Solving Food Insecurity
Free Food Distributions
Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation is committed to fighting food insecurity OUTEAST. Through a partnership with Feeding Northeast Florida and In The Word International Church we provide free food to community members. Monthly food distributions are held the 2nd Wednesday at 10 am at In The Word International Church located at 925 Spearing Street, Jacksonville Florida , 32206. Food is first come first served. For more information call 904.328.6034 or email eastside@hecdcjax.org.
Debs Store
Nicolas Debs, a Catholic immigrant from Lebanon, opened Debs Store in 1921. A few years later the store relocated to the red brick building on Florida Avenue at Fifth Street. He, his wife Rosa, and their children lived upstairs above the corner store. After Nicolas fell ill in 1948, his sons took the place over, and the Debs family kept it open until 2011. Still housed in the historic building on 5th Street, Deb’s Store will have a neighborhood market on the first floor and a community meeting place that offers career and workforce development training and financial assistance training on the second floor. This store will provide year-round access to healthy foods and nutrition education.
