Jacksonville Gives 2019

PRESENT 

JACKSONVILLE 

GIVES 

2019 

Many words 

describe our 

caring ways 

Jacksonville has long been known as a city that steps up when the need arises. It is a city with great 

heart, generosity and compassion — just three of many words that describe our passion to help others. 

Your passion may be feeding the hungry or sheltering the homeless or guiding youngsters to a 

happier life. It may be helping to save lives or bringing joy to those with disabilities. Whatever that 

passion is, put it to good use by supporting at least one of many nonprofit organizations in Northeast 

Florida. If you don’t yet have a passion for a cause, read about six organizations and the United Way of 

Northeast Florida featured in this fourth annual section that could use — in two words — your support. 

Help our city … and find your passion. 

#jaxgives

J2 Sunday, November 10, 2019 

JACKSONVILLE GIVES A SECTION OVERVIEW 

“At United Way, we 

fundamentally believe 

it is our role to connect 

people, resources and 

ideas to provide that 

help and to find new 

solutions. My hope is 

that more people will 

join the movement 

to Live United and 

help improve our 

community now and in 

the future.” 

— Michelle Braun 

President and CEO 

United Way 

of Northeast Florida 

It may look like play, but every volunteer effort has a serious purpose. Change doesn’t happen just through fundraising. United Way of Northeast 

Florida’s volunteer and community engagement department offers groups and individuals hundreds of community service events in partnership 

with local agencies. 

About United Way of 

Northeast Florida 

Founded in 1924, United 

Way of Northeast Florida 

has earned a reputation as 

a respected and efficient 

philanthropic organization. 

United Way envisions 

a community of opportunity 

where everyone has 

hope and can reach their 

full potential. Because 

change doesn’t happen 

alone, United Way’s mission 

is to solve Northeast 

Florida’s toughest challenges 

by connecting 

people, resources and 

ideas. The nonprofit organization 

focuses on five 

causes: comprehensive 

basic needs, high-quality 

education, good health 

and well-being, financial 

security and social 

innovation. United Way’s 

long tradition of addressing 

the human-service 

needs in Duval, Baker, 

Clay, Nassau and Northern 

St. Johns counties is made 

possible through the 

commitment of thousands 

of volunteers, donors 

and community partners. 

Volunteer and giving 

opportunities through 

United Way are open to 

individuals, groups and 

corporations. 

To give online, visit 

unitedwaynefl.org/give. 

To volunteer, visit unitedwaynefl.org/volunteer. 

Individuals are needed to 

mentor, read to preschoolers, 

help people file their 

taxes, teach workshops 

and more through a wide 

range of community 

partners. 

To learn more, visit 

unitedwaynefl.org, or 

follow @unitedwaynefl 

on Facebook, Twitter and 

Instagram. 

ABOUT THIS 

SECTION 

Jacksonville Gives 2019 

was produced by the 

Specialty Publications 

Department of the Florida 

Times-Union and Times- 

Union Media. 

Managing of Editor of 

Specialty Audience: Joe 

DeSalvo 

Section writer: Jean 

Sealey, a Jacksonvillebased 

freelance writer. 

Section design: GateHouse 

Media Center for News & 

Design 

Section photos: 

Photographs used in this 

section have been provided 

by the agencies. 

Cover illustration: Getty 

Images 

Times-Union Media 

Publisher: Bill Offill 

Times-Union Media Sales 

Manager: David Sandeen 

Times-Union Digital Sales 

Director: Liz Borten 

DIVERSE & GENEROUS 

Charitable donations, 

volunteerism play 

import role today 

and tomorrow 

Jacksonville’s population 

is diverse. It is diverse on 

factors such as race, income, 

education level, age, religion 

and other characteristics. 

Jacksonville’s population 

is also generous as 

evidenced by the sampling 

of nonprofit organizations 

highlighted in the 2019 edition 

of Jacksonville Gives. 

A closer look at these organizations 

and the people who 

operate them offers hope and 

reassurance that the needs 

of people along the spectrum 

of our diverse population 

are being addressed. 

HabiJax focuses on individuals 

and families who 

cannot afford safe housing. 

Hubbard House also helps 

people in abusive living situations 

find suitable housing, 

while addressing employment 

and safety issues. 

The Boy Scouts of America 

North Florida Council and 

the Girl Scouts of Gateway 

Council reach out to young 

people from all walks of 

life to enrich their lives and 

prepare them for the future. 

Compass Rose Foundation’s 

Jones Technical Institute 

concentrates on training for 

jobs as diesel mechanics and 

commercial truck drivers, 

careers that do not require a 

four-year college degree, but 

have a high earning potential 

and are in demand. 

Fresh Ministries tackles 

poverty, hunger and injustice 

with a variety of programs, 

all of which seek to provide 

long-term solutions by 

starting with the children 

who suffer most from these 

conditions. Its Beaver Street 

Enterprises Center, Fresh 

Futures Youth Programs, 

Native Fresh Economic 

Development Center are 

part of the FreshMinistries’ 

ultimate goal to end 

hunger in our time. 

Where we are today 

Jacksonville Gives 2019 

tells the stories of six of the 

approximately 1,350 nonprofits, 

as defined by the 

Internal Revenue Service, 

on the First Coast. 

“We are a philanthropic 

community,” Michelle 

Braun, president and CEO 

of United Way of Northeast 

Florida. “United Way of 

Northeast Florida focuses 

on ways to ensure individual 

and family success, 

and ultimately, a vibrant 

community. The causes we 

focus on are basic needs, 

high-quality education, good 

health and well-being, financial 

security and social innovation 

– and we have many 

outstanding partners helping 

us with this critical work.” 

Looking at 353,946 households 

in Duval County alone, 

Matching volunteers’ purpose with passion is key to United Way’s ability to help families make ends meet, 

overcome student challenges in the classroom, and connect individuals to critical health resources. [PHOTOS 

PROVIDED BY UNITED WAY] 

First Coast Nonprofits by Mission 

Nonprofits provide many different services for the community: They feed the hungry; heal the sick; care 

for those in need; enrich our lives through the arts; celebrate our cultures; educate us; inspire us; and help 

us protect ourselves and our environment. 

To better understand the roles nonprofits play, the State of the Sector* sorts organizations into 21 distinct 

mission fields that are generally compatible with the classifications used by the IRS when granting tax 

exemptions. 

Roughly half of the filing nonprofits on the First Coast are engaged in some form of education, health or 

human service mission. The remainder are spread across a variety of fields, from arts & culture to booster 

clubs. Approximately 2,000 nonprofits were included in the State of the Sector report analysis. 

EDUCATION (26.9%) 

Arts & Culture.........................................................8.9% 

Education B-12........................................................8.6% 

Parent-Teacher Organizations..............................2.4% 

Higher Education....................................................1.0% 

Scholarships...........................................................2.1% 

Professional Affiliations........................................3.9% 

HEALTH (14.1%) 

Health General....................................................... 9.7% 

Health Institutions.................................................4.4% 

HUMAN SERVICES (18.1%) 

Human Services General.......................................9.4% 

Human Services, Elders.........................................1.6% 

Human Services, Youth..........................................5.9% 

Human Services, Veterans....................................1.2% 

Braun said 40 percent are 

living at or below a threshold 

that allows meeting only 

basic needs, according to 

the 2018 ALICE Report by 

United Way of Florida. 

“The ALICE — or asset 

limited, income constrained, 

employed — threshold scale 

describes what we might call 

‘the working poor,’” Braun 

said. “Annual income for a 

single adult would be just 

more than $20,000, and 

that would have to pay for 

housing, food, transportation, 

health care, technology 

such as phones and computer 

service, and miscellaneous 

expenses for a total of $1,718 

per month. The assumption 

is that a person making $10.31 

can survive at this level.” 

Braun pointed out that, 

at this low-income level, 

there is no savings, no 

entertainment or leisure 

activities and economy 

housing. 

For a family of four — two 

adults and two children — the 

budget is similarly restricted. 

The annual income to support 

that family is $56,100. 

Below the ALICE level is 

considered poverty. 

“Obviously, people in this 

situation need our help,” 

Braun said. “United Way has 

been bringing people and 

agencies together so we can 

solve problems together. 

We’ve been doing this for 

95 years, and we will never 

waver in our commitment 

to making this a community 

of opportunity, where 

resources are available and 

everyone has hope to reach 

their full potential. We stand 

by that commitment.” 

