With the holidays just around the corner, it’s a natural time to reflect and focus on the things that bring us joy and give us reason to be thankful. Even as we give thanks for our fortunes, there are many who are living with less and deal with hardship daily. Luckily, several wonderful charities near Destin and Olympus Emerald Coast are working to serve our community. Here are just a few that could really use your support this year.

Destin Harvest

Destin Harvest is an awesome local nonprofit that focuses on food rescue and hunger relief, committed to “bridging the gap between food surplus and local hunger.” Their work has been all the more important in the last year, as food insecurity has become an inflated problem due to COVID-19 and the loss of work. To get involved, you can donate online or find more information about their local food distribution events on their site.

Veterans 48

Veterans 48 is a veteran-focused charity that runs entirely on donations and makes a big difference in our community. Their primary program builds modified motorcycles for wounded veterans, but donations also go toward things like coffee and basic supplies for vets. To show the veterans in your neighborhood some love, you can make donations directly and check out current campaigns on the organization’s Donate page.

Fresh Start for Children & Families

A three-in-one organization focused on housing and education programs for homeless families, Fresh Start runs a thrift store that provides the bulk of the funding for their Transitional Housing and Affordable (Step-up) Housing programs. Fresh Start regularly hosts seasonal events (such as the Princess Ball coming up in December), and they also accept donations online and in-person at their Repeat Street Thrift Store.

However you choose to give back this year, make sure to spread the love around Destin! For more articles on cool community and resident events, make sure to visit our Olympus Emerald Coast blog.