of Northeast
Florida operate
with three main
goals: educational
programs that open
new opportunities,
fun club experiences
for all members
and a safe place for
members to enjoy
after school. Imagine
a three-legged stool:
if any of the three
legs are missing, the
stool cannot stand
on its own. Together
these three goals help
develop character
and integrity for all
our members."
Paul Martinez
CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Northeast Florida
HOW TO GIVE
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF
NORTHEAST FLORIDA
555 West 25th Street,
Jacksonville, FL 32206
Phone: (904) 396-4435
Website: bgcnf.org/
Describing the impact
of Boys & Girls Clubs of
Northeast Florida is like
describing a stunning
sunset. Pictures help,
and there are pictures
on the website, https://
www.bgcnf.org/.
To feel the energy and
see the smiles, plan a
visit to one of the centers
by calling (904) 396-4435.
Donate or volunteer and
you can be part of making
a difference in the future.
What do Denzel
Washington, Jennifer
Lopez, Shaquille O'Neal
and Jacksonville resident
Paul Martinez have in
common?
Hint: Martinez is not an
actor, performer or NBA
legend. He is the CEO of
the Boys & Girls Clubs of
Northeast Florida.
The answer is that each
one of them belonged to
a Boys (or in Jennifer’s
case, Girls) Club when
they were children.
Washington has been
a spokesperson for the
organization for more
than 20 years.
As he told People
magazine back in July,
“The Boys & Girls Club
helped make me the man
that I am today. The staff
at the Mt. Vernon Boys
& Girls Club invested
their time in developing
me, and that is why
I have been the national
spokesperson for Boys &
Girls Clubs of America for
more than 20 years.”
Martinez credits his
Boys Club experience
while growing up as a
positive influence in his
life.
“Back then, the club
did what it does today,”
Martinez said. “It gives
kids a safe, loving environment
and helps them
reach their goals. It
introduces them to new
experiences. It guides
them toward better
choices and protects
them from influences
that don’t have their best
interests in mind.”
The first Boys & Girls
Club of Northeast Florida
was chartered in 1962
as The Boys’ Club of
Jacksonville. Today,
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Northeast Florida has
expanded to 25 clubs
across Duval and St.
Johns counties, which
include communitybased
sites, the general
service center and inschool
programs.
“A recent survey
concluded that to meet
the needs of all the eligible
youth in the area
we serve, we need to
expand,” Martinez said.
“In fact, our approved
growth plan would bring
us to a total 55 sites — the
number recommended
in the survey. We plan to
meet that goal through
ground-up structures,
mergers and special
projects.”
Bernabe Murguia,
communications and
media relations manager,
pointed to two mergers
that have been completed
A participant in 2018’s first Camp Deep Pond enjoys kayaking as one of many outdoor activities, including archery,
bike riding, making s’mores over an open fire. For most of these young campers from the inner city, this was their first
camping experience. [PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA]
since last year.
“Examples of growth
by merger are our mergers
with The Bridge
and with Project SOS,”
Murguia said. “The
Bridge has served at-risk
youth for more than 30
years, and Project SOS
has been working with
teens in schools for about
25 years. We all have
the same purpose and
goal, and that is to equip
today’s youth with the
tools they need for a successful
future.”
Martinez was asked
how the clubs have
changed since he was a
child attending one and
today overseeing the
organization here.
“I think perhaps the
biggest change is the
increased focus on
safety,” he said. “That
has been addressed
primarily by increased
staff training to be able
to recognize additional
risks, the tools to teach
students to be more
alert and prepare for
situations we hope never
happen.”
Martinez also said
that bullying is more
prevalent today, and
technology has made that
more public and visible.
Cell phones, videos
and the Internet allow
students to attack other
students using social
media without any faceto-face
confrontation,
which is even more difficult
to stop.
The Boys & Girls Club
staff are professionals
and experts in their fields
and they go through a
It may not be a time machine, but a history lesson helps children understand the world
today by teaching what it was like many years ago, beginning with the city where they
live.
rigorous prescreening
process to ensure only
the most qualified individuals
work with club
members. Only applicants
with a passion for
the club’s mission and a
commitment to make a
difference in members’
lives are accepted for
employment. On-going
training, including
annual training from the
national organization,
ensures that staff are
current with best practices
and can implement
solutions that work.
