Inside Hubbard House

The Nancy Tree

The week of Earth Day and National Arbor Day, a live oak tree was planted at the Hubbard House Emergency Shelter. The tree, which has been named “The Nancy Tree” was planted in honor of Nancy Taylor and Nancy McDonald, two women who have made a significant impact at Hubbard House. A stainless steel plaque donning this honor was posted in front of the tree.

“Both Nancy Taylor and Nancy McDonald have been instrumental in building a stable foundation for the future of Hubbard House,” said Ellen Siler, Hubbard House CEO. “The Nancy Tree acknowledges that and as it grows and develops its own strong foundation it will be a reminder of the wonderful contributions they have made; contributions that will help victims build new strong foundations of their own as they seek peaceful lives.”

Nancy Taylor is a long-time supporter and volunteer of Hubbard House. She served on the board of Hubbard House, Inc. from 2003-2011 and has remained involved. She was the driving force behind the formation of the Hubbard House Foundation and the endowment campaign, without which Hubbard House would have $300,000 a year less in its operating budget (interest earned on the endowed funds).  Because of the many contributions that Nancy has made with helping end domestic violence in our community, she has been recognized locally with several honors including the Hands of Peace Award and most recently the Domestic Peace Award.

Nancy McDonald had been a long-term devoted donor to Hubbard House and then contributed over $200,000 to the endowment campaign in 2007. At her passing, Nancy left a bequest of $1.7 million to the Hubbard House Foundation to help provide long term financial stability to the organization.  Her bequest is the largest endowed gift the Foundation has received.

“A hundred years from now, the Nancy Tree will still stand honoring these two women. The names of many of the women who were instrumental in the early years of the struggle to end domestic violence are distant memories that will be forgotten by future generations.  We do not want these names forgotten,” said Siler.

The tree was graciously donated to Hubbard House by GreenReleaf, a partnership between Greenscape of Jacksonville and JEA.

Click here to view photos from the Nancy Tree planting.

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship please call the Hubbard House 24-hour domestic violence hotline at (904) 354-3114 or (800) 500-1119. Hubbard House can help.

ABOUT HUBBARD HOUSE: Founded in 1976, Hubbard House is a certified, comprehensive domestic violence center providing programs and services to more than 5,000 women, children and men annually in Duval and Baker counties. While Hubbard House is most known for its emergency shelter, the agency also provides extensive adult and youth outreach services, school-based education, therapeutic child care, batterers’ intervention programs, court advocacy and volunteer and community education opportunities. Visit www.hubbardhouse.org  to learn more.

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