United Way of Northeast Florida

This month, we’re excited to feature James Ellout, the Vice President, Community Impact at United Way of Northeast Florida, as our August FOTJ. James benefited from nonprofit programming in his youth, which provided him access to education, mentoring and career opportunities. Inspired by these experiences, he dedicated his career to supporting similar organizations. Through his work with United Way, James is actively addressing key issues in our community, particularly the need for more affordable housing and efforts to combat homelessness. He highlights the importance of community-driven solutions, ensuring those with lived experiences are at the forefront of decision-making: “We can’t tackle problems like homelessness without listening to the people affected by it.” He passionately advocates for social justice and community empowerment, focusing on developing innovative solutions to combat local problems. To do that, James stressed the importance of being in a collaborative space like The Jessie, calling it a hub for creativity and problem-solving, where innovative ideas are born out of conversations. In James’s vision for the future of Jacksonville, he believes that a community that comes together to support its most vulnerable members is a community that thrives. His duty to collaborate and build bridges aligns perfectly with The Jessie’s goals: to create a space where nonprofits can work together to strengthen our city!