The current trends 

COMMUNITY SUPPORTS (11.8%) 

Housing...................................................................3.2% 

Public Support & Benefit.......................................5.7% 

Community Development.....................................1.5% 

Public Safety...........................................................1.4% 

OTHER (29.2%) 

Environment & Animal Welfare............................5.4% 

Religion....................................................................9.8% 

Sports & Recreation...............................................6.9% 

Booster Clubs.........................................................1.5% 

International...........................................................5.6% 

*-State of the Sector, September 2019, Nonprofit 

Center of Northeast Florida 

in giving are cause for 

concern nationwide 

and in Jacksonville. 

“The Nonprofit Center’s 

State of the Sector Report 

indicates a national downward 

trend both in the number 

of people donating and 

the amount they donate,” 

Braun said. “For United 

Way nationwide, giving was 

down 1.1 percent, matching 

the national decline. What 

is troubling for us is that 

locally, our giving was down 

2 percent year-over-year.” 

Where we are headed 

Florida is now the third 

most populous state in the 

nation, but in charitable 

giving it, is ranked 44th and 

50th for volunteerism. 

To better understand 

the preferences of our 

See OVERVIEW, J15

Sunday, November 10, 2019 J3


JACKSONVILLE GIVES HABIJAX 

BUILDING BRIGHTER FUTURE 

Mission: ‘Bringing people 

together to build homes, 

community and hope’ 

“A HabiJax home is 

much more than a 

comfortable, safe 

structure. It is hope. 

It is a future. The new 

homeowners have 

invested hours of labor 

and met eligibility 

requirements to be able 

to move in.’’ 

— Mary Kay O’Rourke 

President 

HabiJax 

Habitat for Humanity of 

Jacksonville (HabiJax) 

2404 Hubbard St. 

Jacksonville, FL 32206 

Toll Free: (877) 237-1295 

(904) 798-4529 

Website: habijax.org 

Volunteer information: 

habijax.org/volunteer 

Donor information: habijax. 

org/donate 

ReStore Locations 

5800 Beach Blvd. 


(904) 208-6648 

6260 103rd St. 


(904) 575-4348 

Website 

habijax.org/restore 

HabiJax is the Jacksonville 

affiliate of Habitat for 

Humanity, and it is one of the 

largest non-profit affordable 

home builders in Duval 

County. It ranks as one of 

the most successful of the 

Habitat for Humanity affiliates, 

having provided homeownership 

opportunities and 

other housing services to 

more than 2,300 families. 

HabiJax is an advocate for 

affordable housing and fair 

housing policies and provides 

workshops and other training 

to help families improve their 

housing conditions. HabiJax 

is a multifaceted organization 

with many roles: builder, 

community developer, 

mortgage lender and affordable 

housing advocate. 

It all started 

Nearly 50 years ago, outside 

Americus, Gerogia, 

Miller and Linda Fuller and 

Koinonia Farm founder 

Clarence Jordan, developed 

the concept of “partnership 

housing,” wherein 

those in need of adequate 

shelter would work side by 

side with volunteers to build 

decent, affordable houses 

at no profit. House payments 

were combined with 

no-interest loans provided 

by supporters and money 

was earned by fundraising 

to create a fund for building 

more homes. Habitat 

for Humanity International 

was created in 1976. 

In March 1988, in 

Jacksonville, nine affordable 

housing visionaries from 

various faith congregations 

came together seeking a way 

to provide safe affordable 

housing options here. As a 

result of their collaboration, 

they formed and incorporated 

HabiJax as an affiliate 

of the international organization, 

Habitat for Humanity. 

Volunteers from Mandarin Presbyterian learn new skills as they work on framing a new home in keeping 

with a faith tradition that reaches out to those in need. 

Along with the interfaith 

community, the Jessie Ball 

duPont Fund provided 

initial startup funding. 


Last year, 2018, HabiJax 

reached a landmark — 30 

years of providing homes 

to some of the area’s most 

vulnerable citizens and 

contributing to quality of 

life of the larger community. 

Rather than throw an 

anniversary party, HabiJax 

celebrated with an interfaith 

build where congregations 

joined together 

to build a new affordable 

home for the Floyd family. 

Mary Kay O’Rourke, 

who has headed HabiJax 

for 15 years, said that 

over its 30-year history, 

HabiJax has made it possible 

for 2,300 families 

to achieve the American 

dream of homeownership. 

“As remarkable and wonderful 

as that is, HabiJax has 

contributed significantly 

to the overall economy and 

quality of life in and around 

Jacksonville,” O’Rourke 

said. “Our homeowners have 

paid Duval County more 

than $21 million in property 

taxes, our construction 

activity has generated more 

than $10.6 million in taxes 

and fees and we’ve created 

more than 2,000 full-time 

local jobs in construction 

and related industries.” 

A HabiJax single-family 

home is designed in the 

traditional house styles of 

the neighborhood. The house 

itself is a one- or two-story 

dwelling between 1,000 to 

1,350 square feet. Homes 

are equipped with central 

heating and air conditioning, 

energy-efficient appliances, 

a shed or garage, a 

driveway, vinyl siding and 

landscaping. Interior rooms 

are painted off-white and 

feature mini-blinds on all 

windows, ceiling fans in 

the living room and all bedrooms, 

wall-to-wall carpeting 

throughout except for the 

kitchen, bathrooms, entry 

way and laundry area where 

floors are vinyl. Several 

exterior styles are available, 

and designs are updated, new 

ones added as is the custom 

in new-home communities. 

“A HabiJax home is much 

more than a comfortable, 

safe structure,” O’Rourke 

said. “It is hope. It is a future. 

The new homeowners have 

invested hours of labor and 

met eligibility requirements 

to be able to move in. The 

benefits extend to the entire 

neighborhood, too. Pride in 

the neighborhood seems to 

increase as other residents 

respond to the changes and 

see the possibilities.” 

The Habitat for Humanity 

mission is “Seeking to put 

God’s love into action, 

bringing people together 

to build homes, community 

and hope.” 

The compassionate and 

generous response from 

individuals, businesses, 

community leaders and 

philanthropists has been 

essential to that mission. 

Business owner and developer 

Greg Matovina was 

appointed to the HabiJax 

Board of Directors in the 

late 1990s, and in 2005, 

he experienced a change 

in his life that deepened 

See HABIJAX, J15 

Publix is one of the business partners that encourages its employees to participate in HabiJax home building projects as a team-building exercise and to help others. [PHOTOS PROVIDED 

BY HABIJAX] 

Soon-to-be homeowner, Raya, works on her 300 sweat equity hours by greeting visitors at 

the HabiJax main office on Hubbard Street. 

Moving in day is cause for celebration. After investing time and money into their 

new home and experiencing first-hand the support and encouragement of a larger 

community, HabiJax homeowners are instilled with gratitude, pride and hope.



JACKSONVILLE GIVES FRESHMINISTRIES 

PROGRAMS ENRICHING LIVES 

“We’re so excited about 

the future. We know we 

can make a difference 

— we already have! We 

have had an impact 

on the lives of nearly a 

million young people in 

our 27-year history. We 

are not about to put the 

brakes on now.” 

— Dr. Robert V. Lee III 

Chairman and CEO 

FreshMinistries 

FreshMinistries Inc. 

1131 N. Laura St. 


(904) 355-0000 

freshministries.org 

Weaver Center 

for Community 

Outreach 

616 A. Philip Randolph 

Blvd. 


(904) 854-6770 

Beaver Street 

Enterprise Center 

1225 W. Beaver St./728 

Blanche St. 


(904) 265-4700 

bsecenter.net 

Goal is to empower 

individuals to 

taste success 

FreshMinistries focuses 

on core-city Jacksonville 

through programs, facilities 

and initiatives to teach financial 

literacy, life skills, job 

preparation, business incubation 

and other initiatives. 

Adhering to the 

Millennium Development 

Goals adopted by the United 

Nations as a framework to 

end poverty in our time, 

FreshMinistries is active on a 

global level. Local programs 

include the Beaver Street 

Enterprises Center, Fresh 

Futures/Fresh Paths Youth 

Programs, Weaver Center 

for Community Outreach, 

LifePoint Career Institute 

and Native Fresh Economic 

Development Center. 


In 1992, the Rev. Dr. 

