2019-2020 Community Report CommunityReport-2019-2020 | Page 12

Inspire Change
EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT
We cannot achieve economic development with-
out a substantial investment in education and
human capital.
• Supporting and providing resources to
children and families in Jacksonville’s
toughest neighborhoods to help break
poverty cycles
• Strengthening opportunities in the
workforce
IMPROVING COMMUNITY–POLICE RELATIONS
A community cannot thrive without good
police-community relations which starts with
trust among our police and our citizens.
• Strengthening relationships with law
enforcement
• Reinforcing strong neighborhood
-police ties
• Building good rapport between youth and
law enforcement through sports,i.e. PA
• Granting high internships and college
scholarships
In January 2019, the NFL launched Inspire Change, a platform
to showcase the collaborative efforts of players, owners and
the League to create positive change in communities across the
country and ensure that equal opportunity becomes a reality for
all. Working together, the Players Coalition, NFL teams and the
League Office support initiatives that reduce barriers to
opportunity, with a focus on three pillars: Education and
Economic Advancement, Police and Community Relations and
Criminal Justice Reform. Locally, the Jaguars players and team
added Protection and Empowerment of Women and Girls.
This past season, the Jaguars Players Fund has made
contributions totaling more than $260,000. These generous
contributions will be used to help support the following
organizations and “Inspire Change” in our community.
Jaguars Foundation
ICARE & Jacksonville
Jaguars
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
Reform involves ending the pipeline to prison
and creating pathways for ex-offenders to
re-engage back into society.
• Supporting school- and neighbor-hood-
based restorative justice practices that
instill responsibility, reduce disci-plinary
disparities and divert youth from the sys-
tem in lieu of arrest for low-level offenses
• Supporting mentoring opportunities for
at-risk girls and boys
• Expanding opportunities for ex-offenders
Boys and Girls Club
Women’s Center of Jacksonville
Ronald McDonald House
Heart for Children
PROTECTION AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
AND GIRLS
The protection and empowerment of women
and girls is paramount to the Jaguars players,
organization and our community.
• Support programs that empower girls and
women.
• Support local domestic violence shel-ters.
• Support relationship violence education,
sexual-assault awareness programs and
survivor-centered services.
For years, hundreds of youth in Duval County were being
arrested every year for minor offenses like stealing a soda or
getting in a shoving match.
The members ICARE (Interfaith Coalition for Action,
Reconciliation and Empowerment), representing faith
communities of various religions across Jacksonville, were
concerned about this life-long impact on youth. ICARE found
the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office could issue civil citations to
these youth so they could enter meaningful diversion
programs. They were however, only using this option a quarter
of the time. In 2017, ICARE assembled 1,500 people and
challenged Sheriff Williams to issue civil citations the eligible
youth. He agreed and the State Attorney helped to ensure that
every youth in Duval, Nassau and Clay counties have access
to this program. Last year, 82% of eligible youth received civil
citations and youth arrests were reduced by 500 children.
Duval County went from having one of the highest juvenile
arrest rates in the state to being a leader in the use of civil
citations and effective restorative justice programs. This has
had a meaningful impact in our youth and has saved our
community an estimated $2.2 million dollars. The Jaguars
players, through the NFL’s Inspire Change platform,
contributed to ICARE’s continued good work.
Jacksonville Humane Society
Hubbard House
Children’s Advocacy Center
5 Star Veterans Center
Sulzbacher Center
Jay Fund
Police Athletic League
ICARE
QB Gardner Minshew
spends time with kids at
the Boys and Girls Club.
WR Michael Walker and
QB Gardner Minshew
are given a behind the
scenes tour of a Boys
and Girls Club facility.
P Logan Cooke stopped
by Ronald McDonald
house to spend time
with the residents and
help decorate cookies.