New and lightly used sweaters, jackets and blankets will be collected beginning Friday, November 1, 2024
October 31, 2024 — Jacksonville, Fla. — WJCT Public Media is partnering with VyStar Credit Union, Suddath, and Tom Bush Family of Dealerships to present the 22nd annual Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive. Cold-weather clothing and items — such as new or gently used sweaters, jackets, socks and blankets — will be collected November 1 through 30, 2024. The items will be distributed at the Clara White Mission and City Rescue Mission on Monday, December 9th.
Public media organizations across the United States have collected sweaters in honor of Fred Rogers, host of the popular PBS series, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” for two decades. Last year, WJCT Public Media’s drive collected and distributed more than 9,200 pounds of cold-weather necessities to Northeast Florida residents.
“The Mister Rogers Sweater Drive is a great example of WJCT Public Media’s ability to be a catalyst in making good things happen by working with partners, each bringing our unique strengths to enable the generosity of this community to shine through,” said David McGowan, President/CEO of WJCT Public Media. “We’re grateful to have the opportunity to lead this impactful initiative to help people in need.”
Donation drop-off locations include the WJCT Public Media headquarters, located at 100 Festival Park Avenue in Jacksonville, as well as regional VyStar Credit Union branches throughout North Florida, both Suddath locations and all Tom Bush Family of Dealerships businesses.
“We’re thankful to team up with WJCT Public Media for another year of giving through the annual Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive,” said Brian Wolfburg, President/CEO of VyStar Credit Union. “We believe in the power of community and the impact of small acts of kindness. By showing our members that we care for the betterment of lives around us, we hope to inspire them to do the same. Join us in our promise to Do Good. Bank Better.”
Suddath is a global moving company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The company has pledged their continued support for the sweater drive again this winter, by transporting donated goods to distribution partners across the region.
“At Suddath, our focus is on fostering a sense of community and support among our neighbors. Just as Mister Rogers created a warm and inviting atmosphere in his neighborhood, we aim to embody that spirit by leveraging our resources to effectively distribute the donations gathered during this year’s drive,” Chris Hornbaker, Commercial Operations Manager.
The Tom Bush Family of Dealerships returns as a presenting partner for 2024, its eighth year in that role.
“The team at Tom Bush looks forward to this drive every holiday season,” said Megan Bush Del Pizzo, Vice President of the Tom Bush Family of Dealerships. “We’re thankful for the opportunity to serve with so many amazing folks for the Mister Rogers’ Sweater Drive.”
DONATION DROP-OFFS:
WJCT Public Media
100 Festival Park Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32202
Suddath Jacksonville
Both locations in Duval County can be found here.
VyStar Credit Union
Most locations in Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Putnam, Nassau and Bradford Counties. Click here for participating branch locations.
Tom Bush Family of Dealerships
All locations in Duval County can be found here.
To download a flier to share about this event, click here.
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About WJCT Public Media
WJCT is the community-owned and operated public media organization serving Jacksonville and the First Coast since 1958, using television, radio, digital media, and live events to help community members learn, share, and grow. For more information on WJCT’s in-depth programming content, log on to WJCT Online at wjct.org. Like WJCT on Facebook (facebook.com/wjctjax) and follow WJCT on Twitter (@WJCTJax) and Instagram (@WJCTJax).
About VyStar Credit Union
VyStar Credit Union is the second-largest credit union headquartered in Florida, with over 80 branches and is reaching 1,000,000 members with assets of over $14 billion. VyStar is the top mortgage lender in Northeast Florida and a major employer in the region with over 2,500 employees across the communities it serves. VyStar membership is open to everyone who lives or works in the 49 contiguous counties of Central to North Florida, 29 Georgia counties, and past and present military members and their families all over the world. For more information, visit vystarcu.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.
About Suddath
Suddath has been a trusted name in Jacksonville and Florida moving for over a century. Since 1919, Suddath has grown into a global transportation, relocation management, specialized logistics and workplace services company, serving 180 countries with 2,400 employees around the globe. Each year, we move more than 80,000 households, including more than 38,000 military families through our local, long-distance and international moving services. We also provide end-to-end logistics through our NXTPoint Logistics brand, employee relocation, and commercial moving services. With more than 45 locations, a global partner network and over 3.5 million square feet of warehouse space, Suddath provides the national and global reach to take you anywhere you need to go. For more information, visit suddath.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
About Tom Bush Family of Dealerships
The Tom Bush Family of Dealerships has been operating in the automotive business for nearly a century. The late Tom Bush Jr. first arrived in Jacksonville and opened a Volkswagen dealership in 1970. The family group has grown to offer Volkswagen, Mazda, BMW, MINI, VinFast, pre-owned vehicles and a certified collision center now under the leadership of Tom's son, John Bush. Vice Presidents Megan and Brian represent the fourth generation of Bush family members in the business.
They have been voted the 'Best Car Dealership in Jax' by Bold City Best, one of the 'Best Places to Work' by the Jacksonville Business Journal and one of the 'Healthiest Companies' by the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council.
Whether a customer purchased a car from Tom Bush, Sr. in 1918, or is purchasing a car today from one of the Tom Bush dealerships, the buyer becomes part of the family. We treat our employees how we expect them to treat our customers, with honor and integrity. As Mr. B repeatedly said, "the most important part of business is people. Treat everyone with respect, be a man of your word, ask yourself if the business transaction is fair to everyone involved, and nurture long-term relationships. Think of your employees as family members as they are the life-blood of a dealership."