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Mayor Brown joined community leaders and supporters of the Homeless Day Center to announce the Challenge Grant Effort in partnership with Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo, Mayor Launch Challenge Grant Effort For Homeless Day Center

April 22, 2013
Bank contributes $70,000 toward pilot project

Wells Fargo and Mayor Alvin Brown announced progress toward the opening of the Jacksonville Day Resource Center (JDRC) for homeless people with the company’s $70,000 contribution toward the pilot project.

Joined by the mayor, the center’s board and partners, Wells Fargo regional president Scott Coble announced the $70,000 contribution in seed funding to help move the project forward. The JDRC will lead a challenge grant campaign to encourage other businesses and community members to become involved as well through contributions.

Wells Fargo is taking part in the mayor’s challenge grant, where local organizations and businesses are being encouraged to take a financial role in the pilot project. The JDRC is expected to open by the end of this summer at the annex of the City Rescue Mission. The center is a one-year pilot project to study how improved delivery of services to homeless men and women in Jacksonville can have a positive impact on our community, and particularly Downtown.

The project has been a vision and goal for the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville, Inc. and nonprofit partners for more a decade. Now, community businesses are becoming more involved.

“The Jacksonville Day Resource Center pilot project represents a vital mission of partnership and goodwill that speaks to the heart and soul of our community,” said Mayor Brown. “I commend Wells Fargo for leading by example with a generous investment to help turn around lives and encourage greater support for this collaborative effort. We are committed to making this center a reality to help our entire city.”

Coble said community support is vital to making the day center vision a reality.

“Lifting up homeless men and women by providing them access to basic needs and resources will help in the transition to stability and employment,” said Coble. “We are pleased to contribute the seeding funding for the JDRC and hope that others in the community will support the project as well.”

The Wells Fargo contribution will go toward an estimated $180,000 in construction costs following a detailed review of electrical, plumbing and other needs at the building following the November announcement of the selection of the site at the City Rescue Mission.

"The vision of Mayor Brown, Wells Fargo, and ICARE has combined with years of effort from the services providers to make this a reality," said JDRC Board Chair Dawn Gilman. "We are confident this pilot will have a positive impact, not only on those we serve, but the community as a whole."

The pilot project, which will be open initially three days each week, resulted from collaboration among the Brown Administration, City Rescue Mission, Sulzbacher Center, Clara White Mission, Salvation Army, Trinity Rescue Mission and ICARE.

Besides the Wells Fargo seed money, the project has received in-kind contributions from Danis Group Inc., ACON Construction, C & ES Contractors, Builders Care and VRL Architects. In addition, ICARE has provided input on planning and organizational efforts related to the Day Center.

Mayor Brown has committed to operating the day center to help reduce homelessness and other services to people in need. The Brown Administration has committed to providing an employee to assist service providers in operating the center for one year.