Just Do It Movement
Finding Homes, Jobs, and IDs for our Neighbors
Just Do It goes onsite during community events to let people know about their services.
“God works in mysterious ways” is a popular saying, and Jessica Gibson experienced the truth of this message in a powerful way. Jessica is the founder and executive director of the Just Do It Movement, based in Charlotte.
She shares how the nonprofit organization started. “In 2020, I was working as a bank branch manager. I had been in banking for 15 years but was feeling that I wasn’t fulfilling my purpose and needed to be doing something else.”
Jessica hosted community events like Day of Impact and volunteered in local shelters, but she longed to do more to make a difference. One day, her answer came. “I was driving down Interstate 77 and asking for guidance on my next move when a car pulled out in front of me. It had a bumper sticker that said, ‘Just Do It.’ I wondered if God was speaking to me, so I kept praying, and three days later, the same car pulled in front of me with the ‘Just Do It’ bumper sticker. At work that day, a client came up to me to ask a question, wearing a shirt that said, ‘Just Do It.’ So, after three confirmations, I decided to Just Do It, which became the name for the movement.”
She left her job and started the nonprofit with the initial goal of helping people who were unhoused. Jessica wanted to help them find housing and jobs, but she quickly found major barriers. “As I built relationships with our neighbors, I discovered that many of them did not have IDs, Social Security Cards, or birth certificates,” Jessica says. “It’s impossible for them to connect with services when they don’t have any identification.”
Antione Johnson, Milestone Champion award recipient, and Jessica Gibson, Just Do It Movement founder and executive director, at the Breaking Bread Gala that celebrates a year of success for participants.
Owning a home is a dream come true for this family thanks to the Just Do It Movement’s program.
It was not easy to figure out how to help someone get an ID when they don’t have an ID, but Jessica navigated the system and since 2020, the organization has helped 5,000 people. Just Do It has expanded its services to address the issue of homelessness. With a team of four, Jessica started the Housing Connector program. A group of landlords provides safe, affordable housing to people who have successfully completed the Just Do It program and are ready to transition into permanent homes.
The Just Do It Movement has programs for financial literacy and workforce training as well as a continuing focus on getting IDs for those who need them. The organization can always use volunteers for Day of Impact when they provide pampering to neighbors by offering free haircuts, hairstyles, massages, and facials. “We help boost their confidence while they are navigating through difficult times,” Jessica says.
The annual Breaking Bread Gala is a chance to highlight neighbors who started the year homeless and unemployed but have overcome those obstacles. “We celebrate their success, and they walk the red carpet to the cheers of the audience,” Jessica says. “They can feel the good vibes and energy and know that their community cares about them.”
Jessica first connected with TowneBank at the suggestion of another nonprofit leader. “I met branch manager Victoria Cerrato at the Ballantyne office, and we instantly clicked. She locked into our mission, and TowneBank has been supporting us ever since. They sponsored our Breaking Bread Gala, and Victoria and her team support Day of Impact. We are so appreciative of everything TowneBank has done for us.”
For more information and to see how you can help, visit JDIMovement.org.
Jessica (r.) presents a certificate to a Just Do It Movement graduate who has overcome obstacles and is on the road to success.