As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this feature that each week reports the efforts of local nonprofit organizations and the individuals and businesses that support them.
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.
New sub shop opens Wednesday
Jersey Mike’s Subs, known for its fresh sliced and fresh grilled East Coast-style subs, will officially open its second Jacksonville location Wednesday.
Franchise owner Ryan McLaughlin will hold a grand opening and free sub fundraiser through Aug. 12 to support Foster Closet.
The new restaurant, located at 1615 Hendricks Ave., will circulate 10,000 coupons throughout the community, offering a free regular sub for a minimum $1 contribution to Foster Closet. Half of these 10,000 coupons will be valid through Sunday with the other half valid through Aug. 12.
The franchise opened its first Jacksonville restaurant at 4261-5 Roosevelt Blvd. in late March.
Foster Closet is a free resource for Northeast Florida’s foster parents and relative and non-relative placements to access clothing, children’s accessories, toys and children’s furniture.
Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike’s continued its steady growth in 2011 opening 69 new restaurants throughout the country. In 2011, all locations combined raised more than $2 million for worthy local charities and distributed more than 200,000 free sub sandwiches to help numerous causes.
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
Contact the Hendricks Avenue store directly at 399-5006.
5K stadium run is this weekend
EverBank Field, the Jacksonville Jaguars and SMG are working to host the 2nd Annual 5K Stadium Challenge, a fundraising event with proceeds benefiting the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation and 1st Place Sports Running Club.
The 5K Stadium Challenge is Saturday and will take place in the evening under the lights at EverBank Field. 1st Place Sports will manage the event with a course both inside and outside the stadium.
The run will include all seven levels of EverBank Field and is fit for all ages complete with a Fun Run and walking courses. T-shirts and medals will be available for everyone.
The race will begin and end outside the South End Zone of the stadium. Runners will begin the course in waves every 15 minutes. While the 5K Stadium Challenge is taking place, there will be activities for all age groups within Teal Town, including live entertainment.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
To register and obtain full details, visit www.1stplacesports.com.
New Jacksonville Beach restaurant to host cocktails for charity
On Sunday, Restaurant KC Crave is partnering with Take Stock in Children of Duval County to host The College Crave, a 3-hour cocktail party that will allow guests to be the first to experience Jacksonville Beach’s new restaurant.
All proceeds will be used to assist Take Stock in Children to grow and reach a greater number of deserving students.
The cost to attend is $50, which includes heavy appetizers, cocktails, live music and a silent auction.
Take Stock in Children was established in 1995 as a not-for-profit organization that provides opportunities for low-income and at-risk students to escape the cycle of poverty through education.
Located in the former Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant at 1161 Beach Blvd., Restaurant KC Crave will feature American fusion, slow-roasted meats and a big city bar with an upstairs tap room featuring live music. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 525-3878 or by email: [email protected].
Restaurant KC Crave is scheduled to open in early August.
‘Caring Chefs’ celebrate Ronald McDonald Charities
For the past 10 years, employees of CSX Intermodal have prepared meals once a month for families of the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The employees call themselves CSX Intermodal Caring Chefs and celebrated their long-term dedication July 18 with Ronald McDonald House Charities employees.
The Caring Chefs have prepared everything from Hawaiian luaus to Italian feasts to Mexican fiestas.
The charity depends on groups like CSX Intermodal to help feed up to 30 families staying at the Jacksonville Ronald McDonald House on any given night.
Over 10 years of service, CSX Intermodal has served 3,600 families of ill and injured children by providing them with a home-cooked meal.
Office staff helps out at food bank
The Jacksonville office of Dixon Hughes Goodman recently donated staff time and services to help Second Harvest North Florida.
As part of the company’s ongoing volunteer work for the nonprofit food bank, employees, sorted and stocked food items for struggling families and individuals in Northeast Florida.
Nine staff members, including senior management, accounting and administration employees provided services such as filling family boxes with food to feed children and adults for two to three days; packing meat boxes to be distributed to feeding sites for individuals in need; sorting food and categorizing items for shelving and refrigeration to ensure safety and organization; and stocking shelves at the
sharing floor where other agencies can collect food for their clients.
Additionally, the firm’s local employees donated $1,745 and 290 cans of food and dry goods to Second Harvest.
The donation represents about 463 pounds of food and about 291 meals for struggling families.
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