Pensacola's Faith-Based Community Comes through For Students and Families!

Many who come to Pensacola/Escambia County for the first time, or folks that move here from other places, marvel at the robust faith-based community here.  It is incredible.  And this community of faith does great things for the citizens---in a multitude of spaces including healthcare, mental health, family counseling, student support, and family support.  This community of faith also does much to assist those who find themselves down on their luck, homeless, or in despair.

A striking example of the generosity of the faith based community was on display this Saturday in District 1 at the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds.

Pastor Tim Fox of Jubilee Church, Transformation Church, and literally hundreds of volunteers and community support groups descended upon the fairgrounds for one combined, important mission:  Supporting students and families as we prepare for the start of the next school year.

--More than 2-dozen area barbers donated their time and skill to provide free haircuts for students

--Feeding the Gulf Coast, with a generous gift from Healthcare Solutions, Inc. donated 35,000 pounds of food for families and students.

--Jubilee church provided more than 1,300 free backpacks for students

--multiple other entities teamed up to provide school supplies and other giveaways for the students and families that attended this 3-hour event Saturday morning.

Yes, our area has challenges and they are numerous (generational poverty, social dysfunction that is generational, crime, drug abuse, child abuse, high incarceration rates in some communities,  blight, apathy) ---but with the help of fantastic and dedicated community volunteers and faith-based organizations---there are weapons in the fight to make our community better.

I am thankful for the generous, giving spirit of our gracious and selfless community volunteers and specifically--the faith-based community.

Where would this community be without such entities and individuals?