A quick tour through
the zones in the general
service center’s activities
areas is the blueprint for
all the clubs and illustrate
the wide array of options
students have for their
after-school hours.
The Power Hour is a
space with tutors and
teachers available to
help with homework.
Technology Zones are
equipped with computers
and access to the Internet
along with instruction
about Internet etiquette
and safety. Resource
Zones attract students
interested in the creative
arts. There is a video production
room, a resource
space for science, technology,
engineering and
mathematics — STEM
— activities.
An exciting addition
to the list of activities
available to boys and girls
aged 5 to 15 is the introduction
last year of NFL
Flag Football, sponsored
by the Jacksonville
Jaguars.
“In our first year,
we had three locations
throughout the county,”
Murguia said. “We were
excited to be going to the
Pro Bowl, and it was a
chance for us to be part of
a sports competition on
a larger scale than within
the local clubs. It stimulated
interest in what the
club has to offer.”
Camp Deep Pond will
most likely also increase
interest in the club and
particularly its summer
activities.
“Camp Deep Pond is a
story in itself,” Murguia
said. “A generous donor
designated a 62-acre
parcel of land in Hilliard
to be donated to underserved
children upon his
death. Boys & Girls Clubs
of Northeast Florida was
chosen to develop the
land into a camp. We had
our first campers this
summer, and for many
campers, it was the first
time they had experienced
interactions with
nature and participated in
outdoor activities such as
kayaking, archery, riding
a bike — even launching a
rocket.”
A fashion show at the Boys & Girls Club of Arlington Heights teaches more than runway skills. All activities include character building, fairness and good sportsmanship, along with
large doses of fun and laughter.

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J15

J16 Sunday, November 11, 2018
jacksonville gives Feeding Northeast Florida
FOOD
From Page J3
jobs,” he said. “Some
have more than one job,
but salaries are not adequate
to cover utilities,
medications, transportation
costs and rent and
there aren’t that many
job opportunities close
to home. Unemployment
is indeed higher than the
national average. It is 15
percent here compared to
3.9 percent nationwide.”
Unemployment is
affected by problems
plaguing many areas of
our country: drug addiction
and criminal records,
both of which hinder and
greatly diminish a person’s
ability to find a job.
There is an obvious
connection between
unemployment and low
income. Compounding
the problem of purchasing
food is the fact that
residents of Northwest
Jacksonville pay about
48 percent more than the
rest of the county, and
there are no major supermarkets
in the region. It’s
a food desert.
“The way we are
approaching this is
through a network of
150 organizations so that
together we can address
food insecurity through
the foodbank as one of
several issues that must
be addressed,” Castillo
said. “Another agency is
increasing employment
opportunities through
skills training, another
is providing clothing or
making counseling available.
No one agency can
address all the needs of
families and individuals
in distress. But together,
we can help a breadwinner
get back to work,
find suitable housing for
a family and the support
needed to make it without
us.”
Castillo pointed out
that putting a focus
on healthy food has a
definite impact on the
economy and on healthcare
costs.
“We looked at the
numbers and estimate
that the total cost of poor
nutrition for Northeast
Florida is approximately
$894 million annually,”
he said. “And, that is not
providing food. That is
for the medical, physical,
mental health and other
problems caused by poor
nutrition. Lost productivity,
hospitalizations,
poor education outcomes
— all have a dollar
impact on our community’s
economy.”
Feeding Northeast
Florida belongs to two
organizations: Feeding
Florida and Feeding
America.
“The resources of those
two organizations equip
us with processes that
work, statistics that tell
us where we need to do
more and organizational
support to help us get
it done,” Castillo said.
“To improve the nutritional
benefits of the food
we supply, we are now
including fresh produce,
dairy and lean protein.
Most people think of
foodbanks as shelves of
canned and boxed food,
both of which we use too.
But we have taken a large
step toward enhancing
the nutritional value of
meals with healthy foods.
Eighty-five percent of the
food we deliver falls in
that category.”
Some of the ways
Volunteers inspect, sort and package fresh produce for delivery throughout Feeding Northeast Florida’s eight-county
service area: Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval (and the Beaches), Flagler, Nassau and St. Johns, covering 4,700 square miles.
More than 10,000 volunteers give 30,000-plus hours each year, equivalent to 15 full-time employees.
