CLAY COUNTY – The Clay SafetyNet Alliance was founded on the belief that communities are stronger when they work together. While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt to many services offered to Clay County residents, Clay SafetyNet Alliance still continues to work for the general public.

According to Don Fann, the Executive Director of The Way Free Clinic and new Chairman of Clay SafetyNet Alliance, the pandemic has not stopped Clay residents from helping one another.

“This community of providers has been very cohesive during the pandemic...facilitating information to one another has continued to be successful,” Fann said.

The Clay SafetyNet Alliance is not just one specific nonprofit organization, but a network of organizations dedicated to helping Clay County residents. Currently, there are more than 200,000 residents in Clay County and according to SafetyNet there are 140 nonprofit organizations that service in the county. The function of Clay SafetyNet Alliance is to bring social services and organizations together to better achieve the goal of helping the general public.

Once a month, these nonprofit organizations will come together in a meeting hosted by Clay SafetyNet Alliance to discuss current issues. In March, 2020, the monthly meetings started being held on Zoom meetings due to COVID restrictions. Normally as many as 100 attend the meetings, but since going to Zoom, only about 70 people have participated.

Another issue Clay SafetyNet Alliance faced was some organizations temporarily closing due to COVID lockdowns. Although the pandemic has affected Clay County, it did not stop SafetyNet from working to help people. At the height of the pandemic the Clay SafetyNet Alliance partnered with Clay County Emergency Operation Center. Fann recalls when there was a food shortage during the lockdown. SafetyNet worked with the Emergency Operation Center to more effectively distribute food to both individuals and food pantries. For the last year and a half Clay SafetyNet Alliance has also worked with the Clay County Health department to brainstorm solutions to problems. For example, if there was a shortage in face masks, the health department asked participants of SafetyNet Alliance for solutions.

Monthly zoom meetings are still being held but Fann hopes to resume live meetings in the fall, after schools starts. SafetyNet held its meetings in a conference room at Haven-Custead Hospice Center in Orange Park, but Fann currently is looking for a larger space for participants to maintain social distancing.

Andre Van Heerden, a member and former Chairman of Clay SafetyNet Alliance, hopes to one day bring the whole community together with this network of organizations.

“Our dream is to have the whole county, every faith-based group and every social and emergency service in the county, you name it,” Van Heerdan said. “Anyone that’s involved in community service or community benefit work to be at the meeting.”

The monthly zoom meetings for Clay SafetyNet Alliance is the third Thursday of each month. The next Zoom meeting will be June 17 from 8:30-10 a.m.