FreshMinistries

07/24/2026

A greenhouse in Soweto runs on sun and recycled water. A community grows its own food in it, stores what it needs, and sells the rest.

That is the Desmond Tutu Programme. It now has a home at Archbishop Tutu's house in Soweto, where faith leaders and Rotary International gathered to mark the expansion. Rotary's incoming president, Yinka Babalola, handed over a $95,000 grant on site.

Teach a village to feed itself and you become its neighbor.

Read the story: https://dub.sh/AzhbguF

07/22/2026

The Hive @ Beaver Street is OPEN! A technology hub in the urban core with 3D printers, a tech lab, a digital learning center and co-working space for startups. Built for young adults ages 18 to 54.

Walk in without skills. Walk out with a recognized tech certification and a path to a job. And every single course is free to the participant. The Hive is accessible to the public. No membership required.

The first group finished a HubSpot certification before the paint was dry. One of them got hired by HubSpot. AI training is running now, and contractor tech training is coming.

Thank you to everyone who showed up to the ribbon cutting Monday morning and special thanks to Terrance and the dedicated staff at Beaver Street Enterprise Center who brought the Hive to life.

More details: https://dub.sh/DAx2HUo

07/02/2026

This Fourth of July, freedom looks like a paycheck. Some Jacksonville kids can earn $3,000 a week selling drugs. FreshFutures gives them another way.

This summer, 26 young people took a real job and a mentor instead. They are earning honest money and learning what independence actually costs.

Dr. Robert V. Lee III said it plainly - help us open the door for these deserving kids.

Independence is more than a holiday. For these 26 kids, it starts with this summer.

Support them here: https://dub.sh/kVrvd8l

03/16/2026

With the departure of Joannie Newton from this life, the world has lost a fabulous human being. Joannie was a long time board member and benefactor of FreshMinistries and served as its honorary cheer person for many years. But far beyond that, she embraced causes and organizations that helped tens of thousands of people to live better lives. She was a lady, elegant in mind, presence and soul. She will be greatly missed by the entire FreshMinistries‘s family and the world at large. We thank God for her extraordinary life and the abundance of her love.

With deep love and gratitude for a life beautifully lived, we announce the passing of Joan Wellhouse Stein Newton who died on March 7th, at the age...

01/09/2026

Bishop Cerveny was the very first director on the Board of Directors of FreshMinistries. His leadership, compassion, vision, and – – most of all – – his limitless love of God and God‘s people made him an instrument of change and Hope in this world. We are forever grateful to Bishop Cerveny and we will miss him, enormously in this dimension. “Dear Lord, Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light”.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We share the news this afternoon that the Right Reverend Frank Stanley Cerveny, the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Florida, died peacefully yesterday, January 7, surrounded by his loving wife, Emmy, and family.

Bishop Cerveny was a beloved bishop, leader, shepherd, and friend to so many in the church. His faithful ministry, generous service, and pastoral heart have left a lasting mark on our diocese and beyond.

A service celebrating his life will be held at St. John's Cathedral in Jacksonville on Saturday, January 17 at 11 a.m.

Today we invite you to join us in prayer as we give thanks for Bishop Cerveny's life and ministry, honor his legacy, and hold his family and all who loved him close in our prayers.

Almighty and Eternal God, we give you thanks for your servant Frank. We thank you for his witness, his love and his devotion to Jesus. We ask that you would embrace him now and carry him home to the resurrection life where he may see your glory face to face. May we, inspired by his life, manifest your love in this world more and more. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

12/16/2025

This year, hope grew because of you.

Because of your support, children found safety and stability at the Weaver Center for Community Outreach. Families rebuilt trust. Adults in recovery found their footing again. Young people discovered confidence, purpose, and a future they could finally believe in.

You helped entrepreneurs launch businesses. You opened doors for returning citizens. You expanded global hunger relief through aquaponics programs stretching from Jacksonville to Africa and the Virgin Islands. You made healing possible. You made opportunity possible. You made transformation possible.

And we are not done.

As we close the year, we’re asking you to stand with us once more. Your year-end gift directly fuels therapy sessions, youth prevention, family support, job training, global food security, and the life-changing programs that so many in our community rely on.

Your generosity is the reason hope still grows here.

Your gift today ensures it continues.

Give now. Change a life. Build hope for 2026 and beyond.

https://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_38445a0f-7882-11e8-94a1-0a7fa948a058&WidgetId=28672

12/15/2025

BIG NEWS! 🎉

FreshMinistries has officially been recognized as a TOP 3 Non-Profit Organization of 2025 in Springfield by BusinessRate — based entirely on verified Google Reviews from the people who know our work best: YOU.

We didn’t apply for this. We didn’t nominate ourselves. This honor came straight from the hearts and voices of the community we serve — families, partners, students, graduates, volunteers, and supporters who believe in our mission to build hope, change lives, and strengthen communities around the world.

To everyone who has walked through our doors…
To every parent in recovery…
Every student learning, growing, dreaming…Every entrepreneur starting fresh…
Every donor, champion, and cheerleader cheering us on —
THANK YOU.

This recognition belongs to all of us. Your stories, your resilience, and your belief in what FreshMinistries stands for — that’s what makes us worthy of this award. We’re honored, humbled, and more energized than ever to keep transforming lives.

Here’s to 2025 — a year of impact, compassion, and community-powered change.

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday, and at FreshMinistries and the Weaver Center, it’s a celebration of what’s possible when our community invests in opportunity.

Every day, individuals and families walk through our doors with goals, talents, and determination. With your support, they access the tools, training, and encouragement that help them move forward, whether that’s strengthening their family, pursuing a new career, or building confidence for the next step in their journey.

Your donation fuels real momentum.
Not because people are in crisis, but because they’re capable, resilient, and deserving of every chance to thrive.

If you believe in a Jacksonville where opportunity is accessible, families feel supported, and youth can envision their futures with confidence, we’d love to have you join us today.

Your generosity helps expand what’s possible.
Link in bio to donate.

12/01/2025

Tomorrow is the day — Giving Tuesday — when our community rises together to strengthen families, empower youth, and ignite hope across Jacksonville.
It’s more than a day of giving. It’s a day of impact. A day of belonging. A day where your generosity becomes someone else’s turning point.

Your gift tomorrow can:
• Help a parent stay in recovery and rebuild their life
• Make a child feel seen, supported, and safe
• Keep a teen on track to graduate and chase their future
• Equip an emerging adult with a career credential that changes everything
• Bring families closer as they heal, reconnect, and grow

Every act of generosity writes a new chapter in someone’s story — and tomorrow, those stories begin with you.

We can’t wait to show you the lives you touch, the hope you spark, and the community you strengthen.

Let’s make tomorrow a day of hope for Jacksonville.
Together, we are the change. ❤️