JABA Inc. was founded in 1982 when the first members met at a southside Jacksonville "drinking hole" called the Fiesta Lounge.  The Meeting was moved to a private home, then a church, then to Phillips Mall and then finally in 1985, our founder, Lawrence W. "Pappy" Norsworthy found JABA's present home at 3645 Spring Park Rd.
​The JABA Club consisted of a meeting hall, a clubhouse and a halfway house to help men sober up and get back on their feet.
​In 1997 "Pappy" Norsworthy passed away.  He was a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 52 years.
​Today the JABA Club still carry's out its mission of helping alcoholics and addicts achieve and maintain sobriety by keeping a facility to hold 12 step meetings, maintaining a clubhouse for the members and various recovery functions, maintaining a sober living environment for men early in recovery to become productive members of society and helping all those affected by alcoholism and addiction to live happy, joyous and free.