Feeding Northeast
Florida fills in the gaps
for children include
snack packs, food-desert
mobile pantries, stable
pantries and network
programs. It is estimated
that one in four children
in Northeast Florida go to
bed hungry on any given
night. That is unacceptable,
Castillo said.
“Snack packs are
delivered to schools for
children to take home on
the weekends,” he said.
“Mobile pantries visit
neighborhoods without
any grocery stores,
and stable pantries are
being built and furnished
with refrigeration
units inside some of our
partner facilities. We
also delivery farm-fresh
produce, protein and
dry goods to some of our
network partners for
their distribution.”
There are similar fillin-the-gaps
programs for
senior citizens and military
personnel in the area,
active duty and veterans.
Breaking the cycle of
poverty takes more than
a meal on the table. It
requires a concerted and
focused intentional effort
of agencies, nonprofits
and ordinary citizens
to come together with
a purpose. Give people
a hand up today so that
they can break out of
that cycle and be able to
give someone else a hand
tomorrow.
When asked how the
community can be part
of the effort to break the
cycle of poverty, Castillo
had three suggestions:
• Be aware of the
Last year, more than 12.5 million meals were distributed,
and food, water and essentials — worth $40 million — were
provided to 160 partner agencies and programs serving
our area.
problem and the issues.
• Volunteer your time
to help assemble snack
packs for kids and senior
packs for the elderly.
Sort produce inspect
and package food for
distribution. “Give a
few hours, feed a few
thousand.”
• Donate money if
you are able. Feeding
Northeast Florida can
stretch your dollar to
buy more than you can.
Every dollar donated
can provide six meals. If
you really want to help,
let Feeding Northeast
Florida procure the food.
103108653

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J17
RETHREADED
From Page J6
“I started the same
way we did in India,” she
said. “I went to Philips
Highway and to prisons
and I listened to their
stories. The solution in
India was employment,
plus grace and love. That
would be the solution in
Jacksonville, too.”
In Jacksonville in 2012,
Keen and two other
women with a passion
for helping women
enslaved in trafficking
had a dream: They
would create a business
that would provide a
safe community, healing
and income for these
women. They had a
solution and a building
(but no air-conditioning).
Rethreaded was started,
patterned after the initiative
in India. That was
2012. Six years later, 35
women are employed in
production and sales and
administrative positions.
And, they now have
air-conditioning.
The gift shop provides
49 percent of the funding
for Rethreaded and offers
items made locally and
by women in the same
situation from around the
world. Candles, jewelry,
scarves, purses, dog toys
and specialty items are
handmade and offered for
sale.
Rethreaded’s other
income is from donations
(44 percent) and grants (7
percent).
Keen is justifiably
pleased with the progress
the company has made in
its outreach and its ability
to help raise awareness
for the cause.
“I am so proud of the
Jacksonville Sheriff’s
Office and the direction of
Melissa Nelson, our State
jacksonville gives Donovin Darius Foundation
Angela McAree of Rethreaded picks a color from the wall
of threads in the production area of the shop.
Attorney,” Keen said.
“Rather than charging
women with prostitution
and arresting them, law
enforcement acknowledges
that these women
are being controlled and
held captive for commercial
purposes, for someone
else’s profit. Now, law
enforcement seeks services
for the women.”
Keen is optimistic
about the future of
Rethreaded.
“We’ve had a building
donated to us that will
allow us to expand,” she
said. “We have partnered
with Southwest Airlines
and that will expand our
offerings with leather
jewelry and accessories
made from discarded
leather airline seats.
There is talk of adding a
men’s selection of leather
attaches, business portfolios
and business card
holders to expand our
customer base.”
Each work day at
Rethreaded begins with a
group prayer, Keen said,
and that prayer reflects
her dream to always welcome
and never say “no”
to any of the thousands
who need to be rescued
from human trafficking in
Jacksonville and around
the world.
EAT LOCAL
FOR LESS
Colorful dog toys made of recycled T-shirt material have become one of the shop’s top
sellers. [PHOTOS BY DEDE SMITH/SPECIAL]
Access Eats is a fun, unique way to try out new restaurants
and visit some of your favorite eateries in Jacksonville! You’ll receive
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J18 Sunday, November 11, 2018
MILLENNIALS
From Page J11
Sixtus
Atabong
McDonald
House with
critically
ill children
and their
parents.
