Councilman Pitts to Give Away 800 Turkeys at Edgewood Ave Event

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- City Councilman Ju'Mean 'JuCoby' Pitts, representing District 9, announced a turkey distribution event set for Saturday at 9 a.m. at 1353 W. Edgewood Ave., near the Edgewood Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. One turkey per family will be available while 800 supplies last, according to a statement from Pitts' office reported by Action News Jax on Nov. 8, 2025. The giveaway addresses rising food costs in a city where Duval County's poverty rate hovers at 15.5%, per the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. Pitts, elected in 2023, emphasized community support in his public Facebook announcement, mirroring similar drives like the Nov. 2025 event at 3000 Dunn Ave. that distributed 800 turkeys, as detailed in Hoodline's coverage citing event organizers. This initiative unfolds against Florida's robust economic backdrop, with the state's unemployment rate dropping to 2.8% in April 2026, according to the Florida Department of Commerce's monthly jobs report. The legislature's recent $120 billion budget, passed in spring 2026, includes $2 billion in property tax relief, offering Jacksonville homeowners modest savings amid holiday preparations. As Northeast Florida braces for potential impacts from a tropical depression forming in the Gulf -- with the National Weather Service issuing watches for coastal flooding -- such local efforts underscore community resilience. Jacksonville officials, via the city's emergency management website, urge residents to prepare non-perishable stockpiles, complementing Pitts' fresh turkey distribution. Pitts' event continues a tradition of council-led outreach; similar giveaways occurred in 2024 at Moncrief Missionary Baptist Church on West 26th Street. Residents are advised to arrive early, as supplies are limited, per the councilman's press release.