Robert V. Lee III, an 

Episcopalian priest with a 

master’s degree from Yale 

University and doctorate 

of theology from New 

York Theological Seminary, 

turned down an invitation 

to assume leadership of a 

large church in Houston, 

Texas, stepped down from 

the pulpit, and answered 

what he describes as a calling 

on his life. Desiring to 

be a direct provider of services 

to those in need, Lee 

started FreshMinistries. 


Last month, 

FreshMinistries traveled 

to New York City to 

launch its newest initiative, 

the Desmond Tutu 

Project for Global Hunger. 

“Through this initiative, 

we are helping some of 

At-risk teens gain life skills and employment in summer jobs thanks to partnerships with community 

employers. Of the 1,350 young people who have participated in this life-changing program, 93 

percent maintained a minimum of a 2.5 grade-point average to earn a summer job. [PHOTS PROVIDED BY 

FRESHMINISTRIES] 

the poorest, most desperate 

people on the planet 

through a global network 

of Agribusiness Economic 

Development Centers — all 

within reach by the Anglican 

Communion and other initiative 

partners,” Lee said. 

“We are working to create 

agricultural business incubation 

programs to alleviate 

food insecurities in the 

Virgin Islands, Haiti and 

other island states and Africa 

through aquaponics. This is 

state-of-the-art, climateresilient 

greenhouse farming 

in areas that currently must 

import nearly all their food.” 

Aquaponics uses 96% 

less water than traditional 

farming, produces exponentially 

more growth with 

no soil required. Much 

less land area is required. 

A production farm can be 

built on one-seventh of an 

acre. FreshMinistries has 

an active, USDA-approved 

farm in Jacksonville, just 

a few blocks from the 

Laura Street office. 

FreshMinistries’ local 

initiatives are dedicated to 

building hope, changing 

lives and investing in the 

future. An interfaith nonprofit 

outreach organization, 

FreshMinistries has one goal: 

eliminate extreme poverty 

by empowering communities 

and individuals to realize 

their full potential. 

Or, as Chief of Staff Shelly 

Marino describes it, “leveling 

the playing field.” 

“And, we do that by educating, 

providing economic 

opportunities and health 

initiatives to people struggling 

with poverty in our 

inner city and other underserved 

areas,” Marino said. 

“People don’t choose poverty 

and homelessness, but 

they become stuck in those 

circumstances. We offer 

hope and a helping hand.” 

A basic operating principle 

of FreshMinistries is that 

when opportunities are made 

available to overcome the 

barriers to success, people 

will respond and accept a 

helping hand that respects 

them as individuals. 

Beaver Street 

Enterprises Center 

“Beaver Street Enterprise 

Center was created in 2004 

to restore economic health 

in an area that has been 

economically distressed,” 

Lee said. “By providing 

the resources, individuals 

empowered to start 

their own businesses and 

taste success. They are 

empowered and thrive on 

the dignity and self-respect 

that success brings.” 

Resources provided by 

Beaver Street Enterprise 

Center include professional 

office space, receptionist 

services and technical 

assistance with marketing 

strategies, business plans and 

networking. In 2010, Beaver 

Street Enterprise Center 

was voted by more than 500 

See FRESH, J7 

LifePoint Career Institute has trained 1,500 individuals, with an impressive employment rate of 96 percent. Open to the public, vocational training and certification are designed for 

unemployed and underemployed adults. Scholarships from funding partners cover expenses for up to 99 percent of students. It is also possible for LifePoint students to earn a GED 

from Florida State College at Jacksonville while attending vocational training. 

The Weaver Center hosts some FreshMinistries activities and serves the larger community 

as a gathering place for adults such as money-management workshops, neighborhood 

meetings, parent training, tutoring and much more. 

Growing produce without soil or water is an innovative approach to the problem of 

world hunger. Nature Fresh produce is grown in a 6,000-square-foot hot house near 

Springfield. Duval County schools purchases Nature Fresh for student lunches, and 

school children learn the science on a field trip to the farm.

Sunday, November 10, 2019 

J7 

FRESH 

From Page J6 

other business incubators as 

the No. 1 business incubator 

in the world. Two hundred 

new businesses were 

launched, 2,000 new jobs 

created, and an economic 

impact of $300 million. 

Children and youth 

are a major focus of 

FreshMinistries at the 

J. Wayne and Delores 

Barr Weaver Center for 

Community Outreach 

and though programs and 

initiatives such as Fresh 

Futures/Fresh Paths and the 

LifePoint Career Institute. 

The Weaver Center 

grew out of a dream to 

improve the Jacksonville 

core-city community. 

“This facility serves as a 

safe harbor for the youth in 

the community,” Marino 

said. “It’s also a gathering 

place for adult activities 

such as money-management 

workshops, neighborhood 

meetings, parent training, 

tutoring and so much more.” 

The Fresh Futures program 

helps more than 100 atrisk 

teens gain life skills 

and summer employment. 

Qualifying students 

are placed in summer jobs 

thanks to partnerships with 

community employers. 

“When we started this 

program, it was not easy to 

convince business leaders to 

hire our students,” Lee said. 

“However, once the program 

was in operation and 

we had the numbers to prove 

its success, we started to 

see more employment partners 

eager to participate.” 

Ninety-three percent 

of the 1,350 participants 

earned summer employment 

by maintaining at 

least a 2.5 grade-point 

average in school. 

Fresh Path is a similar program 

with equally impressive 

success. Starting with 188 

youth in 2015, the program, 

which began as a federally 

funded program under the 

U.S. Department grew to 

include to 244 youth enrolled 

and 76 on a waiting list. 

Fresh Ministries’ Robert Lee and Shelly Marino traveled to New York City last month to help launch a global 

initiative “to end hunger in our time’’ with Desmond Tutu. Pictured are Desmond Tutu, Robert Lee, Leah Tutu 

and Shelly Marino. 

This program is for courtinvolved 

youth and young 

adults and offers them training 

and skills and assistance 

finding jobs. Although the 

grant has ended, the program 

continues. During the grant 

period, recidivism was less 

than 15%, and 256 records 

were expunged. Lee said it 

ranked as the no. 1 program 

out of 19 similar programs 

across the country funded 

by the U.S. Department of 

Labor for court-involved 

youth in the nation. 

“Everything we do, we 

do for the children, which 

means we’re investing in the 

future,” Lee said. “To eliminate 

poverty, it is important 

that we reach our young people 

and equip them to break 

the cycle that keeps them 

trapped in the situations they 

find themselves,” Lee said. 

“Education is a key component, 

along with life skills, 

access to mentors and safe 

places to play and socialize.” 

The LifePoint Career 

Institute provides vocational 

training and exam 

certification specifically 

for unemployed and underemployed 

adults. Enrollment 

is open to the public. 

“The success of this program 

relies heavily on our 

community partners,” 

Marino said. “Nationally 

recognized certification is 

available in the hospitality 

industry, and a tutoring 

program is available to help 

students earn certification as 

a nursing assistant. Funding 

partners provide scholarships 

for up to 99 percent of 

students making enrollment 

accessible. We have a relationship 

with Florida State 

College at Jacksonville that 

allows students to attend 

our vocational training while 

working on a GED at FSCJ.” 

LifePoint has trained 1,500 

individuals and boasts an 

employment rate of 96%. 

“In answering the call 

to ‘love thy neighbor,’ we 

must go to the neighborhoods 

that have been forgotten 

or neglected,” Lee 

said. “We must reach out 

to the marginalized, the 

oppressed and those who 

have lost hope. If we can’t 

give them hope, who will?” 


and how you can help… 

“We’re so excited about 

the future,” Lee said. “We 

know we can make a difference 

— we already have! 

We have had an impact on 

the lives of nearly a million 

young people in our 27-year 

history. We are not about 

to put the brakes on now.” 

The newly launched aquaponics 

initiative has the 

potential to feed millions 

around the globe, including 

the United States where 

jobs are needed, and land and 

water do not support traditional 

farming methods. 

The success of intervention 

programs for at-risk 

youth make those programs 

a model that is transferrable 

to a national and global scale. 

FreshMinistries invites 

the community to volunteer 

to be mentors, tutors 

and employment partners. 

Your financial contributions 

are an investment in 

our community’s future by 

bringing at-risk children, 

families and communities 

the resources they need to 

be part of that future, too.


JACKSONVILLE GIVES 

NORTH FLORIDA COUNCIL OF 

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA 

SCOUTING EXPANDS OUTREACH 

“Scouting teaches 

values that prepare 

young people for life. 

