Photo courtesy of jacksonville.com

On Thursday the Worst To First team found hope in Jacksonville among the people working to create a safer and healthier place for children. Our visit came on a day when hope was badly needed, as the entire community mourned the tragic loss of a child.

Bud and Geoff Chiles were joined by dozens of children and adults in downtown Jacksonville as they walked from the Salvation Army Child Development Center to the Davis Center of Community Connections of Jacksonville, two places that help kids get quality early education, and that help families with child care. Folks there couldn't help but smile as the kids counted out their steps, bringing us a lot closer to our goal of One Million Steps For Florida's Kids. Susan Main, executive director of the Early Learning Coalition of Duval, joined us for most of the day, helping introduce us to the good work being done in Jacksonville.

Later that day, Worst To First visited the Hope Haven Children's Clinic and Family Center, enjoying our time with a great staff dedicated to helping children and families with special needs. We were also honored to join Communities In Schools of Jacksonville in highlighting its TEAM UP program at Reynolds Lane Elementary as part of the 10th National Lights On Afterschool campaign. Finally, we finished the day in Jacksonville's Springfield neighborhood at The Bridge of Northeast Florida, seeing how a dedicated group of community volunteers are making a difference in one of the city's most impoverished neighborhoods.

In his interview with the Florida Times-Union, Bud said said he found the group of child-care providers he met in Jacksonville "by far the most enthusiastic group of advocates. I am encouraged by what is going on here."