2026 Freed-to-Run: Supporting Vulnerable Seniors in Northeast Florida
10th Annual Freed to Run Event Set for October 3 at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center The 10th annual Freed to Run event
JALA welcomes Emily Taylor-Hernandez as the JWLA Kathy Para Student Intern
Emily Taylor-Hernandez, a pre-law student at Syracuse University, has been selected to serve as the JWLA Kathy Para Student Intern this summer in the Family Law & Victim Advocacy Unit at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. A resident of Fleming Island, Taylor-Hernandez is majoring in forensic Science and psychology, and she is a member of the Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law and Pre-Government Professional Fraternity, the Psi Chi National Honor Society, and the Pre-Law Society, among other student organizations. She was the recipient of the Community Service Award at Episcopal School of Jacksonville, and she said more than 600 hours of volunteer work has shaped her perspective. “Volunteering has not only taught me how rewarding service can be but how I can use my voice to advocate for others” she said.
Pajcic & Pajcic to receive commendation for pro bono work – The Florida Bar
The Law Firm of Pajcic & Pajcic — a Jacksonville-based law firm that has made pro bono service an integral part of
Jacksonville, Florida’s Eviction Diversion Program Increased Housing Stability for Participants
In October, the Jacksonville, Florida City Council’s Neighborhoods Committee heard from facilitators of the city’s Eviction Diversion Program, who reported on the program's outcomes. The Jacksonville Eviction Diversion Program, established in January 2024, operates by providing landlords with payment for up to three months of past-due rent to avoid filing an eviction or to withdraw a filing against an eligible household that has applied for assistance through the program. The program’s primary goals are to reduce evictions and keep participants housed for at least six months. Melanie Patz, CEO of United Way of Northeast Florida, one of the organizations implementing the program, shared that of the 383 families that participated in the program since its inception, 84% remained stably housed six months after receiving assistance. Melanie added that the program has saved the city roughly $5.2 million in spending programs supporting unhoused individuals, compared to the $1.8 million spent by the program thus far.
Jacksonville Florida – FOOD ASSISTANCE RESOURCES
Find Food Pantries Near You Website: https://www.foodpantries.org Mandarin Food Bank Phone: (904)292-1675 Address: 11730 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32258 Website:
Runners, walkers and bikers can support Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s Shelter for Elders initiative through the Nov. 22-23 Freed to Run
Gunster Shareholder and endurance runner Mike Freed and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid – joined by several event directors from the Northeast Florida community – are gearing up for the Freed to Run Challenge Nov. 22-23 to benefit JALA’s Shelter for Elders endowment, which supports housing-related legal assistance for indigent seniors. “We are thrilled with the success of Freed To Run and can’t wait to continue to build on it,” Freed said. Individual runners, relay teams, walkers and bikers will raise funds for the endowment through peer-to-peer fundraising based on a challenge to complete as many half-mile laps around the Duval County Courthouse as they can in a period of either 12 or 24 hours. Other options are to run a 5k or to bike from the St. Johns County Courthouse to the Duval County Courthouse. Those businesses, organizations and individuals wanting to participate, donate to the endowment or lend their in-kind support to the event can contact the appropriate director:
A lifelong commitment to pro bono
Joshua “Josh” Gostel’s journey into pro bono work began during his years at Georgetown Law, where he first discovered his passion for helping those with limited resources. While volunteering with the Capital Area Immigrant Rights Coalition in Washington, D.C., he provided free legal assistance to detained immigrants, planting the seeds for what would become a lifelong commitment to pro bono service. After seven years in practice focusing primarily on commercial and construction litigation, Gostel moved to Jacksonville in 2021 and immediately sought opportunities to continue his pro bono work in his new community. It was then that he connected with JALA’s Pro Bono Unit, where he has since become an invaluable volunteer attorney.
Evicted despite paying rent: One Jacksonville renter says cases like hers are fueling the affordable housing crisis
A Jacksonville renter says her “affordable” apartment turned into a legal and financial nightmare after she tried to pay rent and then
Best-selling author Stephanie Land to headline JALA’s Equal Justice Awards Celebration
Best-selling author and economic justice advocate Stephanie Land whose memoir was the inspiration for Netflix’s Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated original series Maid, will deliver the keynote address at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s 23rd Equal Justice Awards Sept. 18 at the Jacksonville Public Library. Land’s bestselling debut memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive recounts her harrowing saga as a single mom navigating the poverty trap. Her unflinching testimony exposes the physical, economic, and social brutality that domestic workers face, all while radiating a parent’s hope and dedication. JALA’s Equal Justice Awards features the presentation of the Robert J. Beckham Equal Justice Award, named for a former JALA board member and longtime supporter. It is bestowed on a person or organization who has notably promoted the cause of equal justice for low-income residents of Northeast Florida.
Jacksonville Eviction Diversion Program
The Jacksonville Eviction Diversion Program is a comprehensive, community-driven initiative aimed at preventing evictions and promoting housing stability across Duval County, Florida. This program was launched in early 2024 through a collaboration between the City of Jacksonville, United Way of Northeast Florida, the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA), and The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services (JFCS). Together, these organizations offer resources for both tenants and landlords to address housing-related challenges, prevent eviction filings, and sustain long-term housing stability.