Young people who 

engage in the programs 

of the BSA stay crimefree, 

advance in 

school grade level and 

perform on average 

15 years of annual 

community service. 

Scouting has removed 

all barriers for 

young people to join, 

regardless of gender, 

sexual orientation or 

socio-economic status.” 

— Jack Sears 

Scout Executive/CEO 

North Florida Council 

Boy Scouts of America 

Scout Oath: 

On my honor I will do my 

best to do my duty to 

God and my country and 

to obey the Scout Law; 

to help other people at 

all times; to keep myself 

physically strong, mentally 

awake and morally 

straight. 

Scout LawOath: 

A Scout is trustworthy, 

loyal, helpful, friendly, 

courteous, kind, obedient, 

cheerful, thrifty, brave, 

clean and reverent. 

Boy Scouts of 

America 

North Florida Council 

Service Center, Store, 

Administrative Offices 

521 S. Edgewood Ave., 

Jacksonville 32205 

(904) 388-0591 

nfcscouting.org 

Programs develop 

character, citizenship, 

leadership, life 

skills and fitness 

The Boy Scouts of America 

is one of the largest youth 

organizations in the United 

States. The local chapter, 

the North Florida Council, 

serves 17 Florida counties. 

Year-round programs are 

offered to develop character, 

citizenship, leadership, 

life skills and fitness. 

More than 110 million 

Americans have participated 

in BSA programs since it 

was founded in 1910. The 

BSA is part of the international 

Scout Movement 

and became a founding 

member organization of the 

World Organization of the 

Scout Movement in 1922. 


When American newspaper 

publisher William Boyce 

was visiting London in the 

early 1900s, he lost his way 

in the London fog. He was 

given directions by a boy on 

the street, and when Boyce 

attempted to tip the boy, 

he refused, saying, “I’m a 

Scout.” Boyce was curious, 

and the boy led him to 

the office of Robert Baden- 

Powell, a legendary cavalry 

officer, whose handbook 

for soldiers on tracking, 

hiding and reconnaissance 

titled “Aids to Scouting” 

had become popular among 

young boys. So popular 

that Baden-Powell rewrote 

it for a younger audience 

and then took some of the 

boys on a camping trip. 

That was the beginning of 

the Scouting movement. 

Boyce brought the concept 

and Baden-Powell’s 

ideas home and incorporated 

the first American 

Scout group in 1910. 


The North Florida 

Council of the BSA was 

founded in 1911. Today, 

it serves more than 13,751 

youth members and 4,480 

adult leaders in Duval, 

Clay, St. Johns, Putnam, 

Nassau, Baker, Bradford, 

Alachua, Marion, Columbia, 

Suwannee, Hamilton, Levy, 

Gilchrist, Dixie, Lafayette 

and Union counties. 

Jack Sears is the Scout 

Executive/Chief Executive 

Officer overseeing the 

Scouting activities in 

Scouts work as a team during a stretcher relay at summer camp. 

[PHOTOS PROVIDED BY NORTH FLORIDA COUNCIL OF BSA] 

this area. Sears began his 

Scouting experience with 

a Scout troop in Mount 

Hope, West Virginia. 

“Our focus is to increase 

our outreach to youth in the 

urban core, especially teenage 

boys,” Sears said. “We 

have added staff to provide 

character-building education, 

physical education and 

life skills through churches 

and in low-income housing. 

We also want to increase 

their world view by taking 

them on outdoor adventures 

and exposing them to social 

and cultural activities.” 

The Robert E. and Monica 

Flynn Jacoby ScoutReach 

Division takes Scouting 

to urban and rural areas 

in North Florida. 

“ScoutReach is the BSA’s 

way of ensuring all young 

people, from all walks of 

life, have a chance to join 

Scouting,” Sears said. “We 

form partnerships with 

chartered organizations that 

share our goals and values 

within underserved communities 

and together we work 

to prepare young people 

to be leaders and responsible, 

principled adults.” 

Chartered organizations 

include churches, 

schools, American Legion 

Post 197, Eureka Gardens 

Apartments, Washington 

Heights Community Center, 

Police Athletic League 

Westside, Sulzbacher 

Center and others. 

Sears said the numbers 

show ScoutReach is having 

an impact. In 2018, 

606 Scouts were enrolled 

in ScoutReach programs, 

70 merit badges were 

awarded, and one young man 

earned Scouting’s highest 

rank of Eagle Scout. 

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s 

Office is another community 

partner in the ongoing efforts 

of the North Florida Council. 

By monitoring data from 

the JSO, it was reported that 

fewer than one half of 1% of 

Scouts have negative contact 

with law enforcement 

and zero capital offenses. 

Beginning in the fall of 

2018 and into the spring 

of 2019, the Boy Scouts of 

America expanded its program 

offerings to include 

girls and young women. 

Now girls can participate 

in the elementary age Cub 

Scouts, and older middleand 

high-school youth in the 

Scouts BSA program. Young 

women can work toward 

the Eagle Scout Rank in 

gender-specific Girl Troops. 

“We are and continue to be 

the Boy Scouts of America,” 

Sears said. “The changes we 

have made to programs for 

younger and older Scouts 

did not change our organizational 

name or our mission. 

We continue our mission to 

give young people the tools 

and experiences they need to 

lead moral, ethical lives.” 

Even though the BSA’s 

structure has changed 

to accommodate serving 

girls, the BSA’s traditional 

values embedded in the 

Scout Oath and the Scout 

Law have not changed. 

“Parents and families 

have many outstanding and 

worthwhile program options 

for their children,” Sears 

said. “Boys and Girls Club, 

YMCA, American Heritage 

Girls, 4-H, Girl Scouts, 

Girls Inc., organized sports 

teams and many faith-based 

and school-based programs 

enrich the lives of many 

young people. By offering 

all BSA programs to boys 

and girls, the Boy Scouts of 

America makes available 

additional positive youth 

development programs as 

options and opportunities 

for families to consider 

for their children.” 


As the North Florida 

Council approaches its 

100th anniversary, Sears 

believes that Scouting 

programs are as relevant 

today as they were when 

the Boy Scouts of America 

was incorporated in 1910. 

“Scouting teaches values 

that prepare young people 

for life,” he said. “Young 

people who engage in the 

programs of the BSA stay 

crime-free, advance in 

school grade level and perform 

on average 15 years of 

annual community service. 

Scouting has removed all 

barriers for young people 

to join, regardless of gender, 

sexual orientation or 

socio-economic status.” 

Sears quotes Gerald B. 

Tjoflat, the longest-serving 

active federal appeals court 

judge in U.S. history and former 

president of the North 

Florida Council’s volunteer 

board, who stated that “the 

BSA is this country’s greatest 

values-transfer program 

from one generation to the 

next.’’ Sears sees that as a 

challenge to strengthen and 

enlarge the proven programs, 

modify and improve delivery 

systems and programs to 

meet the changing demands 

of our youth and remain 

faithful to the original mission 

and principles of the 

Boy Scouts of America. 

How you can help 

Volunteers and financial 

support are invited and welcome. 

Donations can be made 

through Friends of Scouting, 

memorials and tributes and 

Send a Scout to Camp sponsorships 

(online at nfcscouting. 

org). For more information 

about volunteer opportunities 

and ways to help advance 

the mission of the BSA in your 

community, contact the BSA 

North Florida Council. 

The BSA’s North Florida Council is focused on increasing its outreach to youth in the urban 

core. One such unit is Pack 705 at Tiger Academy, located in Northwest Jacksonville. 

Boy Scouts of America expanded its program offerings this past year to include 

girls and young women. Now girls can participate in the elementary-age Cub 

Scouts, and older middle- and high-school youth in the Scouts BSA program. Young 

women can work toward the Eagle Scout Rank in gender-specific Girl Troops.



JACKSONVILLE GIVES HUBBARD HOUSE 

SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS 

“Even when survivors 

are safe, they carry 

fears and concerns 

related to the abuse. 

So, we use a variety of 

modalities and tools to 

empower survivors and 

help them heal from 

the trauma.” 

