Pet It Forward/Gina deserves the award of the year from our household! We have a precious…read more(ShihTzu) little girl named Princess who desperately needed to be seen by a VET ASAP because I thought she was having a seizure & have bloodwork done due to something she got into. Frantically I called Gina & to my surprise she started making calls for me. Not only did she help find somewhere affordable to take Princess, but stayed in communication w/me the entire trip as well from beginning to end. Even during the VET'S actual visit, to ensure that we received excellent care @11pm at night. Which we did & Princess was able to come home with/a clean bill of health after the scariest night ever! Without Gina walking me through this, idk what I would have done. It's not often that you call a complete stranger & the person on the other end, ends up being an Angel! Gina words truly cannot express to you what you've done for our family. I will certainly not ever forget & will shout from the rooftops that there is certainly still hope for our pets through folks like YOU. P.s. Pretty sure you'll be wearing a cape when we finally meet! #petitforward #shihtzuluv #angelsindisguise

From the owner: Pet It Forward is a non-profit foundation that helps keep pets and their owners stay together! As…read morea 501(c)3 status Pet It Forward helps pay a portion of vet bills, food, spay and neuter to the less fortunate in the Jacksonville, Fl area. (other areas soon to follow) Looking for a great cause to support? Donations of any amount are always welcomed and appreciated! Together we can help the less fortunate to not have to make the heartbreaking decision to have to surrender or rehome their beloved pets due to financial difficulties. Helping one paw at a time!

HABIJAX has been a great place to spend our days off from work to volunteer whether it is at the…read moreReStore or one of the home build sites.

Great place , great atmosphere and great prices. Would highly recommend for D.I.Y oriented people…read more The people are friendly and for a great cause.

We really love this place. My LO is 19 months old and we've had a membership since he turned one…read more It's so cool to see him be able to engage in more and more on each visit. There are tons of options and areas. The older kids have always been so helpful with my little guy and he always has a blast. If you come more than once, the annual pass pays for itself and is very affordable. The staff is nice. Be prepared to have your photo ID with you every time you come!

Okay so to me the name is very misleading. Not a children's museum at all - more like an indoor…read moreplay area. Not bad for the price but you get what you pay for. The staff was nice but no real sanitizing procedures except for the hand sanitizer on the wall that is by the entrance. You were allowed to wear your shoes inside all the areas but no staff was going around sanitizing the floors at any time during the two hours we were there. The only staff I saw was at the front register. All the kid's socks and clothes that we saw were black from how dirty the play areas were. My daughter's pants & shoes were very dirty by the end of our time spent there. The bathrooms were disgusting & smelled really bad. Probably will be our only time going here- would rather spend $20 for my daughter to go to a cleaner indoor play area that requires their brand socks & no shoes at all.

Elevate Jacksonville is an amazing organization that is attacking the problems our intercity youth…read moreat their roots. So happy to see this type of mentorship going on in our schools.

From the owner: MISSION: Build long-term, life-changing relationships with urban youth, equipping them to thrive…read moreand contribute to their community In Jacksonville, a large majority of urban youth lack even one caring adult in their life, leading directly to increased dropout rates, unemployment, crime, and other roadblocks to their success. Elevate has proven effective in changing these trends and transforming the lives of our nation's youth. Elevate Jacksonville uses the same model that has been successful across the U.S. to help change the outcomes for students in our city.

Mike is very experienced and professional. he repaired our computer in timely manner at good cost…read more will use for all my computer needs.

Mike R. Was very knowledgeable, explained each step and made sure we were completely satisfied -…read morewhich we were!

Pleasant visit. I participated in the DV walk last week. I loved the design of the tshirts and…read morewanted one after I registered. No one voiced how to purchase so I contacted the organiser. Only $5! As I walked to the window, I fancied a pair of see through Steve maddens. As I checked the item inside, the sticker said $22!! The other pair of Jessica Simpson sandals were $8! Major steals! All Thee items totalled $21. I'm glad I went inside bc I always thought it was for residents. The funds go back to the Hubbard house, but it's open to the community.

This is a great spot for volunteering! I have been there several times. The staff members are so…read morenice and relatable. Nobody there is on a power trip lol You can do everything from sorting donations to hanging clothes to sweeping floors. For shopping it's kinda meh. I grew up thrift shopping and I feel this place is kind of expensive.. have yet to find any steals. It's laid out and labeled very well. Nice selection of women's clothing. There is an ok selection of men's, children's clothes. Ok selection for shoes. Also an ok selection for furniture. They do have a $1 section so that's nice. I will say if you are In need, they will take care of you. A woman came in with 7 kids and found clothes for EACH of them. 20 pieces each!!! Their philanthropy is wonderful. Just remember you're shopping and/or volunteering for a great cause! Definitely worth a stop.

