Youth spearheads food drive efforts for BEAM

  • Jack Miller (second from right) and his friends holding posters with fund-raiser goals. (photo submitted)
    Jack Miller (second from right) and his friends holding posters with fund-raiser goals. (photo submitted)

The Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM) staff and volunteers continue to serve the influx of families in Jacksonville’s Beaches-area communities who have been hard-hit by the economic impact of COVID-19. The non-profit organization is working to ensure its most at-risk populations have access to emergency services while adhering to recommendations from the CDC, the Florida Department of Health and local authorities.
While many families have been staying indoors adhering to the mayor’s “safer at home” executive order, a local student took the opportunity to make a difference for hundreds of families who are facing food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic effects it has had on Jacksonville Beaches community and across the globe.
Early this month, BEAM received a call from Hal Miller to let staff know his 9-year-old son, Jack, started a food drive for BEAM in his neighborhood. Hal explained that Jack was feeling uneasy about how people were able to afford food if they had lost their jobs, and wanted to give back to families who have been affected by COVID-19. Jack initiated a Food Drive for BEAM with his neighbors which collected more than 3,000 canned goods and brought in more than $2,000 in donations from family, friends and neighbors in just one week.  
“I have always wanted to do something good, like give back to the homeless or people who are struggling,” said Jack when he was unloading the back of his father’s car at the BEAM Food Bank with his friends last week. “I went to my dad and asked him what we could do to help other families like ours, and he said ‘Why don’t we run a food drive for BEAM?’ It has been a lot of fun, and my friends and I have really enjoyed doing it. It feels good to know we’ve helped other families get food that really need it. One day, I want to work for a nonprofit like BEAM.”
Family and friends of Jack’s came to the BEAM Food Bank to unload 1,297 pounds of food. The food donations were unloaded onto a pallet to be weighed at the BEAM Food Bank, creating a mountain of food a foot taller than Jack.  
“Our goal was to initially get 2,000 cans, and we surpassed that pretty quickly,” said Hal Miller. “Our neighbors were excited to take part in a food drive for BEAM; we even raised over $2,000 for BEAM, which we didn’t expect. The outpouring of support from the Jacksonville Golf and Country Club, as well as our family and friends, has been incredible and Jack is so thankful to everyone who helped out. He will always remember this moment – I guarantee it.”
Since May 1, BEAM has assisted 200 households with emergency financial assistance for May rent and utility payments. In April, BEAM served a total of 193 households seeking assistance with overdue bills and, in March, 69 households. The non-profit organization expects this number to continue to climb in the coming months. BEAM has been supplying an average of 20,000 pounds of food each week to their food pantry locations and local partner agencies at the Beaches.