Jax Gives 2017

Sunday, November 12, 2017 · THE TIMES-UNION J-9
jacksonville gives
PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS
a caring voice
“Each girl has a
different story.
So, we use a
strength-based
approach that
stresses what
her strengths
are, what she’s
doing right.”
Kimberly Reed
Executive Director
Pace Center for Girls
how to give
Pace Center for
Girls
Show girls that you
believe in them by
making a financial
investment in Pace
Center for Girls. Visit
pacecenter.org/
donate. To tour or
volunteer at your
local Pace Center,
call (904) 448-8002.
At Pace, classes are kept very small, with a maximum of 14 girls for each teacher. The school has separate sections for middle- and high-school girls,
with a typical stay of 15 months, which can be extended if necessary. (Photos provided by Pace Center for Girls)
Believing in girls
By Barbara Gavan
barbara.gavan@jacksonville.com
Anastasia felt that she
had been “walked on
by the world.” She hated
the turn her life had
taken, but had no idea
how to set herself on a better
path — she had fallen too far.
Emily grew up with an alcoholic
father before entering
the foster system, where
she moved through five different
homes, five different
school and two group homes.
Almost inevitably, she turned
to alcohol herself to numb
the pain. It was all she knew.
Danielle was removed
from her mother’s care and
placed in a foster home for
girls, which turned out to
be an uncaring and harmful
situation. When life got too
challenging to handle alone
and Danielle looked desperately
for someone to talk to,
she found “everyone too busy
to listen.”
The challenges are many,
but help is close at hand. As
set forth in its statement of
philosophy, Pace Center for
Girls “values all girls and
young women, believing each
one deserves an opportunity
to find her voice, achieve her
potential and celebrate a life
defined by responsibility,
dignity, serenity and grace.”
The Pace Center in Jacksonville
is a school for young
women of middle school and
high school age, on a treefilled
site across from Jacksonville
University. The girls
arrive at 7:30 in the morning
and leave at 3 or 4 in the af-
Pace continues on J-15
A safe environment
where young girls
can find their voices
When a girl is ready to transition back to public
school, Pace has a program set up to help her deal
with the changes. These services follow her for
three full years, offering help to her and her family.