Bundle up! How to protect plants and property as Jacksonville area gets freezing temps overnight
People in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia are expected to see the coldest temperatures of the season overnight Tuesday and Wednesday, with temperatures in some areas forecasted to dip into the 20s.
City Rescue Mission, Sulzbacher provide cold weather shelters in Jacksonville
Because of the low temperatures forecast for Friday and Saturday, the City Rescue Mission is increasing its overnight capacity for those who need shelter and Sulzbacher will provide a cold night shelter for those experiencing homelessness.
โI feel blessedโ: Hundreds in need receive cold-weather gear through local clothing drive
Volunteers gave away thousands of sweaters, jackets, blankets, long-sleeved shirts, even socks and shoes, on Wednesday to keep people warm during the winter at the annual Mister Rogers Neighborhood Sweater Drive.
While โbridgeโ shelter just opened, city is hurrying to find solutions before it closes
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ The temporary shelter that opened for people moved from a homeless camp along Union Street on Monday will be open for 27 more days. The Temporary Bridge Shelter, being managed by Changing Homelessness and the City Rescue Mission, was donated by Jacksonville real estate company JWB. The city said its goal is to bring an โend to homelessness,โ but there is concern a new homeless camp could spring up when this facility closes early next month. While the Temporary Bridge Shelter is open for a total of 30 days, there have already been individuals that have been placed in a variety of housing solutions that meet their particular needs. Despite the homeless camp that grew downtown early this year, the Jacksonville officials say homelessness has been decreasing in city.
87 of 150 people moved from Jacksonville homeless camp stayed in cityโs temporary shelter
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ It appears a majority of the people experiencing homelessness in downtown Jacksonville are accounted for after city workers shut down a large homeless camp near Union and Jefferson Street. In addition to providing basic needs, City Rescue Mission case managers are supposed to work with people at the shelter to help them come up with personalized plans to get back on their feet. However, a volunteer at City Rescue Mission told News4Jax that only 15 residents were in the temporary shelter before curfew at 10 pm. Some community advocates bashed the cityโs plan from the beginning, calling the camp shutdown a band-aid solution that did not address the root issue. Daryus Sando, who called the tent city home for two months, said seeing the city crews made the deadline suddenly very real.
Shelters open extra beds due to Christmas freeze
Due to low temperatures forecast expected to drop below 40ยบ from Thursday and beyond, Jacksonvilleโs City Rescue Mission along with shelters in Flagler County and Gainesville will open extra beds for those without a warm place to spend the night. The City Rescue Mission will increase its overnight capacity as well as extend its hours to those in need of shelter. Guests can check-in to City Rescue Missionโs New Life Inn at 234 W. State Street beginning at 2:30 p.m. each day. โItโs important because this actually can be a life saving measure,โ said Jaime Williams with the City Rescue Mission. โSpace heaters need space โ at least 3 feet โ away from anything that can burn,โ Flagler County Fire Marshal Jerry Smith said.
City Rescue Mission invites those experiencing homelessness to holiday meal
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ City Rescue Mission will hold its annual Christmas Meal for those who are homeless and those who are in need. In addition to the holiday meal, guests can visit Santa Claus and receive a Shoebox of Love. As part of CRMโs annual Christmas donation campaign, Shoeboxes of Love were donated by individuals and companies across Northeast Florida. All guests, staff and volunteers will be required to wear a mask and have their temperature taken. The annual Christmas Meal is sponsored by Auditmacs.
City Rescue Mission expands overnight shelter capacity
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ The City Rescue Mission is expanding its services in response to the recent cold snap. The nonprofit organization announced Tuesday that itโs increasing its overnight shelter capacity and extending hours every day the temperatures outside dip below 40 degrees. โWe want to make sure that those without a home have a warm shelter and a hot meal.โResidents who need shelter can check in at the New Life Inn at 234 West State St. starting at 2:30 p.m. each day. Guests will get a hot meal, clean clothes and access to a shower. The shelter is requiring guests to follow the Centers for Disease Controlโs safety guidelines to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus.
Shelters prepare overflow beds due to cold weather
Guests will be required to adhere to all COVID-19 safety precautions put in place as recommended by the CDC. Flagler Countyโs Sheltering Tree is opening a cold weather shelter at Church on the Rock in Bunnell. It will also be open any night where the temperature is expected to dip below 40 degrees. โWe are using the main sanctuary to make sure we have enough space (for social distancing), because of COVID-19,โ said church pastor James Bellino. โHomelessness is a problem that traverses jurisdictional boundaries and therefore, the most effective solutions will involve intergovernmental coordination,โ the agreement states.
City Rescue Missionโs Thanksgiving meal carries on despite pandemic
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ It is a tradition that even the coronavirus pandemic couldnโt stop: the City Rescue Missionโs annual Thanksgiving meal for the homeless. The annual event, held Wednesday, had all the traditions of your typical Thanksgiving celebration: music, gift bags and, of course, a holiday meal packed to go. โThere were times I needed shoes, jackets and food, and I knew they were here,โ Chandra Niciu told News4Jax as she picked up her Thanksgiving meal. โThe great thing is theyโre making sure people are being taken care of and being fed,โ Curry said. A new addition this year is a COVID-19 testing site at City Rescue Mission.
Mayor Curry on Hurricane Dorian: 'We dodged the big one'
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Hurricane Dorian is moving away from Jacksonville, leaving a few marks, but seemingly no permanent scars. Curry acknowledged Dorian was an unpredictable storm and said difficult decisions had to be made, but he stood by those decisions. 'm incredibly grateful that we dodged the big one," Curry said. In the interest of player safety, there will be no football games played until next week. https://t.co/Cd3GeV6Iog JAXairport (@JAXairport) September 5, 2019Football games canceledSome Duval County Public Schools football games have been canceled, while others were rescheduled:All Thursday junior varsity football games are canceled.