Heart for Homeless in Clay County Florida is a non profit organization that helps homeless people in Clay and Duval Counties in Florida. They provide support in the form of food, clothing, tents, and other supplies to make it a little easier for them.

Steve White is the gentleman who started this organization.  It began during Lent in April of 2009, when Steve and his wife Angela chose to help the homeless as their mission. Here’s an article from jacksonville.com that talks about how Steve started his mission work.

I have to admit that there have been times, I’ve seen homeless people and just don’t consider them to be like me. You think they are a criminal and you’re worried they might try to hurt you. That’s not always true, not true at all. Many are just like you an me, but something happened in their life to cause them to be on the streets. Yep, sometimes that event was their own fault, sometimes the decisions they made, were not the right ones. Some, had a house and a job and just didn’t save for the future. How many people live paycheck to paycheck, with no savings at all?

One of the things I read, that Steve said that once he started talking to these people, they became his best friends. He goes there to give them food, clothing and sometimes, just some company.

If you would like to make donations or to give any time to help with camp clean ups or moving, call 904-222-4796 or visit their facebook page : Heart for Homeless

 

 

 

 

 

Foster Closet in Atlantic Beach Florida

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 to help take care of the foster children entrusted to them. They also help foster kids who age out of the system, by giving them furniture, clothes, appliances, from donations made to their organization.

I’ve seen Tammy (the founder) deliver furniture with other volunteers and help set up a young adult in her new apartment. She was all set with furniture, appliances, groceries and more.  The smile on this young lady’s face was priceless.

Foster parents get a bad rap and despite what you may have heard on the news, most foster parents are good people and do not receive much money from the foster care organization. They open up their homes and hearts to these kids. It’s not easy work, because these kids have come from broken homes and sometimes act out because of the abuse they have endured. The checks they receive every month barely cover the care of the foster child.  Many times, the kids are pulled from the homes with just the clothes on their back, because of their situation is urgent and the social workers need to get the kids out of the home quickly.

If you would like to make donations, you can visit the Foster Closet’s website. Your donation can be monetary, clothing, furniture, etc. You can volunteer your time as well.

Contact information:

Call before coming: 31 Sailfish Drive East
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
904-382-5959 Tammy@FosterCloset.org