“Many of the people we helped in Colombia lost loved ones or lost their homes,” explains Vic Micolucci, a founding board member of Reaching the Unreached (RTU). “We experienced a lot of heartbreak along the way and a lot of triumph. When you are with these families and these kids, a lot of aspects of their lives are together and connected: tight family and friends – not glued to electronics or stressed about first-world problems.”
A longtime investigative journalist and morning anchor turned communications executive, Vic spent time learning the stories of the children helped during RTU’s mission trips to Latin America. So when he had the chance to be on the ground and experience his first trip last year, Vic says he gained a valuable perspective. Standing alongside families and delivering thousands of dollars’ worth of food, water, and gifts to one of the world’s unreached populations was an experience he will always cherish.
“When we arrived, we went straight to the village and started helping. We carried donations up the stairs as soon as we got there,” Vic recalls. “There was a line of families from all over the village to pick up supplies and to keep Christmas traditions alive with their children.”
What stayed with Vic the most wasn’t what they delivered to the village, but where that help came from: home. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, and serving as the Strategic Communications Executive for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Vic says it was an honor to provide support directly from Duval.
“Food and clothes are important, but the fellowship was the best part, and being face to face with the people who need the support,” says Vic. “It was refreshing to learn from that and come back with a different perspective. These people are actually rich in a lot of things. It was very special, and I think both sides left the situation accomplishing a lot.”
That sense of connection is among the many reasons RTU’s Board of Directors is passionate about its involvement, support, and the nonprofit’s growth to help even more children in the future.
“The distance between you and someone who needs you is smaller than you think,” explains Diana Donovan. As Executive Director and CEO of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and a leader in our city, Diana spends her time working alongside organizations and people invested in making Jacksonville better. Her decision to join RTU’s board grew from that same commitment.
“A child in Colombia and a child here in Jacksonville can both be facing the same hardships, and Reaching the Unreached can be there for both,” Diana says. “A connected city is measured by how wide we’re willing to open our hearts to everyone in it. For RTU, their hearts have grown far beyond the borders of Duval to children and families in Colombia, showing that compassion has no ceiling.”
The idea of reaching people where they are and recognizing that circumstances do not define a person’s future is deeply personal for Evan “Evan” Rajta, a first-generation immigrant who arrived in the United States with his family at 12.
“We were those kids that we are helping through Reaching the Unreached,” explains Evan. “My family came here from poverty. Albania was under a strict communist regime at the time; we got into the immigration lottery and ended up in the St. Pete area. Then I came to Jacksonville for college and started my life here.”
A graduate of the University of North Florida and owner of Decca Live entertainment venue in downtown Jacksonville, Evan is inspired to help others achieve their dreams too. “To us, there is no better place than Jacksonville; we live in the best city, state, and country in the world. After getting connected with Max Morel and learning more about RTU, I wanted to help this mission.”
This year, Evan says he will take that commitment further, joining Max and other RTU board members on his first mission trip to Colombia, and is looking forward to experiencing the work firsthand. “It only takes one to break the chain of poverty, and I know we are proving that it is possible to change the paths for these children.”
Whether the work takes place in a village in Colombia or in a neighborhood in Jacksonville, the goal at Reaching the Unreached is the same: to meet people where they are, remind them they are not alone, and help create a path toward something better.
“I’ve watched what happens when the right people decide to stand behind something together until a small idea with heart turns into an institution that outlives any of its founders,” Diana says. “I am proud to be part of this because it reflects who I want this city to be – one that doesn’t wait for permission to care or for a cause to be popular before showing up for it.”
Show Up for Jacksonville – Dare to Dream
Every child deserves the opportunity to dream beyond their circumstances. On September 25, at SIP on the Roof, Vic, Diana, and Evan will join friends, family, and RTU Founder Max Morel for Dare to Dream, the third annual benefit supporting children around the world.
Making a difference begins with deciding to show up. Get your tickets to join us for an evening of impact and inspiration.
