GREEN COVE SPRINGS — As a crowd waited outside the Fitzsimmons family home on Thursday, May 8, they stared up at a vision of hope. 

The property, which sits on Spring Street, officially commemorated becoming the county’s first long-term supportive housing residence for veterans with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

“This is a long time coming,” said Operation Lifeline Inc. Founder and Executive Director Erick Saks. “We’ve been hoping to do a project like this, our organization, for years.” 

The nonprofit organization was founded in 2022 and focuses on providing safe, inclusive housing opportunities for veterans in need.

The residence was originally the Fitzsimmons family home.

STAFF PHOTO BY KYLA WOODARD

The house features two floors and five bedrooms. A group of deserving veteran residents will enjoy private rooms, shared living spaces and coordinated support services provided by federal programs.

“It’s been, like I said, many years of prayer, many years of hard work [and] many years of just people working together as a community [to] restore valor to these men,” said John Green, CEO and co-founder of veteran support nonprofit Operation Barnabas and proud partner of the project. 

Local leaders including Clay County Commissioners Jim Renninger and Kristen Burke, plus members of the public, attended the opening ceremony. Members of the Fitzsimmons family also observed from the crowd.

May 8 also represents Victory in Europe Day, an annual holiday commemorating the end of World War II in Europe back in 1945. The organization said it symbolizes a day of transition and peace, what they say the home will carry on.

 District 3 Commissioner Renninger called the new home an imperative step forward in addressing Clay’s homeless population.

“In reality, there’s about 1,654 throughout the year that need homes here in Clay County,” said Renninger.

Saks said that it was a challenge to get others to recognize the issue. 

While Saks said a lot of the funding for the county's homelessness causes comes from Jacksonville, he added that the city focuses their efforts more on the downtown area. 

“Our homelessness looks different than up there,” he said. “So, it took us a while to convince them that there truly was a need here.” 

Although they were once told they wouldn’t fill any rooms in the home, Saks said he now has a long roster of veterans ready for a second chance. In fact, May 7 marked the signing of the first lease. 

“They gave me a home, and they gave me a chance, " said Clay County veteran Richard, who will be the first to move into the home. “They helped me push myself forward to move on with my life.” 

As a new supervisor for the home and student at J-Tech Institute, Richard said the opportunity is more than just a place to sleep, but somewhere to call home and help others do the same.