Angelwood held a huge celebration as it looked back on 30 years of serving the greater Jacksonville area during its annual Soaring Possibilities fundraiser on Aug. 19 at the Sawgrass Marriott.
However, not only was the night a special one filled with laughter and fun, but just as the nonprofit was looking back on a wonderful 30 years, they also showed a glimpse of the future with the announcement that they will be opening a thrift store in the next couple of months.
According to Damara Farwell, chief development officer with Angelwood, the store will be located at the corner of Spring Park Road and Bowden Road, just east of Interstate-95 on the southside of Jacksonville.
“The store is great because it will serve many purposes,” Farwell said. “It will be a training ground for our supported employment program and will present an opportunity for the community volunteers to work alongside those in our programs. Working alongside our participants is the most meaningful and most fun.”
Since 1993, Angelwood’s mission has been to offer service and assistance to anyone living with intellectual or developmental differences, such as autism, cerebral palsy or Down syndrome.
“It (thrift store) has been a long time coming, and it was challenging finding the right space to do all that we wanted to do,” Farwell said. “It’s such an exciting time because it will allow us to serve so many more that need our help. There are tens of thousands of people on a waitlist in Florida for the services we will be able to offer.”
The event’s theme was “The Family Tree,” which represented the organization’s growth over the years, which has continually branched out in response to community need over the years, as well as honoring the many groups that make up the extended Angelwood family.
The thrift store announcement was fitting with the theme because it is just the latest example of Angelwood growing its “family” of those that it can help.
“The hope is that it will become a revenue-driven portion of the organization so that we’re less reliant on government grants,” Farwell said. “That sustainability will allow us to focus even more on the needs of the community.”
The event had about 325 people in attendance and had its most successful year, raising more than $500k in the process, all of which will help support its mission.
It was also announced that the annual celebration won “best charity event” for the second year in a row in the Ponte Vedra Recorder’s “Best of the Best” contest, which was voted on by the public.
A live performance by Who Rescued Who was the entertainment during the night.
