Since moving to Jacksonville from Dayton, OH, in 1996, Jim and Joan Van Vleck have immersed themselves in community and charitable causes.  They have many interests, but the arts and education are the primary beneficiaries of their leadership and their generosity.  A past Trustee of The Community Foundation, Jim led The Cummer Museum of Art …

The Reverend Gabriel Abdullah was a devoted son, a proud citizen of Jacksonville, and a humble steward of his family’s grocery business success. But mostly, he was a man of faith who led the Mount Olive Presbyterian Church with a passion to preach the Gospel on a wider scale.  To support his religious mission, Rev. …

The Eartha M.M. White Legacy Fund holds a special place in the heart and the history of The Community Foundation. Created in 2004 with $1.5 million from the sale of the historic Eartha White Nursing Home, the Fund was Jacksonville’s first major African American philanthropy, and today remains the community’s largest African American advised fund. …

Originally published in Winter 2015:  Retired Jacksonville Sheriff Nat Glover embodies the passion that donors can bring to charitable giving. Twenty years ago, he made the bold decision to establish a scholarship fund for financially needy students to attend colleges and universities. Nearly everyone in Jacksonville knows Nat Glover. He was born here, played football …

25 Years of Delighting Theatergoers Nothing compares to live theater.  And no one was more devoted to live community theater than trucking company magnate Tom Nehl. A frequent actor in local productions, Tom knew full well that keeping the doors open takes money, even though the actors are all volunteer.  In 1993, he established the …