JaxParks Partners Share Their Stories

Don't Miss a Beat, a non-profit organization that combines music, the arts and academic enrichment to help inspire and enlighten youth, is entering its second year as a partner with JaxParks. The agency provides both summer camp and after school programs at the J.S. Johnson Center, located in Jacksonville's Brooklyn Community. 

Just two days after a tragic shooting at J.S. Johnson Park, in which one person was killed and 10 others, including an 18-month old girl, were wounded, Don't Miss a Beat was open and continuing to serve the neighborhood children.

"We were allowed to re-open on Tuesday because we wanted the kids to proceed with their normal routine," Don't Miss a Beat Director Gwendolyn Owens said. "We were heartbroken because of the incident, but we didn't want the children to be afraid or think that we were afraid to come back into their community."

Mayor Alvin Brown, Sheriff John Rutherford and Council Member Warren Jones made separate visits to the center as part of their efforts to reach out to the community.