2014 Annual Report
WELCOME
FROM THE CEO & BOARD PRESIDENT
2014 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Erin Vance Skinner, President
Chris Strohmenger, Vice President
Marianne Hillegass, Treasurer
LELIA DUNCAN, CEO
ERIN VANCE SKINNER,
BOARD PRESIDENT
Diana Davis, Secretary
Community Connections is about reconnecting families and individuals back
to the community. Everyone deserves a home, a job, a means to support
their families and themselves. Everyone deserves not to be hungry, to be able
to know where their next meal comes from. Every child deserves enriching
day care and afterschool programs. Everyone deserves access to healthcare.
This is the United States, the best country in the world. Our citizens deserve
the best we can afford them. Community Connections mission is, “Healing
Homelessness and Fighting Poverty One Life at a Time.” We do this through
our housing programs, our family and youth services, our food pantries, our
Work Force Development initiatives and our Wellness Center. We work with
motivated families and individuals who want to work, find work and work
to attain and support a quality of life that is good. Thank you to all of our
supporters who help us in this critical mission.
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MEMBERS
Keith Bell
Michael Lenahen
Michelle Bowen
Jerry Mallot
Larry Cobb
Patrick McCabe
David Cowfer
James Modaff
Franklin Danley
Luke Posson
Wendy Delp
Kenny Stevenson
Richard Gropper
Kerri Stewart
John Guns
Semone Walker
Keyanna Henry
Mark Whyte
3% 1% 4% 4% 1%
27%
Federal
23%
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54%
32%
8% 6%
Fundraising & Development
Administrative
Children Services
Public Support and
Revenue ($5,279,561)
Family
Services
Foundations, Corporate &
Private Donations
Program Fees
Rental Income
United Way
Other
State
37%
City
2014 FISCAL YEAR
FINANCIAL UPDATE
Use of Funds
($5,345,824)
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
HEALING HOMELESSNESS AND FIGHTING POVERTY
At Community Connections of Jacksonville our mission is to heal homelessness and fight poverty
one life at a time. We take a holistic approach, working to address the many challenges our clients
face to overcome homelessness, through a number of vital services. Our key programs, Housing,
Youth Services and Literacy and Workforce Readiness are directed towards helping families become
educated and independent, and removed from the cycle of poverty. What makes Community
Connections unique is that we are a working program and our participants are held to employment
requirements so that they can ultimately achieve sustainability.
Housing
Rapid Rehousing &
Preventative Services
We work to re-house homeless and
at-risk families as quickly as possible,
to prevent the trauma of evictions
and family displacement. Emergency
assistance and social services can
stabilize families and help them find
and keep permanent housing.
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Permanent Housing
Community Connections provides
permanent housing in Duval, Nassau
and Clay Counties for families who
need exceptional assistance. Clients
who access permanent housing
are chronically homeless and are
veterans, disabled, or have other
special needs.
Literacy &
Workforce
Readiness
Transitional Housing
The Davis Center’s transitional
housing provides homeless women
and children with up to 18 months of
shelter and services. This “window of
opportunity” is a gift of opportunity
and time, allowing working mothers
to gain the education and skills
needed to regain self-sufficiency.
Community Connections launched
its Workforce Development office
in October 2014. Our Director of
Employment Resources quickly
began working with homeless
and hard-to-place clients from all
agency programs. Services provided
include training in personal strength
assessments, resumé writing,
interviewing skills, and professional
dress. Relationships with some of
Jacksonville’s leading corporate
citizens have already helped dozens
of clients reconnect with the
workforce.
The Davis Center’s adult education
also includes classes and training to
help our clients lay the foundation
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for a sustainable lifestyle. Ongoing classes include basic literacy,
financial education, credit repair and
computer courses.
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
HEALING HOMELESSNESS AND FIGHTING POVERTY
Each site provides excellent academic
support, enrichment activities,
tutoring programs and leadership
opportunities.
Summer Camp
milestones will be missed, that health
and nutrition needs are met, and that
all children will enter school “ready to
learn.”
Children ranging from age 5 to age
15 participate in the Community
Connections Summer Camp program.
Activities include team sports, games,
academic enrichment, and field trips.
Our Summer Camp program ensures
the youth we serve have a safe and
positive place to go and two meals
each day while not in school.
After School Programs
Healthy Families Jacksonville
Free after school programs are
available at six locations including
three community sites, Normandy
Center, Sable Palms Center and Davis
Center, and three TEAM UP sites at
Hyde Grove, Martin Luther King, Jr.
and Oak Hill Elementary.
We provide a free, voluntary family
support program designed to assist
pregnant women and parents with
newborns to become the best parents
they can be.
Youth & Family Services
Head Start Davis Child
Development Center
The Davis Child Development Center
serves children ages six weeks to
five years old. In August 2014, we
became a Head Start and Early Head
Start provider through a partnership
with Lutheran Services Florida.