The
events she
recalls from
childhood that shaped
her life, she said, were the
O.J. Simpson trial, 9-11
and the Gulf War. Her
father served in the first
Gulf War.
It was a mission trip
between her junior and
senior years at college
that convinced her a life
of service was her calling.
“I made six or seven
trips to Honduras, and
I knew I would always
want to be involved in
working for a purpose
and a purpose to make
life better for others,”
she said. “At Ronald
McDonald House, you
have to accept that you
cannot fix anything.
You can help the family
during their stay. Maybe
it’s playing bingo with
the family as a distraction.
Maybe it’s helping
with travel arrangements
or finding help for their
home responsibilities.”
When asked what she
wanted to be doing in
five years, she said, “the
same thing with more
responsibility.”
Jami Houston left a
higher-paying job in
the for-profit world to
become the Community
and Board liaison with
Boys & Girls Clubs, and
she hasn’t looked back.
“It was a very difficult
decision to make the leap
into non-profit from a
for-profit company that
had great benefits and a
much higher salary,” she
said. “In the end, it was
more of a calling than a
logical, strategic decision.
After a year of being
in my new non-profit
role, I wouldn’t trade it
for anything. I get to see
first-hand how our mission
is impacting lives
long-term and building
great futures for the kids
and teens who need it the
most. I get to invest my
time, energy, expertise,
and money into something
that I truly believe
in and value.”
Edward “Eddy”
McKinnon, a 25-yearold
native of Guyana,
is Builders Care’s new
construction supervisor.
McKinnon crossed
paths with Builders
Care, a charitable arm
of the Northeast Florida
Builders Association,
through HabiJax.
Working with Builders
Care has given McKinnon
an appreciation for
restoring older homes,
renovating them and
making them safe and
comfortable dwellings.
Whether new homes or
restored homes, working
in construction for a
nonprofit agency seems
to be his path to making a
difference in the world.
“I can have the most
impact on individuals,
communities and
even the world by helping
provide housing to
all people,” he said. “I
studied architecture and
where I am now, what
I’m doing now is giving
me a better understanding
of what people and
communities really need
in order to build stronger
families and a sense of
being part of the larger
community.”
Nature or nurture?
There has been some
debate about whether
traits such as compassion
are innate or learned.
Author, speaker and
medical professional
Sixtus Atabong believes
parents can stimulate
the development of some
positive characteristics.
“I believe we are born to
be good and to serve others
and help people achieve
their God-given potential,”
Atabong said. “I also
believe as parents we can
and should cultivate these
traits in our children. They
need a role model, and they
need to experience the joy
and satisfaction of helping
others early in life.”
Atabong, founder of the
Purpose Medical Mission
and author of "My Father’s
Gift: How One Man’s
Purpose Became a Journey
of Hope and Healing,''
offers the following tips
for communicating with
your children regularly
and often:
• First, begin with helping
your child understand
that he or she was created
for a purpose, and they
each have an identity of
their own.
• The second tip is to
teach by example. Take
your child to a soup
kitchen or church foodbank
and let them help.
Explain what you are
doing and why.
• Third, encourage your
children in leadership
roles in activities they
enjoy. “It is never too
early, and it is never too
late to find your passion.”
• The fourth tip is to
capitalize on their preference
to work in groups.
“Children love to work
in groups,” Atabong said,
“so invite their friends to
go along on a volunteer
project. Bring along the
softball team, and they
can have fun while being
productive.”
• The fifth tip seems to
be his favorite.
“We all have so much
stuff,” he said. “I grew up
on a small farm in Africa.
I know what it means
to have nothing, and I
know what it means to
have something. I want
my children to appreciate
what they have, so
several times a year we go
through all our stuff.
"The kids go through
their toys and belongings
and bring out the things
they no longer use,'' he
said. "Then they — not
the parents — carry the
bags and boxes into the
donation center. It is
exciting to them, and
something they look forward
to.”
