By Tiffany Merlo Phelps
mail@floridanewsline.com
Never underestimate the power of neighbors helping each other through a struggle.
That’s the basic premise of a local organization known as V for Victory, a non-profit dedicated to activating local businesses and neighbors in support of families battling cancer right in their own community.
It all began in 2017 as a result of a businessman, one of three owners of V Pizza, having to face the cancer diagnosis of his young son. That businessman, Ponte Vedra Beach resident Paul Scott, quickly realized that battling cancer is incredibly overwhelming for a family — and then added to that are the everyday responsibilities that must continue.
“The entire family battles cancer when one member of the family is diagnosed. We are for anyone in the family who is impacted by that cancer diagnosis,” said Scott, adding that this organization is for families with pediatric and adult cancer patients.
Scott decided to use his business background and apply it to V for Victory to create a system of service delivery. The organization connects with local businesses in every community where there is a V Pizza and asks that they back one family once a month, simply offering a service or product that they already provide. This could be for plumbing, electrical, dental, massage therapy, dry cleaning or landscape services just to name a few. V for Victory takes care of the rest.
“We handle it all so that it is a seamless process for the business,” said Scott. “We ask that if the business incurs a cost above what they offered, that they bill us so the family never gets a bill. Give a significant discount is all that we ask.”
In addition, everyone in the family of the person battling cancer eats free at any V Pizza with 7,000 free meals given out to 200 families this past year. There are currently six V Pizza locations in and around the Jacksonville area, including one in Ponte Vedra Beach.
“At V Pizza, we feed every family, every week for free,” said Scott, who is in the process of opening two more V Pizza restaurants (one in St. Augustine and one in Fleming Island).
Customers at V Pizza also have the option of donating to V for Victory when they pay their bill, with 100 percent of that donation going to families.
“We pay for all costs associated with V for Victory out of pocket,” said Scott, who has lived in Ponte Vedra Beach for 10 years.
Scott said that customers in Ponte Vedra Beach are especially generous and well-versed when it comes to V for Victory. Jacklyn Overby, V for Victory executive director, said last year there were 150 to 250 services completed each month by local small businesses. More than 550 families received monthly free services also last year, she said.
“Oftentimes, our Ponte Vedra Beach businesses go next level with us. They are looking for a charity or cause to support, and they go above and beyond the monthly ask when partnering with us,” said Overby.
One Jacksonville Beach mom, whose family received help from V for Victory, explained why this organization has been a gift during a very difficult time.
“V for Victory is a lifeline for relief. They find a way to make the wants and needs of a family available without drawing attention to the cancer and the treatments. They have our lawn mowed, make family outings available to local attractions, provide meals and send personalized gifts to our children on special occasions,” said the mom, who wished to remain anonymous.
In addition to the services provided by so many businesses, Scott recently added LEGO to the business donor list. Scott reached out to LEGO to ask if he could purchase LEGO sets at cost so that every pediatric oncology patient could select a LEGO set after every treatment or cancer-related procedure. Instead, LEGO opted to give V for Victory 6,800 sets for free two months ago. This will continue yearly.
“That is $700,000 worth of LEGOS that we now keep in a warehouse,” said Scott, who used to get his son a LEGO set after every cancer treatment or visit to make the frequent visits to the hospital special instead of dreaded. “It gave him something to look forward to.”
Scott, whose son is now in remission, wanted to bring this same magic to any child fighting cancer. V Pizza also paid for a V for Victory LEGO room that will open at Nemours Children’s Health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital at the end of 2022/beginning of 2023. Adult oncology patients are also welcome to select one LEGO set for their family for special occasions and events.
Overby said she is so grateful to work at V for Victory and is constantly impressed by the generosity of community members.
“People want to help,” she said. “Sometimes even when we are compassionate, we get disconnected. This gives everyone an opportunity to help your neighbor, people you know but you maybe didn’t know the struggles that they are facing; that they are battling for their lives. You get to serve your own community.”
Businesses and families need only go to vforvictory.org to sign up or email info@vforvictory.org for more information.
Photo courtesy Jacklyn Overby
V for Victory makes a LEGO set available for every child battling cancer after every cancer related treatment or procedure.
