By Chloe Smith With poverty and food insecurity rates rising in the U.S., most people imagine those living on the streets in urban areas are most affected. In reality, it’s residents living in rural areas that are hit the hardest. Flagler Estates, for example, is…
By Chloe Smith Vickie Leese views her volunteering as something greater than just handing out food to the impoverished of St. Johns County. When working with Epic Cure to fight local food insecurity, Leese said the people she helps become something else entirely to her:…
By Chloe Smith As food prices rise, the food insecurity rate among St. Johns County residents grows. Nonprofit leaders say senior citizens are most susceptible. “It’s hard,” said Vickie Leese, a local senior and nonprofit volunteer, referring to her struggle to balance the increasing cost…
By Chloe Smith As sea levels rise, storm surges worsen and hurricanes become harsher, beach erosion is becoming an even greater threat for St. Johns County, and those who live along the coast. Even as new renourishment projects are planned to restore depleted beaches, some…
By Chloe Smith Seven years ago, Deeply Rooted Grounds was formed to help communities in Nicaragua. Today, the nonprofit’s most recent purchase in Jinotega plans to transform Central America. Clinton Dosio, the organization’s Chief Operations Officer, is one of the many leaders of Deeply Rooted…
By Chloe Smith When Gayle Phillips walked through the doors to the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center for the first time, she had no idea the role she would play. Now, after almost eight years of transforming a building on its last legs into a…
By Chloe Smith With home prices skyrocketing nationwide, St. Johns County residents are scrambling for answers to support their struggling community. Nonprofit leaders Ervin Bullock and Bill Lazar say it might take looking for unconventional solutions to deal with the ongoing issue. Bullock, Lazar, and…
By Chloe Smith The loss of history, heritage and culture for St. Augustine’s Lincolnville – the city’s most prominent historically black neighborhood – has become a concern over recent decades. But long-time resident Nykol Smith is working to revive it by adding a splash of…