— Gail A. Patin, 

Chief Executive Officer 

Hubbard House 

Hubbard House 

Thrift Store 



(904) 400-6333 

Hubbard House 

Outreach Center 



(904) 400-6300 

To donate: HubbardHouse. 

org/neededmost 

Stand & Stride: 

HubbardHouseWalk.com 

24/7 Domestic 

Violence Hotline: 

(904) 354-3114 

For immediate help: Dial 

911 

Website: hubbardhouse. 

org 

Agency provides safety, 

shelter, legal advice 

for domestic-violence 

victims 

Hubbard House is a full-service 

certified domestic violence 

center serving Duval and Baker 

counties with free, confidential 

assistance to survivors of 

domestic violence. It was the 

first of its kind in Florida. 

The Hubbard House mission 

statement, “Safety, 

empowerment and social 

change for survivors of 

domestic violence and their 

children,” propels forward 

the agency’s vision of every 

relationship violence-free. 


In the 1970s, when a small 

group of Jacksonville women 

identified a need to provide 

assistance for survivors of 

sexual assault, their first step 

was a 24-hour rape crisis 

hotline. It soon became apparent 

that there was a need for 

a shelter for women suffering 

abuse in their homes from 

their intimate partners. Ellen 

Spangler is credited with finding 

a house on Hubbard Street 

that was purchased and its 

doors opened to survivors of 

domestic violence in 1976. 


Hubbard House Chief 

Executive Officer Gail A. 

Patin, EdD, LCSW, oversees 

a 116-bed shelter, an outreach 

center, a thrift store and survivor 

services that include legal 

assistance, employment aid 

and housing help. Prior to being 

selected for the position of CEO 

in 2017, Patin had been on the 

center’s leadership team for 

almost 20 years, including 14 

years as chief operating officer. 

“A lot of magic happens 

here,” Patin said. “We begin, 

of course, with the basic 

immediate needs: safety, 

shelter, meals, financial, 

trauma. We offer legal advice, 

counseling, the services of a 

victim advocate who identifies 

public resources, housing 

assistance and much more” 

The National Coalition 

Violence against women does not discriminate. One in three women 

from all walks of life and socio-economic strata experience violence. 

Hubbard House serves survivors in Duval and Baker counties, 

promoting healing and celebrating lives free of violence. [PHOTOS 

PROVIDED BY HUBBARD HOUSE] 

Against Domestic Violence 

defines domestic violence 

as “the willful intimidation, 

physical assault, battery, sexual 

assault and/or other abusive 

behavior as part of a systematic 

pattern of power and control 

perpetrated by one intimate 

partner against another. It 

includes physical violence, sexual 

violence, threats and emotional/psychological 

abuse. 

The frequency and severity of 

domestic varies dramatically.” 

Locally and nationally, 

domestic violence is an epidemic: 

One in three women 

have been victims of physical 

violence by an intimate partner. 

One in 15 children are exposed 

to that violence each year and 

90 percent are eyewitnesses. 

In Duval and Baker counties, 

the area served by Hubbard 

House, 7, 217 police reports 

were filed, and 12 people lost 

their lives to intimate partner 

domestic violence in 2018. 

Last year (2018-2019 fiscal 

year), Hubbard House served 

4,610 adults and children 

providing safe shelter and 

wrap-around services, including 

counseling, in-court legal 

representation and career 

coaching; and therapeutic 

childcare for survivors’ young 

children and educational 

and psychosocial support 

for their older children. 

“Most survivors come to 

us with a call to our domestic 

violence hotline,” Patin said. 

“The next step depends on 

the survivor’s needs. Our first 

consideration is safety. If a 

survivor is living in a dangerous 

situation, they can come to 

our shelter. If they are looking 

for information about their 

options or have already left 

their abuser, they may come 

to our Outreach Center, where 

we have counselors, victim 

advocates and legal assistance 

available. An individual’s 

process is determined first by 

the immediate need, and then 

in stages and steps as defined 

and desired by the survivor.” 

The shelter is in an undisclosed 

location to protect the 

residents. All survivors of 

domestic violence can seek 

help at the Beach Boulevard 

facility. Appointments are 

available but not necessary. 

“The survivor may still be 

living at home but trying to 

find legal help, support, or a job 

so they can leave,” Patin said. 

“Or, they may have left the 

situation and need an advocate 

or legal advice. We have a team 

of attorneys to help obtain and 

enforce injunctions for protection, 

usually referred to as 

restraining orders. Survivors 

without representation aren’t 

always able to obtain them, 

and we’ve found that perpetrators 

with an attorney usually 

have a better outcome than 

a survivor who is not represented 

by an attorney.” 

Also, staff at the center 

includes victim advocates 

with extensive state-approved 

training and masters level 

counselors for adults and 

children. Patin said the masters 

level counselors also 

provide unique training for 

would-be counselors. 

“We provide training for 

counselors by using interns 

under the guidance of our 

master’s level counselors,” 

she said. “This is the type of 

hands-on learning experience 

they don’t get anywhere else. 

They are exposed to a different 

paradigm for treating 

and counseling survivors.” 

The modality of the treatment 

is designed around 

the survivor’s need. 

“Trauma affects our ability 

to process information,” Patin 

said. “Along with traditional 

counseling techniques, we 

use art therapy and bibliotherapy 

— books and poetry. 

“Even when survivors are 

safe, they carry fears and 

concerns related to the abuse,’’ 

she said. “So, we use a variety 

of modalities and tools to 

empower survivors and help 

them heal from the trauma.” 

Children are particularly 

vulnerable, and Hubbard 

House takes every precaution 

to protect, reassure and 

restore the young survivors. 

“Children who have witnessed 

or experienced domestic 

violence are at-risk,” 

Patin said. “Our first step is 

to reassure them that nothing 

that has happened was 

their fault. We evaluate and 

assess the emotional impact 

one or many violent episodes 

may have had. We have group 

counseling where they are with 

other young survivors, and we 

have advocates for the children 

as well as their moms.” 

Patin said that the 

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 

and other local partners, such 

as the Department of Children 

and Families and Jewish 

See HUBBARD, J15 

Therapy for children, as for adults, required a willingness to adapt the counseling to the needs of the child. 

Group therapy enables children to interact with others who also have experienced some level of violence. 

Art therapy gives children a way to express fear, anger and other emotions they cannot verbalize. 

The Hubbard House Outreach Center on Beach Boulevard offers 

women private, confidential legal assistance, counseling and a full 

range of support services free of charge. 

The Hubbard House Thrift Store is adjacent to the outreach center and allows access to the services 

provided. Revenue from the store keeps the doors open. 

During the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Hubbard House served 4,610 adults 

and children, providing safe shelter and wrap-around services, 

including counseling, in-court legal representation and career 

coaching.



JACKSONVILLE GIVES GIRL SCOUTS OF GATEWAY COUNCIL 

MORE THAN COOKIE SALES 

“Girl Scouts are twice 

as likely to participate 

in civic engagement 

and community service 

than non-Girl Scouts. 

We all benefit when 

women’s voices are 

heard. Unfortunately, 

our society has not 

invested heavily in 

training girls for 

leadership roles. A 

recent study indicates 

that 1.6 percent of 

charitable dollars goes 

to girls’ organizations. 

That must change. 

There must be a rapid 

and sustained move 

toward more equitable 

distribution of our 

energy and funding 

into girls’ programs.” 

— Mary Anne Jacobs 


Girl Scouts of 

Gateway Council 

Girl Scout Promise: 

On my honor, I will try to 

serve God and my country, 

to help people at all times 

and to live by the Girl Scout 

Law. 

Girl Scout Law: 

I will do my best to be 

honest and fair, friendly 

and helpful, considerate 

and caring, courageous 

and strong and responsible 

for what I say and do, 

and to respect myself and 

others, respect authority, 

use resources wisely, make 

the world a better place 

and be a sister to every Girl 

Scout. 

Girl Scouts of 


1000 Shearer Ave. 


(877) 764-5237 

girlscouts-gateway.org 

STEM programs 

play big role in state’s 

largest council 

Girl Scouts of Gateway 

Council, the largest geographic 

council in Florida, 

serves more than 14,000 

girls in grades K-12 and 

6,000 adults in a 35-county 

service area: Alachua, 

Baker, Bay, Bradford, 

Calhoun, Clay, Columbia, 

Dixie, Duval, Escambia, 

Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, 

Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, 

Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, 

Lafayette, Leon, Levy, 

Liberty, Madison, Nassau, 

Okaloosa, Putnam, Santa 

Rosa, St. Johns, Suwannee, 

Taylor, Union, Wakulla, 

Walton and Washington. 