Review #900 comes in the form of admiration for the Ronald McDonald House in Jacksonville. I…read morerecently toured the facility for the first time and still have goosebumps from my experience. This non profit charity does not receive any federal or government grants or funding. Contrary to popular belief, it's a completely donation-based organization, which is absolutely stunning, since they currently house 53 families free of charge. Patients and their families come from all around the world to seek medical attention in Jacksonville. When I toured the house, they spoke enthusiastically of a family who recently crossed the pond from Ireland. People might not be talking about this enough, but Jacksonville is home to state-of-the-art medical care. The house is beautiful. There's a courtyard, a full-service kitchen (larger than some restaurants), a pantry, a movie room, a play room, a prayer room, a class room, a covered parking garage, a gorgeous rooftop garden and so much more. On top of that, each employee I've worked with or met in passing has a passion so evident it's contagious. I have to admit there were times during the tour I found myself getting choked up. The mission is clear and they are truly changing lives by providing lodging, food and transportation better than most hotel accommodations. Add to the mix, families at their most stressful only emphasizes the Lord's work they're doing. Love, love, love! I encourage anyone to donate or give back to the Ronald McDonald House.

Very informative. Made it easy with their pickup policy. Received a printed donation receipt all…read moreready for tax time.

I have shopped here for years ! Ready to stop!! Most of the time find the prices to be very…read morereasonable on 1/2 price days but lately the new policies leave shoppers wondering what will be the sale policy from week to week. Several times I have gone there only to find after choosing my merchandise finding out brick a brac is NOT on sale this week though it was last week! Or they had a crazy color policy according to sales stickers for several weeks!! Best when Wednesday or Monday was 1/2 price day for all merchandise but this changing around from one day to the next discourages people from attending at all!! Many regulars not happy at all!! Also telephone # not answering and on a 1/2 price special day no opening time was posted so many stood outside waiting for opening from8:30 in anticipation for 9Am opening to 10Am in 85degree temperature !! Manager very ungrateful considering no time posted for opening. Poor policy, inconsiderate!!!

Every Saturday, from 10-3, under the bridges in Riverside, many of the best food and craft vendors…read morein the area, along with performers, local residents, and Jacksonville's greatest dogs, converge for a great weekend event. RAM is just a vibe. We make this a weekly stop and bring our dogs. There is something for everyone here. The outside lanes are devoted to local food vendors and food trucks respectively. Tons of great bakeries, produce and coffee selections. Inside, art, jewelry, and on stage, local talent weekly. Some of my favorite food vendors are 1748 Bakehouse and Mixed Fillings. The art vendors differ week to week and we've made a few purchases. Most importantly, this is THE highlight of the week for my dogs. They get to mingle with other dogs and people and they smile the entire time we're there. This is THE event to start your weekend in the Jacksonville area. If you haven't been, I highly encourage you to visit RAM.

This arts market is a must if you're visiting Jax. I picked up a set of blueberry ceramic bowls…read morefrom a very talented vendor and wished I had more room in my suitcase. Also, come on an empty stomach so that you can fill it up with a multi-course lunch. I highly recommend Backyard Buffalo for Indian and Mixed Fillings for pie.

I've supported JHS for over a decade but finally had my first experience as an adopter with them,…read moreand it went wonderfully. My spouse and I decided we were ready to bring a cat into our home a couple years after our senior cat passed away, and we headed to JHS to start seeing if any cat felt like a match. The facility is beautiful and clearly designed to minimize stress as much as possible for the animals. The front desk employees were friendly and told us to look around, so we did. We wanted an adult cat, and we found that -- at least on this visit -- they were all in a special "citrus suite" that required accompaniment by a counselor since cats can be a bit spicy. It was about 30 minutes before closing at this point, but we were assured that we wouldn't be rushed out with closing and to take as much time with the cats and counselor as we wanted. Once our lovely counselor Charly was ready, she took us into the suite and started talking to us about the cats. She had detailed information about each and talked to us about what we were looking for, what our home was like, whether we had children or pets, and whether we had experience with cats. It felt very friendly but also like a good two-way evacuation (us of the cats and JHS of us), which I appreciated. One cat ended up showing interest in us pretty quickly, and we spent about 20 minutes with her. Spoiler alert: she's sitting on the couch with me now at home. Back to that day: we said we wanted to adopt her, and Charly got her into a travel box and had us wait for a few minutes at the front while she got paperwork together. She brought us our new family member and a big folder with important dates for follow-up vaccines, medical information, and even some coupons. Once we got home, they even sent us some more photos that had taken of our new cat during her time at the shelter, and the online tool they partner with was useful, too. It was definitely a great experience, and it reaffirmed my belief that the work of JHS is one of the best things about this city.