This year, the program served 118
vulnerable children from homeless
and low-income families. A safe,
stimulating and warm environment
helps ensure that no important
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WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED
OUR NUMBERS TELL A STORY
654
246
Housed 654 homeless women,
children & families
Mentored 246 children in the Davis
Center’s Four-Star Child Development
Center, ensuring appropriate care and
development for homeless and at-risk
infants and children
2,000
Rescued 2,000 families from the
brink of homlessness with
emergency services
741
1,055
Empowered 741 adults to
better their lives with life
skills and literacy training
Provided a creative learning
environment for more than
1,055 at-risk children in
our afterschool programs
and summer camps
238,446
Filled hungry stomachs with
238,446 congregate meals
783
1,625
Mentored more than 783 families
through our Healthy Families
Jacksonville program
1,625 volunteers contributed 8,084
hours to Community Connections
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VOLUNTEERISM
THE GIFT OF TIME AND TALENT
Community Connections is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support from our community
volunteers. Volunteers help us with everything from running food and clothing drives to assisting
with administrative duties and event support. In the past year, more than 1,600 volunteers
contributed over 8,000 hours to our mission. Without this support, Community Connections of
Jacksonville would not be where it is today.
Volunteer Opportunities
Adopt-A-Room
Cooking for a Cause
On-going opportunity to decorate
a room in the Davis Transitional
Housing Center for an incoming
family.
On-going opportunity to prepare
dinner for the families in the Davis
Transitional Housing Center.
Bow Wow You’re Wow
Reading Program
Read with our VPK students and a
certified therapy dog.
Please contact us if you would like to become a Community Connections Volunteer at 904-350-9949.
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ANNUAL EVENTS
RAISING FUNDS TO RAISE SPIRITS
Community Connections is proud to host three fundraising events each year. These events provide
great opportunities to raise awareness for our mission and connect with our community partners to
build support for our programs.
Mardi Gras
This festive event is a fun way to support Community Connections. With live
music, authentic Cajun food, oysters and more, Mardi Gras is a beautiful
evening under the oaks for a great cause.
Burgers 4 Babies
Celebrity Chefs gather to flip Burgers for Babies! This fun barbecue event
takes place on site at the Davis Center and directly benefits our programs for
children. Community Connections provides a positive learning experience and
a safe nurturing environment for the homeless and low income children we
serve at the Head Start Davis Child Development Center.
Tribute
Each year, we gather to celebrate and recognize a community leader with the
Florence N. Davis Award for Community Achievement, and we highlight the
impact Community Connections has made in the lives of the women, children
and families served. In 2014, we were pleased to celebrate Daniel and Rebekah
Davis for their commitment and service to the Jacksonville community.
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CORPORATE GIVING
CONSIDER AN ANNUAL PARTNERSHIP
Heal Homelessness.
Fight Poverty.
Become a partner.
At Community Connections of Jacksonville, we understand the importance
of maximizing not only the gifts we receive through the generosity of our
community but also the opportunities to recognize and appreciate them.
Your partnership allows Community Connections to help motivated families
escape the destructive cycle of poverty and homelessness. Put your dollars
to work at one time and let us lift up your brand all year long.
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Darnell
Smith
LEVELS OF GIVING
Florida Blue
Your generosity and commitment in supporting at any of these
giving levels will have a significant impact on the lives of the
women, children and families we serve. Your support can do
so much, from sponsoring a child in our Summer Camp to
enhancing and implementing new programs like our Workforce
Development Office.
Empowerment Partner $25,000
Independence Partner $15,000
Dignity Partner $10,000
Aspiration Partner $5,000
Hope Partner $2,500
Together, we make a difference one life at a time.
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Florida Blue values its
long partnership with
Community Connections
and believes in their
mission.
The opportunity to make an
annual gift for their programs
allows us to plan appropriately
and encourage our employees to
participate in their wonderful events
and volunteer projects throughout
the year. It’s more efficient and
effective to plan a one-time gift
with Community Connections,
rather than contributing individual
amounts each time they have a need.
Their team can then spend more
time helping families and children
overcome poverty and lead healthy,
confident lives.
CHANGE THE FUTURE
SUPPORT COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS OF JACKSONVILLE
Give.
HELP US...
Volunteer.
Provide relief, refuge and
sanctuary to a motivated family
in our community.
Change an outcome.
Remove infants and children
from some of the most stressful
situations imaginable.
Change the future.
Keep young people off the
streets, out of harms way and in
school.
Educate and empower.
Together, we can heal homelessness and fight poverty one life at a time.
904-350-9949
communityconnectionsjax.org
twitter.com/CCJ_Giveback
facebook.com/communityconnectionsjax
linkedin.com/company/community-connections-of-jacksonville