The Girl Scouts’ mission 

is “to build girls of courage, 

confidence and character 

who make the world a better 

place.” Girl Scouts is the 

world’s preeminent leadership 

development organization 

for girls, and it combines 

social and emotional learning 

with skill building. 


The Girl Scouts began in 

1912 before women could 

vote. Juliette Gordon Low, 

a 51-year old visionary who 

divided her time between 

Europe and the United 

States, gathered 18 girls in 

her hometown of Savannah, 

Georgia, to share what she 

had learned abroad about 

a new outdoor and educational 

program for youth, 

and the Girl Scouts movement 

was born with an 

emphasis on inclusiveness, 

the outdoors, self-reliance 

and service. Low envisioned 

an organization that would 

prepare girls to meet their 

world with courage, confidence 

and character. 

Low was posthumously 

awarded the 

Presidential Medal of 

Freedom by President 

Barack Obama in 2012. 


Girl Scouts is a 107-yearold 

organization that is 

making strides in the 21st 

century. Girls still sell 

cookies and go to camp, 

but today’s Girl Scouts are 

learning cybersecurity, app 

development and robotics. 

The Jacksonvillebased 


Girl Scouts learn five essential business skills: Goal Setting, Decision 

Making, People Skills, Money Management, and Business Ethics--all 

lessons from the Girl Scout Cookie Program. 

oversees Girl Scouts in North 

Florida, from Pensacola 

to Jacksonville and south 

to Flagler and Levy counties. 

The recent expansion 

that brought the Panhandle 

into the Gateway Council 

also brought welcomed 

opportunities for growth. 

Mary Anne Jacobs, 


of the Gateway Council, 

said the council is eager 

to deliver the Girl Scout 

Leadership Experience 

to even more girls. 

The Girl Scouts is the 

leading provider of STEM 

— science, technology, 

engineering and math — education 

outside of the classroom 

for girls in kindergarten 

through third grade with a 

wide range of STEM activities 

to keep girls engaged 

and interested in pursuing 

careers in those fields. 

This summer, Girl Scouts 

introduced 42 new badges 

to promote STEM programs 

like app development, coding 

and cybersecurity — 21st 

century skills necessary for 

the future workforce. They 

partnered with industry 

leaders AT&T, Palo Alto 

Networks and Dell to encourage 

girls to get an early 

start in computer science. 

“Women are underrepresented 

across STEM fields,” 

Jacobs said. “There isn’t 

a gender difference when 

it comes to ability in math 

and the sciences, but there 

is a difference in interest 

and level of confidence.” 

Girl Scouts’ emphasis 

on STEM education plays 

a major role in increasing 

women’s interest in those 

career fields. Research 

shows that Girl Scouts are 

74 percent more likely to 

pursue a career in STEM 

than non-Girl Scouts. 

Girl Scout programs also 

emphasize outdoor adventure, 

environmental stewardship 

and civic engagement. 

“In the last several years, 

the well-being of girls has 

fallen about three points, 

and we want to get them 

outside and active, discovering 

the wonders of nature 

and challenging themselves 

and each other,” Jacobs said. 

“Those successes instill 

confidence that generalizes 

to other parts of their lives.” 

Girl Scouts delivers STEM, 

outdoor, entrepreneurship, 

and life skills programs to 

more than 14,000 girls across 

the 35-county council. And 

in Duval County, 3,500 girls 

in underserved communities 

receive Girl Scout programming 

for free through grants 

and private donations. 

“Every girl should have 

the opportunity to become 

a Girl Scout,’’ Jacobs said. 

“We are reaching out to 

girls in underserved communities 

in developments 

like Washington Heights 

and Eureka Gardens, in 

Title I schools, and community 

centers.” 

Jacobs said the Gateway 

Council wants to expand 

Girl Scouting to more 

girls in key ZIP codes, but 

needs help funding these 

experiences for girls. 

“We’ve spoken with teachers 

and caregivers and have 

seen firsthand the impact 

Girl Scouting has on girls,” 

she said. “Girls become 

better students, engage 

more with their communities, 

and live better lives 

because of Girl Scouts. We 

invite the larger community 

to become involved in 

helping us improve girls’ 

lives in North Florida.” 

The impact of Girl 

Scouts has been confirmed 

by research. 

“Girl Scouts are twice as 

likely to participate in civic 

engagement and community 

service than non-Girl 

Scouts,” Jacobs said. “We all 

benefit when women’s voices 

are heard. Unfortunately, 

our society has not invested 

heavily in training girls for 

leadership roles. A recent 

study indicates that 1.6 

percent of charitable dollars 

goes to girls’ organizations. 

That must change. 

There must be a rapid and 

sustained move toward 

more equitable distribution 

of our energy and funding 

into girls’ programs.” 


Jacobs said the enlarged 

district is finding more 

efficient ways to operate, 

use resources wisely and 

diversify assets so that more 

dollars are used to grow programs 

and reach more girls. 

“We will continue to focus 

on STEM and outdoor activities 

with a goal of expanding 

our outreach until we know 

that every girl has the opportunity 

to participate,” Jacobs 

said. “My personal goal is 

that in 25 years, we will be 

able to look at the outcomes 

of Girl Scouts programs and 

not be asking the same questions 

we are asking today 

about why there aren’t more 

women in leadership roles, 

why there are wide gaps 

in pay between men and 

women. We won’t be dealing 

with this wide disparity. 

We will be celebrating 

the successes of women 

in corporate board rooms, 

executive offices, education, 

science, technology, engineering 

and math careers.” 


The Girl Scouts of Gateway 

Council invites your financial 

support, your time as a volunteer 

and your help in making 

scouting a reality for all 

the girls in our community. 

The Girl Scouts donated more than 28,000 boxes of cookies to the Jacksonville USO in 

2019. [PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE GATEWAY COUNCIL] 

CSX hosted Girl Scouts for a day of STEM in transportation. Girls flew drones as part of 

the experience. 

Girls build a catapult during STEM camp this past summer.



JACKSONVILLE GIVES 

COMPASS ROSE FOUNDATION 

AND J-TECH INSTITUTE 

“This truly is a unique 

learning environment. 

We care about fueling 

the economy and 

about preparing 

individuals for success. 

The students are 

here because they 

care about their own 

futures.” 

—Gregory H. Jones 

President 


Career closeup 

Diesel Service Technicians 

and Mechanics: Although 

most diesel service 

technicians and mechanics 

learn on the job after 

a high school education, 

employers are increasingly 

preferring applicants who 

have completed postsecondary 

training programs 

in diesel engine repair. In 

addition, industry certification 

may be important. 

The median annual wage 

for diesel service technicians 

and mechanics 

was $47,350 in May 2018. 

Employment of diesel 

service technicians and 

mechanics is projected to 

grow 5 percent from 2018 

to 2028. Job prospects 

should be best for those 

who have completed 

postsecondary training in 

diesel engine repair. 

Heavy and Tractor- 

Trailer Truck Drivers: The 

employment of heavy and 

tractor-trailer truck drivers 

is projected to grow 

5 percent through 2028, 

and projections are that 

more truck drivers will 

be needed to keep supply 

chains moving as demand 

for goods increases. The 

median annual wage for 

heavy and tractor-trailer 

truck drivers was $43,680 

in May 2018. The median 

wage is the wage at which 

half the workers in an 

occupation earned more 

than that amount, and half 

earned less. In the case of 

commercial truck drivers, 

the highest 10 percent 

earned more than $65,260. 

Source: Bureau of Labor 

Statistics, U.S. Department 

of Labor, Occupational 

Outlook Handbook, Heavy 

and Tractor-trailer Truck 

Drivers, on the Internet 

at https://www.bls.gov/ 

ooh/transportationand-material-moving/ 

heavy-and-tractor-trailertruck-drivers.htm 

(visited 

October 24, 2019). 

Jones Technical 

Institute 

J-Tech/Compas Rose 

Foundation 

8813 Western Way 


(904) 328-5599 

jtech.org 

J-Tech offers commercial driver’s license training on schedules to accommodate students. Classes take place on a weekday schedule as well as 

on a nights-and-weekends schedule. [PHOTOS PROVIDED BY J-TECH] 

TRAINING MEETS THE ROAD 

Students work 

toward careers 

as diesel technician, 

commercial driver 


(J-Tech) is a member of the 

Compass Rose Foundation 

Integrated Education 

System, a nonprofit organization 

with more than 70 

years of demonstrated commitment 

to higher education. 

