Largest sum ever given by the Foundation, which is adding three additional charities to the list for 2013.
The Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation donated $1.2 million to 11 children’s charities located throughout Okaloosa and Walton counties.
“This is the first time that we have given more than a million dollars,” said John Russell, president, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. “We have increased revenue every year since the inception of the Wine Auction in 2006. As a result, we have been able to generate increased recognition and participation.
“The overriding mission of our organization is to enhance the lives of the children in our community. As our giving capacity continues to grow, we are able to provide increased assistance," continued Russell. "Our participants are very connected to the organizations we help. All of the funds we donate stay right here on the Emerald Coast.”
The 11 partner charities were presented checks at a reception sponsored by Coastal Accounting. DCWAF board members, executive staff, patrons and sponsors joined together for an emotionally charged evening that celebrated each of the recipient charities and their good works and projects made possible through the DCWAF gifts.
Seven of the recipient charities received more than $100,000 each. The other five agencies received grants of $10,000 or more, depending upon their request to the Foundation. (A list of recipient charities along with their individual gifts and planned programs accompanies this document).
“Children in Crisis has been a recipient of the Foundation’s generosity for six years," said Ken Hair, president and CEO. “The Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation’s gifts to us total almost $1 million and have helped us to provide assistance to hundreds of kids in need. The Foundation has been a wonderful community partner to a lot of the local children’s organizations.”
The 2012 Auction included 31 vintners from all over the world. Each year, new vintners ask to be included allowing the Destin Charity Win Auction Foundation to offer unique wines and wine-oriented trips, many of which are unavailable at other venues.
This year’s revenues represent a 39 percent increase over 2011 results. As a result, the Destin Charity Wine Auction will likely rank among the Top Ten charity wine auctions in the U.S.
“We are very optimistic that we can sustain the momentum generated this year into 2013,” said Russell. “The reputation of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation continues to grow. We are attracting top tier vintners and chefs to our events and our auction attendees look forward to the ability to secure rare and unusual wines. But the cornerstone of our organization and the reason we exist is to enhance the lives of our children in our local communities. That is our mission; that is our goal.”
The 2012 Charities
- The Children's Advocacy Center is about preventing child abuse, protecting children and restoring lives.
- Children in Crisis is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), community charity of caring people providing homes and establishing hope to our children. The Children’s Neighborhood will provide an emergency shelter for children that are removed on short notice from unsafe or abusive environments.
- Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast is a 58-bed hospital located in Miramar Beach, Florida. Since opening its doors to patient care in January 2003, the not-for-profit hospital has grown steadily and continues to fulfill its mission to improve the health of the community at large, with special attention to service of the poor.
- Habitat for Humanity of Walton County is a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to the elimination of substandard housing. We provide opportunities for the community to show God's love in action, in partnership with people in need as we help break the cycle of poverty by building decent affordable housing and improving the quality of life of our partner families.
- The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, these homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful time, during the hospitalization or treatment for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.
- The Emerald Coast Autism Center (ECAC) is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to educating and improving the lives of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Okaloosa and Walton counties and surrounding areas. Autism affects a child's ability to communicate, understand language and socialize with others.
- Children's Volunteer Health Network, Inc. is a group of concerned citizens, families and volunteers in Walton and Okaloosa Counties who have come together to address the healthcare crisis of the uninsured and underinsured children in our area. This is a calling for us and we consider it a privilege to be able to help.
- Horizons is your local ARC Agency providing care for those with Down Syndrome, Autisim, Cerebral Palsy, and other developmental disabilities. Our mission is to create a path from disability to capability by providing exceptional services so people of all ages can work, play, learn, achieve personal goals and live meaningful lives.
- Hope, direction, and stability seem out of reach to young people caught in the revolving door of criminal behavior. Often they are jailed and then released without having addressed the root causes of their actions, only to repeat an offense and find themselves back in the judicial system. Pathways for Change is a jail-based addiction treatment program.
- Located in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Shelter House, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) (3). Shelter House was incorporated in 1988 when members of the League of Women Voters, the National Organization of Women, and Business and Professional Women formed a collation to help prevent the continuous abuse of women and children in the community.
- Youth Village, Inc. is a 501(C)3 charitable organization formed in 1999 to create a safe place to provide various educational and recreational services during non-school hours to the children of our community. Thus far, our after-school program and summer camp has served over 500 children. Statistics show that the majority of juvenile offenses occur between the hours of.
The organizations which will be added to this recipient list next year are the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast Food for Thought and Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/Opportunity Inc.
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