ARPA Partner Agencies Announced
St. Johns County, United Way of St. Johns County Announce ARPA Partner Agencies
The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners allocated more than $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to United Way of St. Johns County to assist local nonprofit agencies in expanding social services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This partnership allowed organizations within St. Johns County to apply for funding to assist individuals in the community who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
United Way of St. Johns County utilized its volunteer-driven grant-making process to help solicit and evaluate impactful ideas and programs before presenting funding recommendations to the County’s ARPA Steering Committee.
United Way of St. Johns County, in coordination with St. Johns County, publicized the ARPA grant opportunities in September 2022 and continued providing orientation and technical assistance until the ARPA application closed on Nov. 9, 2022.
By then, United Way of St. Johns County recruited more than 30 community volunteers to assist in reviewing and scoring both Program and Capital Campaign Funding Requests.
At the November 2022 ARPA Steering Committee meeting, the committee received the Program and Capital funding recommendations. The committee accepted the Program funding recommendations as presented. The committee forwarded the Capital funding recommendations to the County Commission for further consideration and contract management.
Ultimately, $4,375,000 in Program funding was approved to assist 19 agencies and 22 programs in St. Johns County. These grants will help agencies respond to public health needs or the negative economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“United Way of St. Johns County is proud of our volunteers and staff for helping to invest these vital funds into our community,” said Joe Pickens, United Way of St. Johns County Board Chair. We applaud the excellent work that our nonprofit partners are already doing to serve our neighbors with these resources.”
“I am thrilled with the results of this program,” St. Johns County Commissioner Sarah Arnold said. “ARPA funds were designed to benefit those in need within our community. Additionally, these funds will assist those who were the most adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. By partnering with United Way, St Johns County can be proud that we have accomplished this goal.”
The first wave of funding was released in March 2023 to 19 agencies delivering impactful services across St. Johns County. These agencies received 18-month funding contracts and will provide quarterly reporting on the performance and fund accounting.
Please see the table below for more information.
| ARPA Partner Agency Name | Amount |
| Alpha-Omega Miracle Home, Inc. | $250,000.00 |
| Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. – St. Augustine | $250,000.00 |
| Children’s Home Society of Florida | $250,000.00 |
| Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition of St Johns County, Inc. | $114,800.00 |
| EPIC Community Services, Inc. | $250,000.00 |
| First Coast Cultural Center | $102,000.00 |
| Goodwill Industries of North Florida | $148,426.00 |
| Hugs Across the County, Inc. | $113,494.00 |
| Jacksonville Area Legal Aid | $250,000.00 |
| Operation New Hope | $250,000.00 |
| Prevention Coalition of St Johns County | $90,000.00 |
| St Augustine Society, Inc. | $691,307.00 |
| St Augustine Youth Services, Inc. | $500,000.00 |
| St Johns County Education Foundation, Inc. | $86,973.00 |
| St Johns Housing Partnership, Inc. | $250,000.00 |
| The Salvation Army | $178,000.00 |
| The Young Men’s Christian Association of Florida’s First Coast, Inc | $250,000.00 |
| Wildflower Healthcare | Good Samaritan Health Centers, Inc | $250,000.00 |
| Youth Crisis Center | $100,000.00 |
| TOTAL ARPA PROGRAM FUNDING | $4,375,000.00 |