Jacksonville, Alabama · Since 1996
Helping When Life Hurts
Open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 10AM–2PM. Food, utilities, and emergency help — no appointment needed.
Get the Monthly Needs List →63,000 lbs
Food distributed last year
$120,000
Value of donated goods received
30 Years
Serving Jacksonville
3 Days/Week
Open to the community
Who We Are
See JCOC in Action
Thirty years in Jacksonville.
What We Do
More Than a Food Bank
We started with school supplies and a small house. Today we provide food, utilities, school supplies, summer meals, homeless outreach, and more.
Food Assistance
Fresh produce, frozen meals, canned goods, and more. Walk in during open hours — no appointment needed. Walmart donates twice a week.
Utility Assistance
We can help with electric, water, and gas before shutoff. We work with the agencies so you don't lose what you can't afford to lose.
School Supplies + Toyland
Back-to-school supply drives and Christmas toy giveaways for Jacksonville kids.
Sunny Bites
Summer food distribution for families with children 18 and under. In partnership with Jacksonville City Schools — because school lunch doesn't stop mattering in June.
Homeless Outreach
Pre-made meals, care bags, hygiene supplies, and shower access at the community center for neighbors without a stable home.
Community Garden
Fresh produce grown by volunteers, shared with anyone who needs it. The garden is open to the community — grow it, eat it, take it.
Diaper Bank
Diapers for families who can't afford them. In partnership with Bundles of Hope (Birmingham).
Our Story
Small House. Thirty Years. Still Here.
JCOC started in 1996 with a handshake and a belief that Jacksonville takes care of its own. We’re a small white house on Pelham Road. We don’t have a marquee sign. We’ve never run a TV ad.
What we have is Summer Jennings, who has run this entire operation for 14 years — grants, scheduling, operations, a commercial fridge full of Walmart produce, and a board of community volunteers who’ve been here almost as long. We’re part of the United Way network. We track every pound of food through Charity Tracker.
We’re not going anywhere.
Where It Goes
Where It Goes
$120,000
in donated goods distributed last year
Last year, JCOC distributed over 63,000 pounds of food — worth about $120,000 in retail value. Our food bank budget is half what it used to be because of our retail partnerships with Walmart and Dollar General. That means more of every dollar you give goes directly to families.
Every pound and every dollar is tracked through Charity Tracker. We file a 990.
30
1996 → 2026: Thirty Years of Showing Up
We started with school supplies and a belief that neighbors should take care of neighbors. Thirty years later, we’re distributing thousands of pounds of food every month, running a diaper bank, planting a community garden, and still doing the same thing we always did: showing up for Jacksonville when life gets hard.
Partners
We Don’t Do This Alone
JCOC works with organizations across Jacksonville and the region.
For Donors
Get the Monthly Needs List
Every month, we send out a list of exactly what JCOC needs most right now. No guessing — just go buy it and bring it in.
We send one email a month. No spam, no selling your address.
Questions
Common Questions
Who can get help from JCOC?
Anyone in the Jacksonville area. We serve everyone — no income requirements, no appointment needed, and you don't need to show ID to get food. If you need help, come in.
What do I need to bring?
Just yourself. We'll walk you through everything when you arrive.
When are you open?
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Call us or check the site for current hours before you come.
Is JCOC a religious organization?
We were founded by the Jacksonville Ministerial Association, but we serve everyone regardless of faith, background, or situation. Food is food.
How can I donate?
Online through PayPal (recurring giving is available), in person during open hours, or by dropping off items from our monthly needs list. The needs list is the most direct way to give what we actually need — sign up below.
What's most needed right now?
Sign up for our monthly needs list. We send it out every month and people shop specifically for it — it's the fastest way to give something that gets used immediately.
Do you serve college students?
Yes. JCOC serves anyone in the Jacksonville area — that includes JSU students. If you're on campus and running low, you're welcome here.
Jacksonville Christian Outreach Center (JCOC) is a nonprofit emergency assistance organization in Jacksonville, Alabama, operating since 1996. JCOC provides food assistance, utility bill help, school supplies, Christmas toy giveaways (Toyland), summer food distribution (Sunny Bites), homeless outreach, community garden access, and a diaper bank. The center is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday with no appointment required and no income verification needed for food assistance. JCOC is a United Way partner, uses Charity Tracker for financial transparency, and distributes approximately 63,000 pounds of food per year in partnership with the Community Food Bank of Feeding Alabama, Walmart, and Dollar General. The center is located in Jacksonville, AL and serves anyone in the greater Jacksonville area regardless of faith, background, or financial situation.