Blog - Nassau County Chamber of Commerce

Responding to COVID-19: How Barnabas is Helping Nassau County

6/10/2020

As the major safety net organization for Nassau County residents in need, Barnabas Center is on the front line of helping residents in need during the COVID-19 crisis. Services offered to Nassau County residents with low to moderate incomes include food assistance, financial assistance and urgent medical and dental care.

Food Assistance: A short-term supply of food is provided that may include produce, dairy, meat and nonperishable items, depending on availability:

Weekly Food Assistance – Monday, CLOSED; Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Barnabas Center, 1303 Jasmine Street, Suite 101, Fernandina Beach)
Weekly Food Assistance: Hilliard – Every Wednesday – 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. – First Baptist Church (15850 CR 108, Hilliard)
Weekly Food Assistance: Callahan – Every Wednesday – 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – First Baptist Church (45090 Green Avenue, Callahan)
Weekly Food Assistance: Fernandina Beach – Every Thursday – 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Christwalk Church (2920 Bailey Road, Fernandina Beach)
Bi-Weekly Food Assistance: Yulee – First and third Friday each month – 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Yulee Middle School (85439 Minor Road, Yulee)
Bi-Weekly Food Assistance: Bryceville – Second and fourth Friday each Month – 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Bryceville Community Club (7280 Motes Road, Bryceville)
Monthly Food Assistance: Fernandina Beach – Second Saturday each month – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Martin Luther King Center (1200 Elm Street, Fernandina Beach)

Mobile Food Distribution:

Hilliard Food Distribution – 3rd Monday each month – drive through style – Next distribution June 15th – Arrive no earlier than 1:30 p.m. – First Baptist Church (15850 CR 108, Hilliard)
Callahan Fairgrounds – On hold until further notice.

Financial Assistance:

Short-term payment assistance with rent, mortgage & utilities payments (electric, water, gas)
Assistance in applying for public benefits programs, i.e. food stamps and Medicaid
Referrals & information for additional services

Medical and Dental Care: We provide medical and dental care to adults who are uninsured and do not have a primary care doctor. Please contact us to discuss. For more information about our health services, visit www.barnabasnassau.org/get-help/health-services.

For information about available assistance and eligibility, contact Barnabas at (904) 261-7000, visit www.BarnabasNassau.org, or follow our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BarnabasNassau. For your safety and others during the pandemic, please call Barnabas for a telephone pre-screening for financial assistance, food stamp and/or Medicaid applications before visiting the office.

Nassau County Vacation Rental Plan Toolkit

5/21/2020

Nassau County has received the official notice of approval from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on the the Nassau County Vacation Rental Plan. Effective immediately, vacation rentals can begin accepting and welcoming reservations again.

Below are a list of resources to assist with implementing the new Nassau County Short-Term Vacation Rental Plan:

Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Approval of Nassau County Vacation Rental Request
Approved Nassau County Short-Term Vacation Rental Plan
State and Nassau County Executive Orders
Mandatory Quarantine Information - This information is also outlined in the plan and executive orders, but this document provides a quick glance guide to the quarantine requirements.
Cleaning Protocol Signage from the Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau - You are welcome to use these printable copies of cleaning protocol signage. You may wish to also post your own cleaning protocols to provide additional details to your guests.
Nassau County Short-Term Vacation Rental Sample Guest Screening Form – while you can conduct the guest screening however works best for your businesses, we have provided a sample guest screen form that you may edit for your use.
Reporting – as with all short term rentals in Nassau County, the plan requires the reporting to the Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau using the Daily Lodging Log. You must submit the number of occupants, location of origin (state and city), and the arrival and departure dates of ALL guests using the daily log form here or when your information change.

For assistance with the sourcing of cleaning supplies for your business, please contact the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce at (904) 261-3248 or info@NassauCountyFLChamber.com.

Nassau County Short-Term Rental Plan

5/19/2020

A plan for short-term rentals from the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners was sent to the State this morning.

County Manager, Mike Mullin, and Assistant County Manager, Taco Pope, met with the Tourist Development Council this morning to review a draft plan to be submitted to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations to reinstate short-term rentals in Nassau County.

The final plan was submitted at 11:04 this morning. A copy can be found attached below. CLICK HERE to download the documents. Once approval is received from the State, an Emergency Order will be issued to codify the plan.

Barnabas Receives Support From the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

4/22/2020

As the major nonprofit safety net provider in Nassau County, Barnabas Center is responding to the needs of individuals and families in crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this crisis, Barnabas Center is on the front lines for providing food to people in need in Nassau County. Many of our neighbors are being disproportionately affected by this crisis, especially those who are lower income, disabled, elderly, or unable to work due to business closures or layoffs.

