A commitment to 'Hope' in Jacksonville: Foundation gifts $2.5M to Sulzbacher's new village

Fittingly at the Sulzbacher's 2024 Transformations event, the center that provides comprehensive services for the homeless received a transformative gift of $2.5 million from the Terry Family Foundation .

The annual event celebrates transforming lives into the future, and representatives said the gift demonstrates a commitment to the "Hope" phase of the Enterprise Village initiative and specifically funding the 16,000-square-foot job training building that will be open to the community. The facility is in partnership with Goodwill Industries and Florida State College of Jacksonville and will provide various training opportunities but particularly in construction. 

In December 2023 the Mayo Clinic also donated $5 million toward the $75.6 million village being built on 16.8 acres at Interstate 95's Golfair Boulevard exit on Walgreen Road.

"The 'Hope' phase focuses on creating sustainable pathways to stability and self-sufficiency through education and job training, and the Terry Family Foundation's substantial investment will play a crucial role in making this vision a reality," Sulzbacher said.

The foundation also is challenging others to match its support .

"We believe in the power of collaboration and community spirit," said Betsy Cox, president and trustee of the Terry Family Foundation and niece of C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry, who created the foundation. "By encouraging others to join us in this mission, we can make an even greater difference in the lives of individuals and families seeking stability and hope. Our gift is just the beginning." 

Cox said her uncle was passionate about helping others to be self-sustaining and have dignity and that her aunt continued that legacy after his death. 

C. Herman Terry died in 1998 and Mary Virginia Terry in 2002. They made their home in Jacksonville, where Herman became president and chairman of the Dependable Insurance Group. They gave generously to the Northeast Florida community and invested in many local organizations and efforts. The University of Georgia also has the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry College of Business in their honor.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Sulzbacher center for Jacksonville's homeless gets $2.5 million gift