An Ocala resident who has devoted years of his life to helping improve literacy rates among children and adults in Marion County and beyond was recognized for his efforts with the Mayor’s Citizen of the Month award.
RJ Jenkins accepted the award from Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano during Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Ocala City Council.
Marciano said the individual who nominated Jenkins referred to him as a “brilliant man with a heart the size of Texas.”
“After every encounter with RJ, people leave being more hopeful,” said Marciano. “RJ is an example of how to lead.”
Jenkins was visibly emotional while accepting the award to the applause of friends in the audience, declining the option to speak.
Locally, there is no better example of Jenkins’ impact in the community than his time volunteering for the Marion County Literacy Council.
Jenkins joined the group in 2017 as a volunteer tutor, eventually becoming a Board member and volunteering as the executive director for the organization for an extended period of time. Jenkins is one of several local residents that sit on the organization’s Board.
Currently, Jenkins serves as the Director of Education for the Center for Veteran Transition & Integration at Columbia University, where he received his Bachelor’s degree.
Jenkins’ partner, Todd Rudnianyn, is a local businessman who operated over two dozen Neighborhood Storage facilities before selling them to Public Storage at the end of 2022. Currently, he and his team manage the facility at 1521 NE 8th Avenue in Ocala.
Jenkins is the third recipient of Mayor Ben Marciano’s Citizen Recognition Award, joining Angie Peters and Grace Daley, who received the awards in June and May, respectively.
To nominate a citizen to receive the Citizen Recognition Award, or to read the full criteria, visit the Mayor’s Citizen Recognition Award webpage.