JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Volunteers spent Christmas morning feeding hundreds of people outside New Dawn Outreach in downtown Jacksonville.
It’s one of the coldest days Jacksonville has seen in years and Richard Bonapart lives on the streets.
Bonapart told Action News Jax he was touched seeing how many came out to help people like him.
“This takes some type of special,” he said.
Volunteers served up a nice hot meal complete with biscuits, gravy, eggs, ham and sausage.
It’s the third year that Cynthia Saben organized her Christmas Breakfast in the Park, an event she almost thought wouldn’t happen this year because of the pandemic.
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“As you can see we can’t not have it. The pandemic has affected the homeless severely because a lot of us work in downtown. We’re not down here to give them the food or hand them the money when they’re in need,” Saben said.
Because of COVID-19, organizing the breakfast was a challenge.
Saben had to cut down on the number of volunteers and she received less donations this year.
Not only were people able to pick up a warm meal, but they get a nice hot drink, too.
Carolyn Snowden brought her daughters to help give out coffee, juice and cocoa.
“It’s just our way of exposing them to those who don’t have as much and then in turn appreciate what they do have,” Snowden said.
Organizers said it was also important to hand out coats, sleeping bags and blankets to keep homeless people like Bonapart a little warmer, especially on this cold Christmas day.
“I got to say the people in Jacksonville, I love them. I say thank you to everybody out there,” Bonapart said.
Last year, Christmas Breakfast in the Park was able to serve more than 350 people in need.
Cox Media Group
