KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – Since 2016, Rev. Carey Morford, founder of Mission of the Dirt Road, has wanted to improve the High Ridge Estates neighborhood.

Her project, High Ridge Initiative, mirrors the vision inspired by a similar project called the College Drive Initiative which focused on improving the roadway in Orange Park.

“After kind of watching their process and thinking about this neighborhood that I love and that has so much need, I was thinking that maybe we can do a similar project and model ourselves after College Drive,” Morford said.

The project started with surveying 30 residents to further understand the needs of the neighborhood. Afterward, a discussion guide was formed for potential actions such as a drug-free community program, a neighborhood watch program and transportation that addresses the needs related to the neighborhood.

The committee used this discussion guide to direct their community meetings, called Hot Dog Dialogues, to further receive feedback and input.

“The Hot Dog Dialogues are where we sit down with neighbors and other community stakeholders and we walk through that discussion guide and get other inputs,” Morford said.

Eventually, the input from these meetings will be put towards a plan which will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners in January for approval. While the process is a long one, the residents of High Ridge Estates already are experiencing immediate benefits.

“We already, as a part of this initiative, have done three clean-up days and we have hauled off three and a half tons of trash and three tons of tires,” Morford said.

She also said Healthy Harvest, which brought medical resources to the residents, will be part of the project. Their newly awarded grant of $25,000 from Northeast Florida Community Foundation will be going toward a total of 20 home repairs during the next two years. Their focus will be aimed on minor home repairs that will make a big impact on the home.

Mission of the Dirt Road is helping people apply for personal assistance in home improvements and replacements through the county’s Community Development Block Grant funds.