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Family nutrition program supports access to food for people in need. UF/IFAS will help support Barnabas Center with donations of needed supplies for its food distribution sites.

With recent business closures and job losses, the services that Barnabas provides to the community are more important than ever. Barnabas thanks UF/IFAS and other community partners for their support during these uncertain times. Through its food pantry, mobile food distributions, crisis assistance and medical services, Barnabas will strive to help those in crisis to help them remain healthy and stable.

For information about available assistance and eligibility, contact Barnabas at (904) 261-7000, or visit www.BarnabasNassau.org. For information about how to help or to make a donation, visit the website or contact Tania Yount, Chief Development Officer at (904) 261-7000 ext. 107 or tyount@barnabasnassau.org.

Chamber Announces Workforce Assistance Program

4/15/2020

The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce has announced its services to assist workers who are left unemployed or unpaid due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

In partnership with Barnabas Center, the Chamber of Commerce has created a Workforce Assistance Program and Information Hotline. Individuals who need assistance with rent, utilities, food and other necessities may contact the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce office at (904) 261-3248 or via email info@NassauCountyFLChamber.com. Applicants may be eligible if work hours have been reduced due to Coronavirus, or if the workplace closes or instructs employees not to go to work, resulting in not being paid. Proof of Nassau County residency is required.

“Early in March, as the situation evolved, we recognized the need to serve as an information source for not only businesses but residents. We are in a unique position with outreach to the entire community and the knowledge, structure and resources to help” said Regina Duncan, President, Nassau County Chamber of Commerce.

As the surge of jobless claims continues to overwhelm the state unemployment office, the Chamber of Commerce began providing paper unemployment applications. Over the past 10 days, more than 1600 applications have been distributed and are still available outside of the Chamber of Commerce office, located at 961687 Gateway Blvd., Suite 101-G, Fernandina Beach, Florida.

While the Chamber of Commerce hosts two hiring events each year, the April event has been postponed until further notice. However, job seekers are encouraged to continue to visit www.NassauCountyFLChamber.com for available job openings and resources.

For more information on the Workforce Assistance Program, Information Hotline, or any of the other programs offered by the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, call (904) 261-3248 or email info@NassauCountyFLChamber.com.

Barnabas Center: COVID-19 Food Program Updates

4/6/2020

As the safety net organization for Nassau County residents in need, Barnabas Center is on the front line of helping residents in need during this crisis. The health and safety of our staff, volunteers and the community are our highest priority. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our food program operations have changed:

Food Pantry – We provide about a 3-day supply of food per household that may include produce, dairy, meat and nonperishable items.

Food pantry – Hours of operation CHANGED:
- Monday, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.; Tuesday & Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Thursday & Friday, CLOSED (1303 Jasmine Street, Suite 101, Fernandina Beach).

Mobile Food Distribution

Hilliard Food Distribution – 3rd Monday each month – Drive through style
- Next distribution: April 20th – Arrive no earlier than 10:30 a.m. – First Baptist Church, Hilliard (15850 CR 108, Hilliard FL, 32046).
Callahan Food Distribution – Cancelled until further notice

Weekly mobile food assistance – First come, First Served

Hilliard – Every Wednesday – Distributed through the Barnabas Mobile Health Van
- Starting April 8th from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. – First Baptist Church, Hilliard (15850 CR 108, Hilliard, FL 32046).
Callahan – Every Wednesday – Distributed through the Barnabas Mobile Health Van
- Starting April 8th from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – First Baptist Church, Callahan (45090 Green Avenue, Callahan, FL 32011).
Fernandina Beach – Every Thursday – Distributed through the Barnabas Mobile Health Van
- Starting April 9th from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – First Baptist Church, Fernandina Beach (1600 8th street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034).

For more information, please contact us at (904) 261-7000 or info@barnabasnassau.org. For your safety and others, please call us for a telephone pre-screening for crisis assistance, food stamp and/or medicaid applications before visiting our office.

COVID-19 Safety Signage from FASTSIGNS of Fernandina Beach

4/2/2020

As the community's go-to for signs, FASTSIGNS of Fernandina Beach has created signage to assist businesses during these trying times. See below for exterior signage, Social Distancing floor decals, and acrylic shields. The acrylic shields are lightweight, completely customizable, a fraction of the price when compared to permanent or glass shields, and made in Nassau County. These shields are designed to sit on top of the desk or counter surface of your business and can be moved to different locations as needed.

FASTSIGNS of Fernandina Beach is offering these products at 20% the standard retail price off for a limited time. For more information and to place your order today, call (904) 261-0340 or email 576@fastsigns.com.

