Guide to Local Non-Profits Making 
a Difference in St. Johns & Beyond!

We want to grow this list so if you do not see a non-profit you think should be included please 
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The Season of Giving

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The holiday season is a time for joy, gratitude, and giving back. Here in St. Johns County, countless nonprofits dedicate their efforts to making a positive impact in our community. Their missions inspire us to share kindness and create hope for those in need. Let’s take a closer look at how some local organizations are lighting up lives this season.
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​Daniel:  A Legacy of Protection and Possibility

danielkids.org/donate

Long before Jacksonville became the city it is today, a small orphanage opened its doors in 1884 with a singular purpose: to shelter children who had nowhere else to go. That modest mission has since grown into Daniel, Florida’s oldest child-service nonprofit and one of its most indispensable. Today, the organization serves more than 5,000 children and families each year, offering a continuum of care that spans counseling for abused youth, shelter for homeless teens, support for high-risk families, and pathways to foster and adoptive homes. Its influence even extends beyond state borders, with training and conferences that help strengthen child-serving programs throughout the U.S. and Canada.

For all its scale, Daniel’s impact is perhaps best captured through individual stories, like Nae’s. After years of drifting between foster homes, she aged out of the system with no family, no stability, and no clear next step. Daniel’s Project Prepare program became her lifeline. The organization provided housing in its independent living village, guided her through finishing high school, helped her secure a job at Mayo Clinic, and supported her as she began classes at FSCJ. Today, she is on track to earn her associate degree, a milestone that once seemed impossible.

Yet Daniel’s reach comes with challenges. As government funding fluctuates, the agency increasingly relies on community generosity to maintain core programs while also renovating aging facilities on its campus. It’s a balancing act made possible by donors, corporate partners, and volunteers committed to ensuring local children have a safe place to land.
In St. Johns County, Daniel’s work focuses primarily on wraparound case management and mental health support for youth struggling with emotional and behavioral issues. Success, leaders say, isn’t measured in numbers but in moments of healing.
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As the season of giving approaches, Daniel encourages residents to make year-end, unrestricted donations, the kind that allow the organization to direct funds exactly where they’re needed most. This year, contributions made online before December 31 will be partly matched by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, extending the impact even further.

​Project Chance: Training Dogs, Transforming Lives

www.projectchance.com

In a quiet corner of Northeast Florida, an unlikely team of healers; four-legged, furry, and endlessly patient, has been quietly reshaping the lives of children with autism for more than two decades. Project Chance, founded in 2003, began as one woman’s experiment in blending her background in special education with her deep belief in the power of therapy dogs. Today, it has matured into one of the region’s most impactful service dog programs for children on the autism spectrum.

The founder, BJ Szwedzinski, who arrived in Jacksonville in the early ’90s to lead the local humane society, saw mounting autism rates and recognized a gap in support. The idea was simple but bold: train service dogs to meet the highly specific needs of each child, and train children to partner with their dogs in ways that build empathy, emotional regulation, and independence.

More than 120 service dogs later, the program’s impact is best understood through the stories families tell. One recent example: an 11-year-old boy whose behavioral challenges had forced him out of three schools. When he began working with his new service dog, something shifted. With the dog at his side, he grew calmer, more connected, more capable of making good decisions. Within months, he was attending regular school again—his dog padding faithfully beside him. Another family recalls the night their four-year-old, who had never slept through until dawn, finally did… because his dog slept beside him.
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These moments are the quiet triumphs Project Chance measures as success. Families once unable to navigate grocery stores, restaurants, or even family outings now report tearful gratitude over simple milestones: a calm dinner out, a full night’s sleep, a trip to Disney World that would once have been impossible.
​Still, sustaining this kind of work isn’t easy. Like most small nonprofits, Project Chance lives in a constant state of financial tightrope-walking. Each year requires renewed support. Puppy raisers, fundraising events, and local sponsors form the lifeblood of the program.

As the season of giving begins, Project Chance is inviting residents to learn more about the realities of autism, an “invisible disability,” the organization reminds us, and how a trained service dog can reshape an entire family’s world. Donations, volunteer hours, and simply spreading the word all help ensure that children who need these life-changing companions can receive them.
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“Someone always knows someone who needs help,” the founder often says. And in Northeast Florida, help might just arrive on four paws and a wagging tail.

Building the Middle: One Home at a Time

www.habitatstjohns.org

For decades, Habitat for Humanity has carried a simple conviction: that stable housing is the foundation of a stable life. In St. Johns County, where soaring real-estate prices have pushed many working families out of reach of the traditional market, Habitat St. Johns has stepped in to bridge the gap for the “missing middle”—residents who earn too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to compete in one of Florida’s fastest-growing counties.

