life beyond the well…

Tag Archives: Jacksonville


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Hope for Hubbard: A Love Initiative

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.” -1 Corinthians 13:13

Since the end of last year, I’ve been feeling pressed to find a way to demonstrate love to a group of people in Jacksonville.  I wasn’t quite sure what to do, and while I had some ideas, none of them “stuck”.  It wasn’t until the new year (literally, the beginning of this year) that I had clarity on what to do and how to move forward.

Which brings me to Hope for Hubbard: A Love Initiative.

My big goal: to increase the faith and hope of the women of Hubbard House by showing love on Valentine’s Day.

From their website:

The mission of Hubbard House is Every Relationship Violence-Free. Our priorities include providing safety for victims and their children, empowering victims, and social change through education and advocacy. Every woman, man, and child who comes to Hubbard House finds support, counseling, and education as they begin the difficult and dangerous transition to safety and peace. Victims of domestic violence and their children are not charged for the life-saving services they receive at Hubbard House.

Here’s what I want to do:

For Valentine’s Day 2016, I want to provide each of the 75 women who are currently finding shelter at Hubbard House with a token of love–specifically a silver or gold wishing bracelet from Stella & Dot along with an encouraging note.

AND I NEED YOUR HELP TO DO IT!

Will you partner with me to help increase the faith and hope of these women by purchasing a bracelet?

Here’s what you need to do:

  • Order the silver or gold wishing bracelet.
  • Include a note of encouragement in your order in the gift section (to be shared with the recipient).
  • Have your order mailed to me at the following address:
    • Erin Almond
    • KIPP Jacksonville Schools
    • 1440 McDuff Avenue North
    • Jacksonville, FL 32254
  • Believe God with me that this gift of love will plant seeds that increase the faith and hope of these women.

Are you in?  I sure hope so!

Please feel free to comment with your email address if you have any questions and I will reach out to you directly!

Thank you in advance for helping me show love to others this Valentine’s Day!

Be encouraged! Peace and Blessings!


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The Best Thing I Heard Yesterday

“Today, I am here to be the best that I can be. To lift up our community, to be the best that we can be. To make each second count. To make new mistakes and learn from them. To support my teammates in our mission to make the world a better place. I am proud of my hard work, but I am humble. I still have a lot of work to do. Above all, I am grateful for those who have made my life better. I am ready to get to work.”

Yesterday, my school welcomed our 5th grade scholars for new student orientation.  I’m always excited to meet these students.  The beginning of the year, especially at for students attending a new school creates such positive feelings and I love the excitement and anticipation of things to come.  The “Back to School” time is one of my favorite times of the year.

We did a small group activity with students to help them understand the meaning of our school pledge. As we worked on the second half of the pledge, my group began to discuss people who have made their life better and I heard a sweet voice say this:

“I’m grateful to God because He has made my life better.”

This simple, reflective testimony made my heart smile.  It’s going to be a great year.

Until next time…

Be encouraged! Peace and Blessings!