At J-Tech, students are 

trained in automotive and 

transportation professions 

with the goal of meeting 

the ever-present demand 

for automotive technicians, 

diesel technicians 

and commercial truck drivers. 

As a nonprofit, J-Tech 

gives students a unique 

opportunity to obtain 

degrees and professionally 

licensed and well-paying, 

in-demand professions 

with a minimum investment 

of time and money. 



President Gregory H. Jones 

is the great grandson of 

a Jacksonville resident, 

Annie Harper Jones, who 

in the early 1900s saw a 

problem and was inspired 

to do something about it. 

“As the story goes, she 

witnessed a scene from the 

window of her home that 

alerted her to the plight of 

women who turned to the 

streets to earn money,” Jones 

said. “She took it upon herself 

to intervene by equipping 

these women with skill sets 

to find jobs that allowed them 

to provide for their families 

and keep their self-respect. 

She invited them into her 

converted home and taught 

them stenography in what 

became Mrs. Jones’ School.” 

J-Tech consists of quality 

vocational training programs 

based on that same 

philosophy: Make education 

and training available to 

individuals seeking gainful, 

steady employment in an 

efficient and timely manner. 


A tour of J-Tech’s 

168,000-square-foot facility, 

situated on 28 acres on 

Jacksonville’s Southside, is 

impressive from the standpoint 

of its size. Even more 

impressive is the energy contained 

in that facility. From 

the instructors, the students 

and even the physical training 

areas, there is a distinct 

purpose that says, “We care.” 

“This truly is a unique 

learning environment,” Jones 

said. “We care about fueling 

the economy and about preparing 

individuals for success. 

The students are here because 

they care about their own 

futures. The instructors are 

here because they care about 

providing quality education. 

Some of the equipment is here 

because our partners, most of 

whom are potential employers, 

care about the outcome.” 

J-Tech’s concern for students 

is evidenced in the provisions 

made for all students. 

“We have a fully equipped 

fitness center, which is free 

and which we encourage 

our students to use,” J-Tech 

Institutional Development 

Officer Danielle Wampler 

said. “We understand that 

a long day in the lab or in 

a classroom can lead to 

stress. About 90 percent of 

our students are working 

in addition to coming here 

for classes, and we believe 

that overall good health is 

a prerequisite to good performance 

in their classes.” 

Students are given tablets 

with their textbooks downloaded 

so they do not have 

to purchase textbooks. 

“NAPA is one of our partners 

and they generously 

provide students with a 

set of tools at heavily discounted 

rates,” Wampler 

said. “That expense would 

be a major hurdle for some 

of our students, and with 

NAPA’s help, every graduate 

has the tools they need.” 

Students also appreciate 

the fact they can bring their 

personal automobiles into the 

bays for repairs without cost. 

Wampler cites the dedication 

of the school’s instructors 

as a major contributor 

to the students’ success. 

“These instructors are well 

qualified and experienced,” 

she said. “They could make a 

lot more money somewhere 

else. They thrive on seeing the 

difference they are making in 

the lives of the students. For 

example, we have students 

who may not have lived a 

charmed life. Today they are 

on their way to regaining a 

productive role in society. 

We all take pride in that.” 

The structure of the training 

is designed to accommodate 

students’ needs. 

For example, classes are 

offered on a day schedule 

and on a nights and weekends 

schedule. The 170-hour 

program is four weeks (42.5 

hours per week) for day 

students, with classes offered 

7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday 

through Friday. The nights 

and weekends schedule is six 

weeks (30 hours per week), 

and classes are 5 to 10:30 p.m. 

Monday through Thursday 

along with a Saturday session. 

The Occupational 

Associates Degree program 

is 21 months, and classes are 

offered Monday and Tuesday 

plus a half day Wednesday, 

or a half day Wednesday 

and full day Thursday and 

Friday. Wednesday is a general 

education class with a 

practical focus on preparing 

service orders, writing 

resumes and other common 

practices associated with 

the job. The degree program 

is fully accredited and 

financial aid is available. 

Wampler, who was working 

for a neighboring trucking 

company when J-Tech 

purchased and moved into 

the former Mercedes-Benz 

property, knew that company 

was having difficulty 

finding qualified drivers. She 

convinced management to 

invest in training existing 

employees rather than trying 

to attract drivers from 

their current employment. 

“We purchased the building 

in 2013, and graduated our 

first class in 2014,” she said. 

“I came to work here to be 

part of this life-changing 

experience. We are helping 

build the workforce, 

our efforts help the local 

economy and even more 

importantly to me, we are 

helping individuals gain 

the skills they need to make 

their dreams come true.” 

U.S. Department of Labor 

Bureau of Statistics reports 

indicate that careers for 

commercial truck drivers 

and diesel service mechanics 

and technicians will continue 

to grow as the demand 

for goods grows, creating a 

need for transportation of 

goods across the country. 

“These careers are typically 

considered resistant to 

fluctuations in the economy 

and are, according to the U.S. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, 

continuing to grow in 

demand,” Jones said. “Our 

students receive training in 

computer technology, onthe-job 

training, laboratory 

and classroom instruction, 

giving them an advantage 

with potential employers. We 

are proud to be creating the 

next generation of ‘underthe-hood 

and over-the-road’ 

transportation professionals. 

It’s what we do.” 


Planned expansion of the 

training areas of the J-Tech 

campus will enable students 

access to real-life working 

conditions, as tractor-trailer 

trucks will roll down the halls 

of the building. Consideration 

is also being given to adding 

other trades and skills as 

the demand for training and 

certification programs arise. 


J-Tech welcomes new 

partners to share in this 

exciting venture to meet 

the needs of the industry, 

provide enhanced employment 

opportunities for 

unemployed or underemployed 

individuals and 

boost the local economy. 

There’s under-the-hood and on-the-road training at J-Tech. Above, Joe Horovsky (darkrimmed 

glasses) equips the next generation of transportation professionals. 

J-Tech offers students and graduates assistance and support for the first day, throughout 

the training program and beyond, beginning with scholarship applications through job 

application after graduation.

Sunday, November 10, 2019 J15 

OVERVIEW 

From Page J2 

state's residents, the 

Florida Nonprofit 

Alliance in partnership 

with Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services 

has commissioned a 

statewide survey. One 

of the key targets identified 

in the Florida 

Chamber Foundation's 

Florida 2030 Blueprint 

is to double the rate of 

Floridians who volunteer 

and participate in 

civic and public service. 

“I’m happy to know 

we are in the process of 

looking for ways to further 

engage the public in 

our efforts,” Braun said. 

“I’m also very encouraged 

by new efforts and 

new solutions we are seeing 

here in our area. We 

also are fortunate to have 

many generous foundations, 

companies and 

philanthropists here.” 

One of the most 

impressive programs, 

Full Service Schools of 

Jacksonville, came about 

after a pilot program in 

one school proved so 

successful that now eight 

resource centers have 

been created throughout 

the Duval County Public 

Schools system, and participating 

schools have 

designated staff representing 

the program. 

“The program was set 

up to remove the nonacademic 

barriers to 

education,” Braun said. 

“Children who come to 

school hungry, who need 

glasses, who are exposed 

to violence in their 

neighborhoods or even 

in their own homes are 

not able to concentrate 

on math and English. 

This program meets 

specific needs, whether 

physical, emotional or 

behavioral that impede 

success in school.” 

Partners in this program 

include United Way 

of Northeast Florida, 

Volunteers, contributors and partners show up to do the hard work giving United Way of 

Northeast Florida the capacity to produce meaningful and measurable results in the areas 

of youth success, financial stability and health. 

The Chartrand Family 

Fund, Florida Health 

Duval County, Kids 

Hope Alliance, Lucy 

Gooding Charitable 

Foundation Trust, 

Ascension St. Vincent’s 

and Wolfson Children’s 

Health Center. 

Braun also is encouraged 

by the Florida 

Legislature’s action to 

increase funding for 

mental health services in 

Florida schools following 

the mass shooting 

at Marjorie Stoneman 

Douglas High School 

in Parkland last year. 

“Mayor Curry has 

added another $1.7 

million to the $2.3 million 

our school district 

received,” she said. 

“Funding from the 

state and the City of 

Jacksonville are critical 

to connect resources and 

put trauma-informed 

solutions into effect. 

We need to do more 

than merely even the 

odds. We need to 

change the odds.” 

