Needs From: United Way of Northeast Florida

This MLK Day of Service, join United Way of Northeast Florida, Celebration Church Orange Park, Feeding Northeast Florida, and Challenge Enterprises as they address food insecurity among struggling families in Clay County.

It is estimated that 1 of 6 adults and 1 of 4 children in our community is hungry or facing food insecurity, which is simply not knowing when or how they will get their next meal. The largest growing population experiencing hunger or food insecurity is working families, “ordinary” people who work hard and live on an income that can’t stretch from paycheck to paycheck. 

Volunteers are needed to help unload, sort, and hand food to families in need.

The MLK Day of Service in the Town of Orange Park seeks to embody Dr. King's vision of dignity and opportunity for all through impactful community service initiatives that uplift and strengthen the community. The event takes special note of the town's historical significance, notably as the residence of Anna Kingsley, a prominent African-American businesswoman and landowner, and the Orange Park Normal and Industrial School site, a beacon of education during challenging times.

United Way of Northeast Florida is proud to partner with Impact Clay and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture Excellence and Conservation (CSAES) to bring fresh food and essential resources directly to families in Keystone Heights as part of the Impact Clay Train — a mobile, neighborhood-centered initiative that connects private, nonprofit, public, and faith-based partners to communities across Clay County.

CSAES helps expand access to fresh, locally grown food in underserved areas and works alongside residents to reduce food insecurity and strengthen community well-being. Together with Impact Clay — an organization that strengthens Clay County by connecting partners and expanding access to essential resources — this special MLK Day of Service stop will make a meaningful difference for local families.

Volunteers are needed to assist with this food distribution, helping set up stations, greet residents, distribute fresh produce to households in need, and help with break down after the distribution. Your support helps ensure families have reliable nourishment and the dignity of a well-stocked pantry.

Join Impact Clay, CSAES, and United Way of Northeast Florida in bringing hope, nourishment, and community connection to Keystone Heights — one train stop at a time.

 

 

Senior Care Packs include items that seniors may find useful to make their daily life easier. These kits are distributed to the elderly who need extra assistance. Bags should be reusable shopping bags, totes, or drawstring backpacks.

Packs should include a combination of (but not limited to) the following items:

Hand sanitizer Toothbrush and holder Toothpaste Washcloth Soap and holder Shampoo Body wash Comb or brush Facial tissues Lip balm Lotion Jar gripper Magnifying glass Magazines Activity books (crosswords, sudoku, etc.) Notepads Pens Sugar-free candy Box of tea Non-slip socks Encouragement card

Assembling these kits involves a few simple steps. First, create a card of encouragement to put inside the bag; write a positive message or decorate with an inspirational image. We recommend using cardstock so that it won't bend in the bag during transport. Then, one of each item and the card should be placed in the bag. 

For anyone collecting hours, we will verify one half-hour plus one volunteer hour for every three bags of at least eight items each, capped at 5.5 hours for one participant.

Contact our project coordinator here to coordinate drop-offs or ask questions.

 

 

 

Increasingly, many children in grades kindergarten to high school, are in households that struggle financially and do not have regular access to food and basic hygiene products. Feminine products are ineligible for coverage under food stamps and SNAP benefits, contributing to what is called “period poverty”. In the US, nearly 1 in 5 girls have missed school because they lack access to feminine hygiene products, which leads to embarrassment and lack of self-esteem. Furthermore, if a girl has to stay home every time she has her period, she will fall behind her classmates by 145 days. Consistent school absences lead to a drop in grades and performance, which will have lasting repercussions in these students’ lives. By providing these items, these girls will have one less thing to worry about and be able to focus on what is really important – their education!

Suggested Items for each sack Deodorant maxi pads tampons pantiliners personal wipesmini-bottle of hand sanitizer Decorated card with encouraging words

Please contact us HERE to arrange a donation time at the recipient organization. 

  

Happy Bottoms Diaper Drive is one of our (DIY) Do it Yourself Volunteer Projects. DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages and sizes to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more. You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies, complete the project, and drop off the completed project to the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self-log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project. 

Happy Bottoms Diaper Drive

Diapers, wipes, and diaper cream are essential items for families with young children — but they’re also costly, and not covered by assistance programs like SNAP. By donating these items, you’re helping parents meet a critical basic need and ensuring babies in our community stay clean, healthy, and comfortable.

We welcome donations of diapers in all sizes (especially sizes 3–6), along with wipes and diaper cream. All items will be distributed to families in need through our trusted community partners.

Hour Verification:
Participants may earn:

·         0.5 hours for coordinating and dropping off donations, plus

·         1 additional hour for each complete “diaper care kit” donated:

o    1 pack of diapers

o    2 packs of wipes

o    1 tube of diaper cream
(Hours are awarded to one participant per kit.)

Your contribution directly supports local parents and children. Thank you for helping families in Northeast Florida thrive!

For any questions, please contact us HERE.

 

 

Personal Care Kits is one of our (DIY) Do it Yourself Volunteer Projects. DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages and sizes to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more. You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies, complete the project, and drop off the completed project to the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self-log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project. Once you have responded to this need United Way of Northeast Florida will contact you within 48 hours. 

Personal Care Kits

Purchasing items or hosting a drive and assembling personal care kits are a critical way volunteers can address a real community need individually or as a group, family, school or neighborhood. Kits will be dispersed to our community network to be distributed to students or through other non-profit partner agencies who serve the homeless or veteran population. 

Please download a guide with a list of suggested items HERE.

HINT: You may create kid-friendly kits by adding in a small toy or activity and/or kid-themed items. 

For anyone collecting hours, we will verify one half-hour plus one hour for every two kits with card created. These hours are capped at 10.5 hours for one participant. 

Please contact us HERE to arrange a donation time at the recipient organization. 

 

Many children within Nassau County do not have regular access to food. As you can imagine, this instability has an impact on their health and academic success. Snack packs will alleviate some of their discomfort and worry that negatively affects their learning, social interactions, and ability to enjoy life as a child should. 

Packs can be completed in three easy steps:

1) Decorate a blank paper bag. A bright, colorful bag can really cheer up a child of any age! 

2) Stuff the bag with the following items (all items should be easy to open, non-perishable, and should need a microwave at most to cook):

Shelf-stable milk, chocolate milk, or 100% juice Easy Mac, Tuna Salad or chicken salad kit Kashi bar, Kind or another granola bar Popcorn/Chip Bag Applesauce or fruit cup Napkin Fork/spoon

3) Create a positive, motivational card for the child and place it in each bag.

4) When you have completed the project and are ready to donate your bags, please contact volunteer@uwnefl.org.

Volunteer Hours

For those that require service hours, one half-hour (for travel) plus one hour for every two complete snack packs with card will be given for one participant.