Better Together honors Jacksonville community partners at Doing Good Together reception

Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to families and children, recently honored its Jacksonville community partners who have made a significant impact on the organization and its mission.

“Our Better Together team is so grateful for the donors, volunteers, partners and advocates who stand in the gap and support us in fulfilling our mission,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “These groups and individuals are the reason we are able to transform lives and help our community flourish. It was an honor to recognize them for their generosity and unwavering support this year.”

Better Together recognized several honorees for their impact during the reception held Jan. 30 at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville. Honorees include:
Host Family of the Year was presented to Paula and Stephens Baumgardner for providing life-changing support. Local parent July shared that she was “skeptical of anyone taking in my daughter, but Paula made me feel confident that my baby was in good hands. There is so much good I can say about Paula and wouldn’t have been able to make our lives better without her.”
Community Board Member of the Year was presented to Rachel and Andrew Cardy for being amazing supporters and prayer warriors. In addition to board work, they volunteer at job fairs and Parents’ Night Out events, and through Client Focused Media, they lend Better Together event space and promote its mission.
Community Partner of the Year was presented to Ribault Family Resource Center of Full Service Schools for opening their doors to Better Together and frequently referring families to its program. Referrals made by the team in 2024 helped keep seven children out of foster care and in safe, loving homes.
Church Partner of the Year was presented to River Christian Church for their support of Better Together families since 2022. When church members Beverly Burnette and Dennis Morrison served as host and mentor, respectively, for a Clay County family, the church wrapped around them with support and helped the family transition into their new home.
Department of Children and Families Partner of the Year was presented to Brianna Jacob for being caring, kind and vigilant. Jacob works hard to support families and volunteers, helping with parents and children in many different ways, from transportation to finding extended family. She has a true heart for families.
Mentor of the Year was presented to Donna Michelle Hargraves for being a beacon of positivity and hope. Her mentee, Shevorn, shared that Hargraves’ “unwavering optimism and kind words have lifted my spirits on countless occasions. Her generosity, thoughtfulness and genuine care have been a blessing, and I am deeply grateful for her presence in my life.”
Staff Appreciation Award was presented to Holly Collier, partnership manager for Better Together, for embodying the mission of Better Together and giving her whole heart to her work. She’s a remarkable force as the Northeast Florida partnership manager, incorporating research, resourcefulness and compassion.
Super Volunteer of the Year was presented to Jackie Evans for always saying yes. Evans often stays well past when other volunteers have left to make sure all is well. She even brings family members to serve with her.

The Jacksonville Doing Good Together event featured a cocktail reception with food, drinks and a brief presentation. The reception program sponsor was Facility Automation Solutions.

Better Together helps parents who are going through a hard time to keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. Established in Southwest Florida in 2015, the nonprofit’s programming has rapidly expanded to reach families in six regions of Florida, which span 48 counties. To date, the program has served 15,000 children and kept 98% of children served through mentoring and hosting out of foster care, while helping nearly 40,000 job seekers find employment through church-based job fairs across 24 states.

To learn more about Better Together and its mission, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.

ABOUT BETTER TOGETHER

Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. A privately funded and professionally supported organization, Better Together is made up of volunteers who believe helping people help themselves is the best way to restore dignity and bring families together. Through the Better Families program, families are offered a preventive alternative to foster care while they get the help they need. To date, the program has kept 98% of children served out of foster care. The Better Jobs program was created to address the 76% of families that come to Better Together because of economic hardship tied to unemployment. In addition to community job fairs, the program offers job seekers coaching, guidance, support and encouragement through local church partners. For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.