from staff
As our community continues to struggle with a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this page that will each week feature local nonprofit organizations. We invite all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they feel would be of interest to our readers. E-mail to: [email protected].
We also hope that this will enable our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they try to continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Clara White Mission facing its challenges
For more than 100 years, the Clara White Mission has helped Jacksonville’s homeless and low income citizens gain new perspectives on life. The Mission’s one-stop community development center restores lives through daily meals, job training in culinary arts and janitorial services, the demonstration and training cafe at St. John’s Cathedral Church, employment placement, health care services, substance abuse treatment, case management, life skills, drop-in center, housing initiatives and more.
The continuum of these interrelated programs were established to support the workforce development and assist chronically homeless, ex-offenders and veterans population to transition into independence and achieve self-sufficiency.
In recent months, the Clara White Mission has endured cuts to its operating budget and increased demands for food service. Effective October, 2008, Clara White Mission stop serving meals seven days a week and reduced meal service to the homeless and low income to just three days a week and also reduced the staff. The changes were the results of budget cuts, an increase in the numbers of homeless and families utilizing our services and escalating operating costs.
Two community stakeholders, the DuPont Fund and the Jacksonville Community Foundation, realized the urgent financial crisis the Clara White Mission was experiencing and, along with several other non-profits, immediately came to the rescue. DuPont and the Community Foundation met with the community non-profit agencies before the Christmas holiday and provided a much needed bailout by the end of the 2008 calendar year. Over $1 million was raised to establish the Safety Net Campaign to benefit 13 community agencies that focus on food, utilities and rental assistance. The stakeholder’s leadership, insight and financial support stabilized the non-profit arena in assisting the poor in addition to fulfilling requests from the many families facing foreclosures, which are now relying on social services.
In addition, other major gifts were received from community donors to help stabilize the mission until June, the end of Clara White Mission’s fiscal year. Supporters included the DuPont Fund, The Jacksonville Community Foundation, The Fanny Landwirth Foundation and Gift of Life in America, Naviaser Family Foundations, Joseph & Gertrude LaRose Foundations, Cascone Family Foundation, Wachovia, Fidelity Investments, Deutsche Bank, Citi and Shiloh Metropolitan Church for a total of $120,000.
Donor gifts will support and infuse the operational budget and the daily feeding program by allowing the Mission to purchase food, paper goods and supplies related to the daily operation.
These gifts will give the Mission an opportunity to assess and strategize solutions for dealing with the environmental changes currently affecting the demands for service in our community in a holistic approach in the upcoming year.
One of Jacksonville’s best kept secrets is “Clara’s at the Cathedral,” a training cafe that is an outgrowth of Clara White’s Culinary Arts Program. It provides students with hands-on training in production, presentation and front of the house restaurant service.
Starting Friday our new menu will feature new entrees as well as a buffet complete with carving stations. The dining experience includes soup or salad, entree, dessert and beverage for a wallet-friendly price of $10 and all proceeds benefit the culinary art training center.
Operated through collaboration between the Clara White Mission and St. John’s Cathedral Church, the cafe is located within the Cathedral’s historic Taliaferro Hall at 256 E. Church St. Clara’s is open to the public each Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
– Submitted by Ju’Coby Pittman, Clara White Mission executive director
Teaching people to read
Learn to Read (LTR) will conduct tutor training classes in February with the goal to teach 25 new people who can teach other people to read. While the demand for service is up 46 percent compared to last year, volunteer tutor participation is down by 50 percent. Learn To Read provides free basic literacy education to adults in Duval County who read at or below fifth-grade level. There is currently a waiting list of students.
Classes for tutors are Feb. 5 from 5:30-9 p.m. and Feb. 7 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration is $20 and classes will be held at 2747 Art Museum Dr. Both classes must be completed in order to be certified as a tutor.
Learn To Read is a non-profit United Way charter agency and is accredited by ProLiteracy America.
Guys with Ties hosting party
Guys with Ties of Jacksonville is a group of young professionals who create unique events to raise funds for local causes. They invite their fellow professional men and women to their “Dream a Little Dream Totally 80s Party” March 7 at River City Brewing Company. Guests are asked to wear 1980s attire and be prepared to enjoy the era’s entertainment, featuring live music by Little Green Men and drink specials. All proceeds will benefit Dreams Come True, the local non-profit that fulfills the dreams of critically ill children.
Tickets are $20 online, $30 at the door
For more information or reservations, visit www.guyswithties.org/jacksonville.
Radiothon for charity
Children’s Miracle Network has partnered with FM-99.9 (Gator Country) to present the station’s inaugural Radiothon. The three-day event will raise funds for the pediatric programs at Shands Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
During the radiothon, local Miracle Families will share their stories and allow listeners the opportunity to support Jacksonville’s pediatric hospitals by making a donation.
Tune in Thursday-Saturday when air staff will be broadcasting live from the lobby at Wolfson Children’s Hospital with a remote broadcast at Shands Jacksonville.