Sunday, October 2, 2011

Dig a Little Deeper: JCCI - Jacksonville Community Council Inc.


Did you know that Jacksonville is home to a nationally recognized, nonpartisan civic organization, whose mission is to engage diverse citizens in open dialogue, research, consensus building, advocacy and leadership development to improve the quality of life and build a better community in Northeast Florida and beyond?

For more than 35 years, JCCI has been the place where community-minded people get together to explore issues of community importance, identify problems, discover solutions, and advocate for positive change. Our Community Studies, Implementation advocacy for study recommendations, and opportunities for public dialogue around critical issues of local interest have made an impact in every area of Jacksonville's Quality of Life.

JCCI Forward, is our initiative that seeks to engage men and women ages 25-45 in civic involvement and to prepare them for their future roles as community leaders. Forward is an ideal way to interact with city leaders, to develop community leadership, and to build a network of friends and associates who all share the common goal of improving our community.

Junior League of Jacksonville members continue to participate with JCCI and Forward to continue the impact of their community-work. Check out Forward at an upcoming event:


Oct 6- JAXFacts:Innovators in Early Education
Duval County has 50,000 children ages 1 thru 3. Five thousand of these children, without intervention, will start the first day of kindergarten (at age 5) unprepared for learning! Forward participants, 25-45 years of age, are the parents of these children and may or may not know the options available in our community…JCCI Forward presents 8 local innovators who are ready to make an impact in our kids future. They will be sharing about their programs and results using our popular “speed-dating” format. Join us for an evening of networking and learning, dinner included!

Oct 18 -
Skills Seminar - Running Effective Meetings
The Skills Seminar Series offers practical training in two-hour sessions. Sessions are designed to give participants knowledge that can be immediately applied in their professional careers and community roles. Any company, nonprofit or community advocate who wishes to enhance the effectiveness of future leaders are also encouraged to enroll in this series. Hear from JCCI's President & CEO, Ben Warner, and Justin Spiller, Chair of Atlantic Circle and member of the United Way Board of Directors to learn the techniques and tools you need to chair or participate in more effective meetings.


Oct 20 - Food for Thought: Conversations That Matter @ SUITE Jacksonville
Small group gatherings, hosted by a member of the executive committee, designed to give participants the opportunity to network and discuss hot topics of the day. Past event topics include:
• Let’s talk about Beer!
• Eating Right
• Jax Sports Scene
• Cooking for Life
• the Code of the Street
• Kidz Foods and Nutrition
• Living Organic

Learn More about JCCI and JCCI Forward or RSVP to a meeting or training.