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.

Recently my company volunteered at the Sulzbacher Center to prepare and serve lunch to those in…read moreneed. And believe me, there are a lot of people in need at this center; from homeless living on the streets of downtown Jacksonville to the few residents that live at the Sulzbacher. It is not a pretty sight at all, so we who are fortunate enough should give our time and effort to help these people. We can change lives! The kitchen at the Sulzbacher is small, but has everything you would find in a professional restaurant kitchen. The food that local businesses and individuals donate is what the staff here has to work with. So it's also important that they receive donations to help keep the center open. I will say if volunteering at Sulzbacher parking can be a real nightmare, like every other place downtown. So you'll probably have to park on Catherine St like we did. Remember love your neighbor no matter what!

Sulzbacher is a wonderful non-profit serving the most needy in our community. Please consider…read moredonating to keep their kitchen stocked and their extraordinary services for the homeless ongoing well into the future.

Shoutout to our local community heroes!! I had the honor of meeting a few awesome volunteers like…read moreWalter, Shelly, Eli, and Mack. This faithful group may fluctuate of volunteers, food availability, and people in need... but the Love is a constant!!! The lines start early and the set up starts even earlier. This team is run like a well-oiled machine and are efficient, effective, and willing to share Love with their acts of service. Food is organized for the purpose of providing for the appropriate amount of food for the appropriate amount of people. The food comes from a lot of different sources, but with the same heart of Love and Hope. There is a group of volunteers that also like to help out by providing prayer support to the individual cars as they are awaiting their turn in the drive thru line. May God bless all that are involved and may this be a Lighthouse to the community!!

Every visit is a fun filled thrift adventure! Staff is courteous, friendly and professional. The…read moreinterior is quite large and holds many great finds from children's, Womens and men's wear and more! 50% off SALE - EVERYDAY! Some of my favorite items are the men's shirts and music collection. Picked up if not brand new, gently worn clothing and great albums/cd's of some of my cherished music. Lots of parking on the property and a restroom for customers only located inside. Can't wait for my next visit to see what other wonderful items to purchase and help support this great nonprofit organization.

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.

This is a great place for a group, teambuilding event to help the less fortunate in the…read moreJacksonville area. I came here with my employer to volunteer as a group. There were roughly 60 of us, and we packed 1000 boxes of food. That only took about an hour, so we were also given a tour of this impressive facility, which helps other local organizations and serves a part of the local emergency services. I came away feeling good about my employer for organizing the event and donating to a good cause.

Thank God for them !!!! Kindd, wonderful caring organization, They provide the help families need.read more

Second Harvest no longer exists in NE Florida as of 2014. Farm Share, another food bank, is now…read moreesatblished at the same site.

Working with the Kitten Foster Army is a joy! The staff makes it easy to foster fail, or just enjoy…read morea few weeks with a sweet new kitten before they reach their forever homes. Scheduling is generally easy, though weekend clinics can get busy. We appreciate the service the Humane Society provides to our community.

If I could give zero stars, I would. If you're considering fostering through Jax Humane Society, be…read moreprepared for the possibility of receiving sick kittens that may not have received adequate care. We originally fostered two kittens and brought them in for adoption. While we were there, we were asked to foster two additional kittens, Ladybug and Grasshopper. Ladybug arrived with what appeared to be an untreated eye infection and was covered in fleas. We later learned neither kitten had been given flea treatment. Grasshopper also had fleas but otherwise seemed healthy. After about a week, Ladybug had started gaining strength and eating on her own. When we brought her in, we had finally received an email from Jax Humane Society, but by the time we got there, she had already passed away. Two days later, Grasshopper suddenly became lethargic, stopped eating and meowing, developed severe diarrhea, and could barely move. We took him to Jax Humane Society and expressed concern that he may have contracted the same illness as his sister, but our concerns were dismissed as dehydration. Within hours of bringing him home, his condition rapidly worsened, and he passed away after the clinic had already closed. This experience was heartbreaking. In our case, we felt our concerns were not taken seriously, and there was no emergency phone number to reach anyone after hours--only email communication. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend fostering or adopting through Jax Humane Society. No family should have to go through the trauma that we experienced.