As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this feature that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations.
Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to email news, announcements and success stories to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Mentors and mentees needed
National PAL has awarded the Police Athletic League of Jacksonville a $5,000 grant to launch and promote the new National PAL Mentoring Program.
PAL will be hosting the National PAL Mentoring Day “Funfest” from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Northside PAL location at 2165 W. 33rd St.
The event’s purpose is to raise awareness of the mentoring program and to expand it by recruiting new mentors and mentees. PAL also will offer free vendor spots for community partners.
Community partners for the event include Sam’s Club, the U.S. Navy, Daniel Memorial, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida, Community Connections, Fresh Ministries and Chartwells/Thompson Hospitality.
For information on becoming a community partner or mentor, call Larry Major at 355-3308, ext. 18, or email [email protected].
Run raises funds for health screenings
More than 300 walkers and runners turned out March 4 for the “March to Get Screened 5K.”
The race was along the beach, beginning and ending at Fionn MacCool’s in Jacksonville Beach. Walkers and runners looped around at North Street in Neptune Beach.
The funds raised more than $4,000 and will support free colonoscopies at Borland-Groover Clinic.
The race was founded by Jan Pratt, a 10-year colon cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 35 and has since served as a champion and advocate for the cause.
Pratt extended her thanks to title sponsor Borland-Groover Clinic as well as sponsors Fionn MacCool’s, Beson4 Media Group, Earth Systems, Olympus and OneSource.
‘Virtual’ food drive
Jewish Family & Community Services has long provided non-perishable food items, free of charge, to people experiencing serious financial difficulties through the on-site Winn-Dixie Emergency Food Pantry.
JFCS announced the “Virtual Food Drive,” a new project to help ensure that no individual or family in the community will go hungry.
The Virtual Food Drive is an online outlet and an interactive way to add groceries to the food pantry. Providing for those who are unable to afford basic life necessities is also the essence of Tzedakah (the giving of charity), which asks each of us to help those in need live with more dignity and comfort.
To participate, click on “Virtual Food Drive” at www.jfcsjax.org or contact Heather Corey at 394-5727 or [email protected] or Gail Furman at 394-5723 or [email protected].
Food policy summit Saturday
The Duval County Food Policy Council will host the inaugural Duval County Food Policy Summit Saturday at the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership.
The summit will bring key players within the food system together for a public conversation. The goal of the summit is to identify solutions that can improve the quality and accessibility of healthy food for people living in Duval County.
The program will begin at 8 a.m. The summit is titled: “A Balancing Act: Access to Fresh and Healthy Food for All.”
Anyone interested in learning about how food influences the community’s overall health is invited to attend the summit. Cost is $5. More information is available at www.fnfcg.org.
Law firm helps students
A recent donation from Farah and Farah meant that a group of orthopedically impaired Jacksonville students who don’t often have the opportunity to take field trips were able to travel to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
The law firm’s donation paid for the rental of two specially equipped buses for the field trip for students from Mandarin Oaks Elementary School.
“Going to the zoo allows students to see what they are learning in the classroom up close and we don’t want any child to be deprived of that experience,” said attorney and founding partner Eddie Farah.
The firm’s donation paid for the rental of buses with a lift system to accommodate students in wheelchairs.