​​"St. Johns (County) Community Active Residents Engaged in Service"
St. Johns CARES, Inc. (formerly JCP CARES) is a nonprofit organization committed to helping local charities in St. Johns County. We provide assistance to local charities and those in need through donations and time.  We divide our charity efforts into five different  categories; Animals & Environment, Senior & Veterans, Children & Education, Medical and Homeless & Abused.  We focus on these categories throughout the year.
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Local Food Banks Need Assistance During   COV- 19 Pandemic​

  • One way to help your neighbors and our St. Johns Community during this time of uncertainty due to the Coronavirus-19 pandemic is to donate to local food pantries. The demand for food has increased at this time and the pantry supply levels are very low. Non-perishable food and paper products are needed. At Christ's Cupboard at Celebration Lutheran Church at 810 Roberts Rd in Fruit Cove item donations can be placed in the large storage box on the side of the church closest to the parking lot at any time. Monetary donations may be made directly at their website www.celebrationlutheran.org using the My Offerings button and designating Christ's Cupboard. Some of the other food pantries include St. Francis House in St. Augustine (904-824-8987), SEA Community in Armstrong (904-692-2307) and Shepherd's Haven in Hastings (941-763-9524). Please contact them directly for specific donation information.

​

Needs of Non-Profits: Updated June 26, 2020​

. Contact president@stjohnscares.orgAs the 40 non-profit organizations partnering with St Johns CARES operate during the pandemic, special needs are added or changed. We have asked for information from these organizations so that we may make this information available to interested community members. If you have specific questions, please contact the organization of interest for further details. Updates will occur as warranted.
Alpha-Omega Miracle Home (Women & Children) St. Augustine
- gift cards
- cleaning supplies/hygiene products ( laundry detergent, hand soap, household disinfectant, lysol wipes, hand sanitizers)
- Pull-ups sizes 2T - 4T; size 5 diapers, baby wipes, baby thermometers, crib sheets, baby towels
- new bed pillows
- paper products: paper towels, trash bags
Betty Griffin Center   (Women & Children) St. Augustine 
- dining: paper plates & bowls, plastic knives, forks, spoons
- disinfectant sprays & wipes
- flashlights & batteries
- cases of water bottles
Homeless Coalition   St. Augustine  (Families) (no storage available for other items at this time)
- non-perishable food 
- cleaning supplies (toilet brushes, bathroom trash cans, shower curtains, rods & hooks, wall toilet paper holders, kitchen trash can & bags, roach spray)
- deodorant
Shepherd's Haven    (Families & Individuals) Hastings
- toiletries & personal care items
- cleaning products
- bottled water
- rice, noodles, pasta
- sticky note pads, printer ink HP 61
Pie in the Sky   St Augustine   (Feeding Elderly)     
Food Items: can tuna, chicken, sardines, beans, canned & dry soups, broth, canned low-sodium vegetables, canned fruit, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, condiments, juice, bread, cereal, oatmeal, crackers, baking staples, peanut butter, jelly, vinegar, teas, coffee, basic spice, shelf-stable milk
​Non-Food Items: cleaning products, plastic wrap, paper towels, detergent, dish soap, hand soap, toiletries, toilet paper
INK (Investing n Kids)     St. Augustine   (Children in St Johns County School  System)
32GM or larger flash drives, small white board, page protectors, dry erase markers, APB stickers, gift cards
Life Services  (Infants, New & Soon-to-be Mothers) St. Augustine
formula, diapers, baby wipes, new or gently used baby clothes, blankets, linens/ strollers, bassinets, changing tables, baby bath tubs, porta cribs, baby carriers,front packs

How You Can Help Others in Need 
How Students Can Earn Service Hours Certificates  (posted 6.24.2020)
In this current environment of limited physical and social distancing, holding group drives and collections is not feasible. Non-profit organizations (NPOs) in St. Johns County serving target populations of Elderly, Veterans, Homeless, Abused, Children and Animals are facing many new and on-going challenges and restrictions.
How You Can Help:
Hold a neighborhood drive for specific item(s) listed on our Home page at www.stjohnscares.org. Needs information is updated as received.
Steps to take:
1. Select a type of item(s) to collect
2. Select a date(s) for the drive (between now & September 30th)
3. Choose a method to communicate with your neighbors (signs, flyers, neighborhood social media)
4. Communicate intended date and item type collection & seek further planning assistance if needed at president@stjohnscares.org
5. Collect items & sort by type if more than one type            
   Warning: do not mix non-perishable food with cleaning or hygiene items
6. Coordinate delivery of collected items to a specific NPO with St Johns CARES guidance or coordinate delivery by St Johns CARES (president@stjohnscares.org)
For Service Hour Certificates from St. Johns CARES: Keep track of time spent on each of the above steps & provide along with a list or picture of your collection items & submit to president@stjohnscares.org.
Some of the needed items: non-perishable food, personal hygiene items, bug repellent, cleaning supplies, baby supplies (diapers, wipes, pull-ups, accessories), paper products (paper plates, bowls, plastic eating utensils, towels, toilet tissue), pet food. For a more complete list check website.
NPO’s are presently unable to accept clothing, household appliances or other items not listed on our website.​

November & December 2019
​Thank you to all the volunteers, partners, host donation sites and donors in helping St. Johns CARES, Inc. distribute over $18,000 in food to three local food banks in November and over $55,000 in goods & gift cards to 40 non-profit organizations in St. Johns County serving Elderly, Veterans, Homeless, Abused, Children and Animals in December 2019.​ We could not have accomplished this without your participation.
Monthly Meetings
  ​​St. Johns CARES Planning Meetings 
6:30 PM on the 3rd Tuesday of each month (except December) currently held through video conferencing

St. Johns CARES Sharing Meetings are held the 1st Friday of each month at 1 PM at
​156 Worthington Parkway, St. Johns 32259
cancelled for April & May due to COV-19

​Please subscribe to our newsletter for dates as they are scheduled for events.

St. Johns CARES & Helping Hands of Nocatee working alongside each other in growing partnership.
​The Evolution of Giving in St. Johns County​

Meg Balke, Past President of St. Johns CARES (top left); Anne Crane, Founder of Helping Hands of Nocatee (top right) and Kathy Bravo, Founder of JCP Cares (center)
For pictures and information on recent events please visit Photo Album page.  Prior year events are on the Past Events page under the More tab

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Annual Dog Day Afternoon 
Sunday, March 29, 2020  CANCELLED due to pandemic

A donation was made to this year's intended proceeds recipient, Ayla's Acres" Animal Rescue.
We hope to see everyone at the 2021 Dog Day Afternoon next Spring.

Annual Initiative
​Backpacks for Homeless High School Seniors Enrolling in Higher Education

Twenty backpacks with academic planners, insulated water bottles & Walmart gift cards were provided to the St. Johns County School ASSIST program for distribution. Thank you to our donors for making this possible and to the ASSIST staff for their assistance.                                   
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Annual Initiative
Scholarships Awarded to Homeless High School Seniors Enrolling in Higher Education
​

Two High School students in St. Johns County ASSIST program were awarded $1000 scholarships to assist in their pursuit of higher education and greater opportunities for the future. The scholarships are sent to each student's college account.
Congratulations and best wishes to this year's awardees.

Fundraising Initiatives:
See more slideshows on our Photo Album page!

THANK YOU to our generous Partners: