Church donates $100,000 toward family support center

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A church is donating $100,000 to help bring housing and help to families who need it most in Clay County.

Families filled Journey Church for the first Sunday service of the year. At the end of Pastor Eric Jaffe’s message came a major announcement.

“Right now in our region, people have to go all different kinds of places. If they need food, they go to one place. If they need counseling, they go to another place. We need a singular place where people can go to get help,” Jaffe said.

He presented a $100,000 check to Patrick Hayle, CEO of Mercy Support Services. The money will go toward a new center, similar to Sulzbacher Village in Duval County.

Hayle said they’ll have 60 apartments for families who are struggling to make ends meet.

“These are folks who are employed but just cannot make ends meet,” he said. “Most of them are teachers, essential services, people who are not making a lot of money.”

They’ll also offer mental health, medical and social services all in the same place. It’s a plan that’s been in the works for more than a decade.

“We’ve been setting money aside for a future facility,” Jaffe said. “What good is that if there are people in the community who might find themselves at a place where they need a roof over their heads? So our thought process was hey lets go and help them and god will ultimately take care of us.”

Hayle said the total investment in a new center would be around $12 million. Right now, they’re focusing on buying a piece of property on College Drive.

If commissioners approve their rezoning application, he hopes to move staff and services into the building in March with ground breaking on apartments the following year.​

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