On Positively Jax day we teamed up with United Way of Northeast Florida to support seniors in Jacksonville’s Eastside through the Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation’s Front Porch Project.
One of the oldest African-American neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Eastside holds an important place in Jacksonville history and was the home of many historically significant figures like Eartha White, A. Philip Randolph, and Robert Hayes. The neighborhood thrived until a racially charged incident in the late 1960s triggered a rapid decline. Currently, up to 40% of the residents live below the poverty level, a statistic exacerbated by the past year’s health crisis. Eastside seniors were particularly hit hard. Many of these individuals live alone in homes that they own, but have not had the money or physical ability to tackle upkeep. The Front Porch Project aims to provide hands to clean, make light repairs, and paint exterior areas of several seniors’ homes throughout the neighborhood.
Those who would like to support Eastside seniors in a more virtual setting can sign up to create senior care packs from the comfort of your home.
You can sign up for either opportunity below. Both of these Day of Action activities are also part of our Root and Rebuild initiative’s Juneteenth celebration. You can learn more about “Root and Rebuild: Uplifting the Dream” and the volunteer opportunities connected to it here.
You can also visit https://www.news4jax.com/Join_Positively_Jax// to nominate someone and take a look at past stories.