The organization develops quality homes priced under $300,000, aiming to keep mortgage payments at or below 30 percent of a family’s income. It’s a model built on partnership: future homeowners, volunteers, subcontractors, and staff working side by side, regardless of faith, background, or circumstance.

One of those partners is Brian, a single father raising his adopted grandson, a child with significant medical needs. After losing his home during the mortgage crisis and later being priced out of rentals during the pandemic, he and his son spent years in a camper, moving constantly. “Being a van dweller is like being homeless,” he said. “There’s no great place to park for very long.” Their Habitat home will give them what they’ve gone without for years: stability, a kitchen, a garden, and a bathroom designed for his son’s needs. “I feel blessed it’s worked out,” Brian said before closing.

Keeping homes affordable is increasingly difficult in a county where land costs and infrastructure expenses climb each year. But Habitat St. Johns has found strength in collaboration—local government support, in-kind contributions from corporate partners like Publix and the St. Augustine Distillery, and grants and volunteer power from United Way, local churches, and an army of committed residents.
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The organization measures its impact in more than keys and closings. Homeownership, they note, improves health, academic performance, job stability, and long-term wealth-building—benefits that ripple through generations.
None of it happens without community support. Residents can volunteer, join the monthly HopeBuilders giving program, introduce potential corporate sponsors, include Habitat in their estate plans, or simply help spread the word that high-quality, attainable homes do exist here—often for the very workers who keep the county running. Others may choose to contribute to projects like the gardens at Volusia Woods, where a planned flower bed by the Garden Club of St. Augustine will bring color and joy to new homeowners.

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Compassion for Animals
The St. Augustine Humane Society works tirelessly to ensure pets receive the care they need. From providing veterinary services to promoting responsible pet ownership, their mission strengthens the bond between humans and animals. Learn more at www.staughumane.org.


Fighting Hunger
Pie in the Sky delivers fresh produce and smiles to over 550 local seniors, ensuring no one faces hunger alone. Their commitment to health and well-being is making a profound difference for vulnerable members of our community. Find out how you can help at www.pieintheskystjohns.org.


Supporting Food Service Workers
The Giving Kitchen provides financial assistance and resources to food service workers in crisis. Their vital work ensures stability for those who keep our favorite restaurants running. Discover their impact at www.thegivingkitchen.org.


Honoring Veterans
Northeast Florida Women’s Veterans addresses the unique challenges women veterans face, from homelessness to health issues. Their mission offers personalized care and emergency resources for those who served our country. Learn more at www.forwomenvets.org.


Holiday Giving Made Easy
Visit the Light the World Giving Machine at the St. Augustine Visitors Center through December 15. Purchase items ranging from food to clothing for local and global charities. 100% of donations go directly to participating organizations. Details at www.mobilegivingmachine.org.


Caring for Children
Hugs Across the County supports local children in need by addressing basic necessities, from food to clothing. Their programs ensure students thrive, regardless of their circumstances. Find out more at www.stjohnshugs.org.


Emergency Support
The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation provides lifesaving equipment to first responders, ensuring they can serve our community with the tools they need. See their work at .www.firehousesubsfoundation.org


Food for Families
Organizations like Mandarin Food Bank (www.stjosephsjax.org) and St. Johns Food Pantry (www.stjohnsfoodpantry.org) provide food assistance to families in need, ensuring everyone can celebrate the holidays with a warm meal.

Mental Health & Substance Abuse


The holidays can be a joyous time, but for many, they also bring challenges that affect mental health and well-being. EPIC Behavioral Healthcare is dedicated to supporting individuals and families on their journey to wellness and recovery.


EPIC provides comprehensive care for mental health and substance use disorders, offering a wide range of services to children, adolescents, families, and adults. Their continuum of care includes outpatient treatment, an inpatient detox and residential treatment center, and specialized court intervention programs. Prevention education for parents, youth, and the community ensures proactive approaches to fostering well-being.


For those in immediate need, EPIC’s Access Center welcomes walk-ins for evaluations, and their Rapid Response Team is available to assist individuals in crisis. EPIC’s mission is to empower people to improve their health, achieve recovery, and reach their full potential.


Learn more about their life-changing programs at www.epicbh.org


This holiday season, let’s embrace the spirit of giving by supporting these incredible nonprofits. Together, we can make our community brighter for everyone.