Needs From: United Way of Northeast Florida

Join United Way of Northeast Florida’s Full Service Schools, Duval County Public Schools and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture Excellence and Conservation (CSAEC) for a community food distribution serving families in the Englewood area.

Volunteers will help unload, sort, and distribute fresh food at Englewood High School, located beside the Full Service Schools’ Englewood Family Resource Center. Together, these partners are working to increase access to nutritious food and critical community resources for neighborhood families.

Much of the fresh produce being distributed is grown by local farmers, including many small and minority-owned farms across the region, helping support both local agriculture and families experiencing food insecurity.

Please note: Volunteer start times may shift slightly as we finalize delivery and setup logistics. Any schedule adjustments are expected to be minor and will be communicated to volunteers in advance.

Join United Way of Northeast Florida for Day of Action at Andrew Jackson High School, a historic Eastside campus preparing for its upcoming 100th anniversary and one of the key schools connected to our Greater Springfield Full Service Schools community, right next door to this historic school.

Roll up your sleeves and help support outdoor campus improvement projects designed to create stronger, more functional, and more welcoming spaces for students and the surrounding community. Projects plan to include field enhancement efforts and other hands-on improvements that will have a lasting impact on the school.

Specific projects may shift slightly based on final school priorities.

Join United Way of Northeast Florida for Day of Action at Andrew Jackson High School, a historic Eastside campus preparing for its upcoming 100th anniversary and one of the key schools connected to our Greater Springfield Full Service Schools community.

Help refresh and revitalize interior campus spaces designed to better support students and staff as the school prepares for this historic milestone. Projects may include painting, decorating, organizing, and other improvement activities focused on creating more welcoming, uplifting environments throughout the school for students, parents and teachers.

Grab your gloves and help create a warmer, more welcoming entrance for students and families at our Greater Springfield Full Service Schools site during United Way of Northeast Florida’s Day of Action!

Volunteers will assist with landscaping and outdoor beautification efforts designed to help the campus feel inviting, cared for, and community-centered from the moment families arrive. Projects may include planting, mulching, cleanup, light garden work, and other hands-on improvements that help transform shared spaces into places of pride and connection.

 SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE

Please be sure the acknowledge the DIY and Kits Project Waiver, and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

This Day of Action we invite to you participate in this DIY Project by collecting supplies on your own or through a drive. You can download a list of the most requested supply items here.

You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies and drop off the items 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.

Some helpful tips for hosting a drive can be found HERE.

More helpful tips for completing DIY projects can be found HERE

You will earn service hours as you do it! We will offer one hour of service for every 15 items collected and delivered for one participant. 

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many items you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS DRIVE:

School Supplies Drive is one of our (DIY) Do it Yourself Volunteer Projects. DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages 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.

Purchasing or collecting school supplies is a great way to support the work that we do through our Full Service Schools and school partners. School supplies are needed year-round, not only at the beginning of the school year.

There is a strong need for classroom supplies, including Sharpies, dry erase markers, clipboards, disinfectant wipes, sheet protectors, and small individual whiteboards.

FOOD DRIVE FOR FULL SERVICE SCHOOLS

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kits Project Waiver, and follow the directions carefully.

Currently, there is an urgent need for food items in our Englewood and Sandalwood Full Service Schools locations.

WHAT TO DO:

You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies and drop off the items to the appropriate location.

You can download an instructional document here which includes discussion questions and tips for holding a drive as well as a list of suggested items.  Nonperishable items are most needed. This includes (but is not limited to) peanut butter, dried beans, rice, grains, pasta, sauces, canned items, 'add water' types of meals (dried rice and pasta dishes, etc.). When selecting items, please keep in mind that items that are too high in sodium are not good for anyone!

For guidance on what items to collect, United Way of Northeast Florida has created a chart of how much food it takes to feed a family. Please download this document and use it when creating a wish list or shopping list

Some helpful tips for hosting a drive can be found HERE.

More helpful tips for completing DIY projects can be found HERE.

You may log your hours through the self log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project.

United Way can document community service hours for those that need them and will give one hour for every 15 items donated. One item counts as each package donated: one can of soup is one item and a six count package of apple sauce is one item.

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many items you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS DRIVE:

Hosting a food 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. Food drives are a critical way volunteers can address a real community need individually or as a group, family, school, or neighborhood. Food items that you collect will benefit a family in need through United Way's Full Service Schools network. 

 TEEN CLOTHING DRIVE

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kit Projects Volunteer Waiver and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

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.

Download instructions and supply list here.

Some helpful tips for hosting a drive can be found HERE.

More helpful tips for completing DIY projects can be found HERE.

For those seeking service hours, we award one half-hour plus one hour for every three new or 10 gently used clothing items. You may log your hours through the self-log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project.

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many items you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS DRIVE:
Purchasing items or hosting a drive for clothing for teenagers is a critical way volunteers can address a real community need individually or as a group, family, school or neighborhood. Many teens in our Full Service School network are not able to afford clothing for school, jobs, and even important teen events like the prom. Sandalwood Full Service School, in particular, has opened a Teen Closet to address this, and any teen in need is welcome to visit and "shop," all free of cost, thanks to donations and drives such as this one.

C.R.O.W.N. HAIR CARE KITS

C.R.O.W.N. stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kit Projects Volunteer Waiver and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

Download instructions for making C.R.O.W.N. Hair Care Kits HERE.

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. 

If you would like to hold a drive, you can find some helpful tips HERE.

If you need community service hours, we will verify one half-hour plus one hour for every two kits with cards created. 

Kits must contain EVERY item listed and be in a decorated bag with a decorated card to receive full service hours.

When finished, contact us HERE to let us know how many kits you have, and we will coordinate with the recipient organization for your drop off. Be aware that this can take 3-5 days.

WHY THIS KIT:

Natural hair care items are frequently overlooked when toiletry items are donated. Not all hair and skincare products meet the unique needs of the natural hair community, and many homeless service providers have difficulty providing these necessary items. Many students from struggling families within our school system have a great need for these seldom-donated products as well. 

The 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.

Kits will be dispersed to our Full Service Schools network to be distributed to students or through other non-profit partner agencies that serve the homeless or veteran populations.  

Many children within Duval 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. This is an opportunity to help Full Service Schools address this barrier to success. This need was also created to aid families heavily affected by the pandemic.

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):

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 our project coordinator here.

Safety First

Safety is paramount! Please read and follow these precautions before beginning this volunteer project:

Volunteer Hours

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

PERSONAL CARE KITS

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kits Project Waiver, and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

Please download a guide with directions for making personal care kits HERE

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.

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.

EXTRA: You may create kid-friendly kits by adding in a small toy, activity, game, etc.

Holding a Drive:
Can't make kits? Holding a drive for these same personal care items can also help alleviate the needs in Duval County Public Schools! You can download an instructional document HERE , including discussion questions and tips for holding a drive.

Please download a guide with a list of suggested items HERE. Full-size or items over 3 oz are greatly appreciated. Hotel-sized shampoos are not as useful for students, but can be donated to partner homeless shelters.

For anyone needing service hours, we will verify one hour for every 15 items donated, plus 1/2 hour for transporting the items. One item counts as each package donated: one can of soup is one item and a six-count package of apple sauce is one item.

More helpful tips for completing DIY projects can be found HERE.

Kits must contain EVERY item listed and be in a decorated bag with a decorated card to receive full service hours.

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many kits you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS KIT:

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. 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 Full Service School network to be distributed to students or through other non-profit partner agencies who serve the homeless or veteran population.