Jackie Culver knows what it feels like to be hungry, not just for food, but for safety, security, and a better future. Raised by a single mother in a tough Louisiana neighborhood, she grew up surrounded by poverty but grounded in love and determination. “We didn’t have much,” she recalls, “but we had faith, family, and the kind of grit you can’t buy in a store.”
Today, she serves as Vice President of Philanthropy at Feeding Northeast Florida, one of the region’s largest hunger-relief organizations. It’s a role that feels less like a job and more like a calling. “This work is deeply personal,” she says. “I know what it’s like to be scared, to go without meals, to watch a parent struggle. So, I don’t just see numbers I see stories like mine.”
Growing up on a sugar cane farm where hard work began before sunrise and dinner was never guaranteed, Culver learned early that strength was a survival skill. And humor? A necessity. “We could make a joke out of anything, burnt biscuits, hand-me-downs, even powdered milk,” she laughs. “If we didn’t laugh, we’d cry. So, we laughed. A lot.”
Since moving to Jacksonville in 1996, Culver has spent more than two decades in nonprofit leadership, raising millions to support health, education, and wellness initiatives. From leading the Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center to founding her own wellness company, JOC Fitness, she’s always championed those who are often overlooked.
One group especially close to her heart? Older adults. “I think of the seniors who skip meals to afford medication, who live alone, quietly struggling,” she says. “No one should age into hunger or isolation. We owe them better. ”Through Feeding Northeast Florida, she helps guarantee that older adults receive the nourishment and dignity they deserve, advocating for programs that deliver fresh, nutritious meals right to their doors.
Culver’s commitment to health and service is matched by her personal achievements: she’s a seven-time marathon finisher and was celebrated as a “Healthy Habit Hero” at Epcot in Walt Disney World. “Apparently, healthy habits include being too stubborn to quit,” she jokes. Despite her accolades, Culver remains grounded and rooted in the same values that shaped her in Louisiana almost six decades ago. She and her husband have raised two children in Jacksonville, alongside their Westie, Roddick, who, at this point, may actually believe he’s in charge.
It doesn’t’ matter if she’s walking miles for a cause, sharing a laugh at a food bank, or advocating for seniors in need, Jackie Culver proves that strength, beauty, and purpose don’t come from ease but they come from rising, again and again, with a heart full of empathy and a plate full of hope.
And yes, always with a little hot sauce on the side.