Update From Superintendent of Nassau County Schools

3/31/2020

To All Nassau County Citizens ‐
As Superintendent of Nassau County Schools, I wanted to take a moment to update you on our School District and plans for the days ahead. On Friday, March 13th, teachers had a planning day and we were all preparing for Spring Break. By the end of the day things changed, FOR EVERYONE! Schools were closing and we had to completely redesign what school would look like for our students. It happened! In true educator fashion – local administrators, teachers, volunteers, and our communities, came together to figure it out! It’s remarkable the work that has been done in just a few short days. I would like to share just a few of the highlights from the past week!

Over 14,000 meals were served to Nassau County students. On Friday, they were provided with not only Friday’s meal, but breakfast and lunch for Saturday and Sunday as well
Over 14,000 calls were received by Nassau County families from our 16 schools.
Over 3000 computers were distributed to Nassau County students.
Over 6000 learning packets were mailed to elementary students on Friday. There will be more information coming this week about your learning packets.
Over 60 teachers and other personnel volunteered their time this past week to begin lesson planning and creating instructional videos – all this in an effort to provide quality lessons and assist their colleagues and team members in the days ahead.

As we move forward, here’s some additional information that may be helpful to you:

We will continue to serve meals from 10‐1 PM daily at Southside Elementary, Yulee Middle School, Callahan Elementary School, and Hilliard Middle Senior High School.
Plans will be posted soon on bus routes that will begin on Wednesday, April 1st delivering meals and other items to our students.
If you did not request a computer for your child but still have a need, please contact your child’s school.
Teachers will be contacting their students and families this week.
If you have additional questions, you may contact your child’s school or the District Office at 491‐9900.
Starting today, you may go to our district website, click on the COVID19 update and look to the left – you will see FAQs. You may submit your questions there and answers will be updated each day.

Hopefully this will answer some questions and assist in clarifying misinformation.
I could not be prouder of our School District team and our County as a whole. Our theme in the school district is “We Are Nassau!” This is a time when it must ring true for ALL OF US. We are all in this together. We must continue to move forward with a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork. We are in a challenging time and we are going to strive to do our VERY BEST WORK during this time.

15th Annual Railroad Day Festival and Classic Car Show Rescheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2020

3/17/2020

With the uncertainty of the current Coronavirus pandemic along with the CDC’s newly released guidelines regarding crowd limitations, the Board of Directors of the West Nassau Historical Society has decided to reschedule our 2020 Railroad Day Festival and Classic Car Show from this April 18 to Saturday, November 7, 2020. This new date had already been set aside for our fall Hobo Day so now we will use the autumn Saturday to celebrate both our rich railroad history along with the fabled rail riders of yore.

This decision was not an easy one to make considering the ever-changing aspects of this very fluid national health crisis. The West Nassau Historical Society is an all-volunteer nonprofit and we rely heavily on the proceeds that we receive from this one day event. Many of our members have already put in countless hours preparing the historic 1881 Callahan Train Depot, stage and grounds for our 15th Railroad Day and Car Show. We were very excited about opening in a few weeks the doors of our beloved depot museum to visitors both young and the young at heart. However, the health and well-being of the people of our community, especially our senior citizens, are paramount to anything else.

In the coming days we will be reaching out to our sponsors, supporters, entertainers, exhibitors and vendors and explain our situation. Those arts/craft and food vendors who have paid for their spots will be given full credit to use on our new November 7th date or at our 16th Railroad Day Festival and Car Show to be held on April 17, 2021. Any questions will be addressed via CallahanRRdays@aol.com.

Hot Topics: Outbreak Prevention & Control at the Local Level - What Businesses Can Do

3/10/2020

The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend Hot Topics: ‘Outbreak Prevention & Control at the Local Level’ on Friday, March 13, 2020 from 8:30-9:30 A.M. at the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, located at 961687 Gateway Blvd., Suite 101-G, Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Guest speaker Eugenia Ngo-Seidel, MD, MPH is the Director for the Florida Department of Health Nassau County. Dr. Ngo-Seidel has over 27 years of experience in public health at the local level. She is a graduate of the University of Florida (BS) and the University of South Florida College of Medicine (MD), board certified in Family Medicine and a diplomate of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Ngo-Seidel’s special interests include integration of population-based and preventative health with medical practice, improving access to care for undeserved populations and clinical care innovation including telehealth, group visits and team care.

Hot Topics workshops are free for Chamber members and $25.00 for prospective members. Advanced payment and registration are always preferred. For more information, CLICK HERE or email info@NassauCountyFLChamber.com.