JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville pastor has been named the recipient of the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for 2024 by the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office.
Pastor Korey O’Neal is the program director for Project RISE. The award recognizes O’Neal’s partnership with the FBI and local law enforcement to combat violent crime and gang activity in North Florida through community-based programs aimed at at-risk youth and their families.
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“Our partnership with Pastor O’Neal and Project RISE has impacted the lives of countless at-risk youths and their families in our area,” FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley said. “In addition, Pastor O’Neal’s leadership and compassion have built lasting trust between law enforcement and the community, showing that real change happens when we work together.”
O’Neal talked about what drives him.
“I’m building a legacy of impact, not a record of possessions,” he said. “I choose to be impactful instead of impressive.”
Since 2021, the FBI Jacksonville Safe Streets Task Force has worked with Project RISE, Partnership for Child Health and other local law enforcement partners on a community-based violence reduction strategy focused on proactive engagement with primarily minority, underprivileged youth.
One initiative, called “The Hope and the Hammer,” involves officers and community leaders making regular visits to households identified as at risk for involvement in violent crime and gangs to offer alternatives and connect families with resources.
Through Project RISE, O’Neal helps tailor assistance that can include job placement, education, medical services, rehabilitation, financial and mental health resources, faith-based support, tattoo removal, legal help and other community services.