On a national level, 

Braun is optimistic 

about increased attention 

to giving back by the 

business community. 

“We know we are not 

alone in our efforts to 

help others in our community,” 

Braun said. 

“The generosity of our 

local foundations and 

organizations is evident 

in every direction. I’m 

also delighted to see the 

Business Roundtable 

revise its Statement of 

Purpose that underlines 

the responsibility of 

businesses to participate 

in the well-being of 

communities. The statement 

has been signed by 

181 companies, many of 

them household names, 

and they pledge to invest 

in employees and foster 

‘diversity and inclusion, 

dignity and respect’.” 


Monetary donations 

have a dramatic impact 

through United Way 

of Northeast Florida. 

Locally, every dollar 

donated to United Way 

has the buying power of 

$2.44. For example, a gift 

of $50 a year could feed 18 

families for one week during 

a crisis. A $100-a-year 

donation can help a 

family meet its medical 

needs. Twenty military 

families could receive 40 

hours of mental health 

care for $500 a year. 

“Many businesses, 

including nonprofits, 

are facing disruption on 

many fronts,” Braun said. 

“This is why United Way 

of Northeast Florida is 

working with partners to 

find new ways to address 

our community’s toughest 

challenges, new ways to 

engage people in finding 

solutions and volunteering 

and new ways of giving 

to causes that people care 

about most. We do this 

because we know there 

are hardworking people 

— nearly 40 percent of 

people in our community 

— who need our help 

to change their odds. At 

United Way, we fundamentally 

believe it is our 

role to connect people, 

resources and ideas to 

provide that help and to 

find new solutions. My 

hope is that more people 

will join the movement 

to Live United and help 

improve our community 

now and in the future.” 

HUBBARD 

From Page J10 

Family Community 

Services, assist Hubbard 

House in its efforts. 

Jewish Family 

Community Service 

provides safe supervised 

visitation with parents. 

And, as part of the 

InVEST program, a JSO 

officer and a Hubbard 

House advocate review 

every domestic violence 

incident and reach 

out to survivors in the 

most dangerous situations 

to offer services. 

Additionally, when 

warranted, an officer 

will visit offenders 

under a court-ordered 

injunction for protection 

with a reminder 

of the constraints 

on their behavior. 

“It is extremely helpful 

for abusers to know 

they are being watched,” 

Patin said. “When they 

know any attempts to 

contact the survivor are 

under the watchful eye of 

the JSO, it seems to deter 

unwanted contacts.” 

October was National 

Domestic Violence 

Awareness Month. It 

began in 1981 by the 

National Coalition 

Against Domestic 

Violence as a Day of 

Unity to connect battered 

women’s advocates 

across the country. 

In a news conference 

Oct. 1, Jacksonville 

Sheriff Mike Williams 

spoke on behalf of one 

of Hubbard House’s 

strongest community 

partners, the Jacksonville 

Sheriff’s Office. 

“Domestic violence 

does not discriminate,” 

Williams said. “It happens 

in every community, 

in all kinds of 

families and relationships. 

If one survivor 

comes forward to talk 

to police today or goes 

to one of these shelters, 

we have made a difference. 

Hubbard House 

is committed to helping 

survivors and making 

every home in our 

community a safe place 

free of violence.” 

The thrift store is 

adjacent to the outreach 

center and allows access 

to the services provided. 

Revenue from the store 

keeps the doors open. 


Individuals and organizations 

are invited to 

participate in Hubbard 

House’s next citywide 

awareness event, the 

Stand Up & Stride, 

scheduled for April 18, 

2020. There is no cost to 

participate. Teams and 

fundraising are encouraged. 

Sponsorships 

are available. Visit 

HubbardHouseWalk.com 

for more information. 

How can you help 

The Hubbard House 

Thrift Store is immediately 

next door to the 

Outreach Center and is 

always in need of donations 

of gently used 

furniture and household 

goods. Items are put to 

good use, either gifted 

to survivors establishing 

their own households, 

or if not needed 

immediately, sold to 

support the Outreach 

Center. The Thrift Store 

is a strong source of 

financial support for the 

agency. Shopping at the 

Thrift Store is a fun and 

financially wise way to 

help the agency, too! 

Other ways to help? 

Last year, Hubbard 

House received 45 percent 

of its financial 

support from the community 

and depends on 

Jacksonville’s generosity 

to fund the shelter 

and the services it 

provides to survivors 

of domestic violence 

and their children. 

Giving is easy at 

HubbardHouse.org/ 

neededmost, and gifts are 

often tax-deductible. 

HABIJAX 

From Page J4 

his involvement and 

commitment to the 

HabiJax mission. 

“This is God’s work,” 

Matovina said. “There 

was a time in my life when 

making money was what 

life was all about. Now my 

priorities are different. 

God and God’s work come 

first and then my family. 

My business is important 

in that it gives me the 

means and resources to 

be able to help others” 

Because his talents 

included financial acumen 

and building experience, 

housing was the way to 

do just that. He served as 

president of the HabiJax 

board for five years and 

had a lasting impact in 

the organization and the 

community it serves. 

Community leaders and 

philanthropists David and 

Ann Hicks and Wayne and 

Delores Weaver have had a 

major impact on HabiJax’s 

ability to respond to 

revitalization efforts in an 

area of town the City of 

Jacksonville has designated 

the New Town Success 

Zone. Both the Weaver 

and Hicks families’ have 

partnered with HabiJax 

as part of multi-faceted 

effort to bring renewal and 

hope to the residents of the 

neighborhood surrounding 

Edward Waters College. 

In 1997, the Hicks 

Scholarship was established 

to help bring higher 

education within reach by 

paying up to the full cost of 

attending the University of 

North Florida for qualifying 

students in HabiJax, 

Jacksonville Housing 

Authority and Section 8 

housing. The Hicks Prep 

Club was also established 

as an enrichment program 

for grades seven through 

12 to prepare students for 

academic success. David 

passed away late last 

year, but his impact lives 

on in the students he and 

Ann have supported— 

and those who will be 

The HabiJax Women’s Build in 2018 provided struggling 

female heads-of-households with a strong foundation of 

homeownership and brought attention to the plight of 

single mothers and women living at the federal poverty 

level. A female construction staff coined the tag line, 

“build[HER] — home, empowerment, respect.’’ 

supported in the future. 

“Housing is our first step 

in helping break the cycle 

of poverty, but education 

is also major factor in the 

solution,” O’Rourke said. 

“The Hicks Scholarship 

and Prep Club are giant 

steps forward in offering 

education opportunities 

otherwise unavailable.” 

Delores Barr Weaver 

celebrated her 80th birthday 

by partnering with 

HabiJax, funding eight 

townhomes in New town, 

where HabiJax works side 

by side with community 

residents and other organizations 

in neighborhood 

revitalization efforts. 

“The Legacy 8 

Townhomes is our first 

venture into the multifamily 

market, and we 

see it as a way to provide 

more housing units with 

efficiencies in land use 

and construction costs,” 

O’Rourke said. “So, we 

are looking at opportunities 

to move in the 

direction of multifamily 

housing, to augment 

our single-family home 

construction efforts.” 

O’Rourke said putting 

God’s love into action 

will continue to be the 

guiding principle for all 

HabiJax activities. 


The need for affordable 

housing is great in 

Northeast Florida, and 

HabiJax will continue to 

work to make housing 

available to our community’s 

financially insecure, 

elderly, disabled and 

most vulnerable citizens. 

“Change requires 

partners and donors, 

community leaders, 

policy makers and 

frankly everyone working 

together,” O’Rouke 

said. “The most direct 

way individuals and 

companies can support 

the mission of providing 

affordable homes in 

Northeast Florida is with 

financial donations. We 

truly believe that together 

we can build anything.” 


HabiJax also relies heavily 

on volunteer time and 

labor. Volunteers help staff 

in ReStores, help build 

homes and provide financial 

education. Financial 

and in-kind donations 

provide a substantial 

portion of the HabiJax 

annual budget and are 

appreciated. Call or visit 

online to learn more about 

volunteer opportunities. 

Donate your new and 

gently used furniture, 

lighting, appliances and 

flooring to ReStore, and 

make ReStore your first 

stop when shopping for 

those items for your home. 

When you are remodeling 

your kitchen, ReStore 

offers deconstruction services 

and will pick up your 

discards free of charge.

J16 Sunday, November 10, 2019

Jacksonville Gives 2019

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