Do not come here. I…read moreadopted a 2 month old kitten from here. The day I met him, he was fearful but otherwise seemed healthy. The one thing that stood out was how visibly dirty he was. His fur was matted with grime and dirt. He was a stray, so I assumed he would be cleaned before being sent home with an adopter. I was told to come back in two days because he needed to be neutered. Two days later, I returned to pick him up. While waiting, I sat in front of his cage and watched him throw up. He looked extremely sick. I informed the front desk and decided to come back later. The shelter was closed the next day, so I returned the following morning. He looked even weaker and visibly ill. I assumed he was simply recovering from surgery. I have cared for cats after surgery before and know what normal recovery looks like. What I could not understand was why he was still filthy. He looked exactly as dirty as the day I first met him. He also had a known flea problem, yet he looked like he had gone through the entire process without ever being properly prepared for adoption. Seeing him in that condition did not make me feel confident that he was receiving the care I was told he was getting. I was assured the fleas were not a concern and that he was a perfectly healthy kitten who had received all necessary vaccinations and care. I was sent home with him that day. The next morning, my house was infested with fleas. Not a few fleas. They were everywhere. He was constantly itching and being bitten. I found fleas in my kitchen, bathrooms, bedroom, and even my car. I had to treat my entire home while caring for a recently neutered kitten who could not be bathed normally. He suffered because of a problem I was told was not an issue. Within two days of bringing him home, everything went downhill. He stopped eating. Then he stopped drinking. Then he stopped moving. He would stand unsteadily, lower his head toward the ground, and remain there completely unresponsive. I remembered being told to bring him back if anything went wrong after surgery, so I did exactly that. Instead of receiving help, I was told these issues were not pre-existing conditions and that I needed to take him to a veterinarian. So I did. The veterinarian was appalled that he had been allowed to go home. The exam revealed a 104 degree fever, severe dehydration, infection, mild anemia, and neurological symptoms, including seizures. Seizures. In a 2 month old kitten I had adopted less than a week earlier. I spent $255 on the exam and bloodwork alone, and he needed even more treatment than I could provide. That not including the 30 dollar flea treatment for my home and the Capstar medication worth 43 that I bought. This should never have happened. When I brought the veterinary records back to the shelter, I expected concern, accountability, or at least an explanation. Instead, I got excuses. The person assigned to speak with me repeatedly explained that she was not a veterinarian and could not answer many of the medical questions I was asking. That left me wondering why she was handling a complaint involving a critically ill kitten who had just been adopted out. The final conversation left me disgusted. I was told I could either pay for treatment myself or surrender him. I chose to surrender him because he clearly needed more medical care than I could provide. Almost immediately after signing the paperwork, I was told, "Just so you know, if we can't help him, we're going to euthanize him." I had spent the previous week trying to save this kitten, paying veterinary bills and treating my home for fleas, only to be told that surrendering him might mean he dies. When I asked why he had been sent home with me in the first place, I was told they did not have the neurological resources necessary to identify conditions they could not immediately see. I could have been told he needed additional monitoring before being adopted out. Instead, he was sent home while suffering from anemia, infection, dehydration, fleas, and seizures. I was also told it was better for him to be in my home because the shelter had too many animals to closely monitor them all. That statement alone says everything. He was adopted out before anyone knew or bothered to find out how serious his condition was. Anemia. Fleas. Dehydration. Infection. Seizures. What a memorable adoption experience. Instead of focusing on moving as many animals through the system as possible, make sure the animals being adopted are healthy enough to survive the process. The lack of concern shown throughout this entire situation was shocking. Disgusting disregard and recklessness of the wellbeing of a helpless animal. I have attached photos from the day I brought him home and videos from my final day with him. Yes they're unnecessary and should be private, but words alone do not show what me and the poor guy had to go through. My boy deserved better. "Humane society." How ironic.