Leave an Impact With Your Conference
Conference schedules can be packed, but making time to volunteer is a great way to do something meaningful for the local community and enjoy group camaraderie.
You may have heard of the newest trend...regenerative tourism. Much like sustainability, the concept focuses on leaving a destination better than it was and it resonates strongly with younger generations.
From team-building competitions with charitable components to a group beach clean-up, there are plenty of ways to engage in Jacksonville while bettering the community. Here are a few of our favorites:
Wounded Warrior Project
With Jacksonville’s strong military community, it’s no surprise there are many military and veteran focused non-profits headquartered in our area. Wounded Warrior Project has grown from a small, grassroots effort to a full network of programs in mental health, career counseling, and long-term rehab care seeking to improve the lives of millions of warriors and their families.
The group makes it very easy for anyone or any group to volunteer in a capacity that works best for them. With North Florida being renowned for its golf courses, consider hosting a golf fundraiser that Wounded Warriors will help organize. Hosting a hybrid event? Stream to Serve encourages fundraising during broadcast periods to your virtual audience along with in- person and in- app promotions. Dream up your own fundraiser ideas that speaks to your audience, and Wounded Warrior will work with you to plan it all.
Catty Shack Ranch
Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is a nonprofit organization and one of Jacksonville’s top attractions on Tripadvisor.
Their mission is to provide a loving home to rescued and endangered big cats. They also aim to educate the public about the cats' plight in the wild and in captivity. Current residents include tigers, lions, pumas, leopards, lynx, and foxes. Catty Shack does not breed, trade, sell or buy any of the animals. The sanctuary is fully volunteer based with no paid employees.
For volunteer groups, they can work with up to 15 volunteers on a beautification project that can include painting enclosures, landscaping and light construction on new cabins/enclosures. Volunteering is very popular so we advise booking your plans 3-4 months in advance. In addition to the rewarding work, you can expect to have some unforgettable encounters with the exotic residents.
Rethreaded
Rethreaded is a social entrepreneurship providing job training to women who have been trafficked through the sex trade. Their training program helps these women overcome lives of addiction, violence and prostitution by helping them acquire new skill sets and integrating them into the community.
Here’s how it works: T-shirts and used leather are donated to Rethreaded, then repurposed by the women to make beautiful, handcrafted items like handbags, scarves, bracelets and more. The products are sold online and at local events with the goal of raising money to employ more at-risk women.
Volunteering is encouraged at their store location, close to Downtown Jacksonville. Daily tasks change regularly, which could be any variety of options from leather deconstruction to t-shirt sorting to fundraiser preparation.
Also, purchasing corporate gift boxes or local items from their store directly affects the lives of survivors and helps put their lives back together.
Search no longer. Let us help you learn about many of the experiences that make Jacksonville an exceptional place to do business and become part of the community.
Other local organizations:
Beaches Go Green
Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol
Clara White Mission
Feeding NE Florida
HabiJax
Hunger Fight
Jacksonville Humane Society
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
Keep Jacksonville Beautiful
Sulzbacher Center
Surfrider Foundation
