‘A place for second chances’: Jacksonville organization helps families, individuals fight poverty

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — From the pandemic, to job losses, to the toll inflation has on families: many across our area are struggling to make ends meet.

One local, faith-based organization has worked for decades to fix that.

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Downtown Ecumenical Services Council is run largely by hard-working volunteers.

DESC operates out of the basement of First Presbyterian Baptist Church of Jacksonville. The organization was chartered in 1983 by several downtown congregations to assist in “street ministry.”

David Clark is DESC’s executive director.

“DESC helps families who are fighting poverty,” Clark said. “We provide services to help them make life a little easier.”

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Those in need can receive financial help on overdue rent and utilities.

They can also find clothing, food and other critical items.

The work continues despite setbacks.

“The food has definitely been impacted by supply chain challenges, so we have less food,” Clark said.

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Food is donated twice a week, typically through Feeding Northeast Florida.

Clark said food drives help keep a solid supply, so DESC is looking for more community members to host more drives.

DESC does not receive state or federal funding, so it can really use the community’s help through cash, donations in kind or volunteers.

Families or individuals who need the help can stop by 215 North Ocean Street on Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“We think of ourselves as sort of a place for second chances,” Clark said.

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Case management can also be arranged for mental health and social needs. An individual can receive help to identify goals and targets that they want to reach and the steps to get there.

“We want everyone who comes to DESC to feel loved, to feel valued, to know that they can come here and be respected, to have dignity and then to leave with hope and encouragement,” Clark said. “We want people to know that they’re God’s children and that they are loved.”

There were 10,000 services delivered to local families in 2021.

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Here are some of the clothing needs right now:

• Underwear
• Socks
• Shorts
• Jeans

According to DESC, before the pandemic there were 163,746 households in Duval, Clay and Nassau counties that could not afford basic needs such as housing, child care , food, healthcare and transportation.

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