For millennials like Kate Corrigan, a case manager for
Catholic Charities, an appreciation of what it means to
help others was instilled in her when she attended Bishop
Kenny High School as volunteering was a graduation
requirement. [DEDE SMITH/SPECIAL]
Working with Builders Care has given Eddy McKinnon an
appreciation for restoring older homes, renovating them
and making them safe and comfortable dwellings. Whether
new homes or restored homes, working in construction
for a nonprofit agency seems to be his path to making a
difference in the world. [DEDE SMITH/SPECIAL]
Allie Runnestand of Ronald McDonald House says it was a
mission trip between her junior and senior years at college
that convinced her a life of service was her calling. [DEDE
SMITH/SPECIAL]

Sunday, November 11, 2018 J19
FAST FACTS ABOUT
THE NONPROFIT
SECTOR
Representatives from several agencies break out into group discussions at a meeting held at the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida in downtown
Jacksonville. [SPECIAL]
OVERVIEW
From Page J2
the industry. By working
collaboratively, services
are delivered more efficiently
and effectively.
“The report also
pointed out that that
when big donors suddenly
pull out, there is
a significant impact,”
Coughlin said. “It has
been suggested that we
need to develop a culture
of giving in the community
that encourages
people at all income
levels to donate, at
whatever level they can
afford.”
The 2013 report was
guardedly optimistic.
It is titled, “Nonprofit
Finances Improving,
but there are many
miles to go to regain lost
ground.”
The United Way of
Northeast Florida, like
the Nonprofit Center
of Northeast Florida,
promotes and collaborates
with other agencies
in the area and provides
direct services to
clients. United Way has
responded in a similar
manner to changes in
the general economy
and finding new ways
to be able to continue
helping people in the
community.
“We have adjusted our
processes and messaging
to signal to the public
that we are focusing on
a united community, a
way of giving, as well as
an entity to accomplish
change in the community,”
Michelle Braun,
president and CEO of
United Way Northeast
Florida, said. “By saying,
‘Give United’ and ‘Live
United,’ we are telling
our community giving
united is an approach
to giving, rather than
saying we are receiving
your donations and distributing
them for you.
It is subtle perhaps, but
it makes a difference in
how we approach what
we do. We are united
in our giving, in our
living.”
United Way also is
reexamining its area
served, its processes
and the way it analyzes
problems.
“Approximately 1.45
million people reside in
our service area,” Braun
said. “Thirty-six percent,
more than 191,000
households, are below
what we are calling the
ALICE threshold.”
ALICE is United
Way’s acronym for
asset-limited, incomeconstrained,
employed,
and it describes a community
of employed
individuals struggling to
make ends meet. Braun
said one in three in our
community is working
but still needs help to
feed, clothe and house a
household.
“It is our mission to
connect the people,
resources and ideas
necessary to create and
implement solutions,”
Braun said. “Even after
three years of recovery
from the recession,
we’ve seen only a
small decrease in the
number of households
living below the ALICE
threshold — only a half
percent. That means
we need to build on that
bit of success to make
bigger and sustainable
strides in our efforts
to raise hard-working
people above the ALICE
threshold.”
• Employed more than 10.6
percent of the workforce in
2013 (14.4 million workers).
More individuals work for
nonprofit employers than are
employed in national defense,
construction, real estate, and
space research combined.
• Contributed $634 billion in
wages and salaries, 8.9 percent
of all wages and salaries
paid in the United States in
2013.
• Contributed an estimated
$937.7 billion to the U.S.
economy in 2014, 5.4 percent
of the country’s gross domestic
product; would rank as the
16th largest economy among
the 199 nations tracked by the
World Bank.
• As of December 2016, there
were 1,202,719 public charities
and private foundations in the
U.S.
• Governments at all levels
paid $130 billion to nonprofit
organizations for services
in 2014, but government did
not pay the full costs of the
services performed. Most
receive 15 percent or less,
and about one third reported
decreases in contracts as a
percentage of revenues. At the
state and local level, government
late payments affected
approximately 30 to 35 percent
nonprofit contractors.
• About 62.6 million people,
or 24.9 percent of Americans
age 16 and older, volunteered
through or for a nonprofit
organization at least once
between September 2014 and
September 2015, averaging 52
hours annually per person. The
estimated value of volunteer
time for 2016 is $24.14 per
hour, equaling an estimated
$1.5 trillion.
• Nonprofits work in every
community: caring for returning
soldiers, rebuilding cities,
educating children, supporting
the workforce, nursing the
sick, supporting our elders,
elevating the arts, mentoring
our youth, protecting natural
resources, and more.
Source: National Council of
Nonprofits

J20 Sunday, November 11, 2018