“NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD: INDEED, IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS.”  — MARGARET MEAD

 

Jacksonville Women’s Golf Association members have a history of generously contributing to many charitable groups in the Northeast Florida area through financial contributions. In the past decade alone JWGA has raised over $70,000 for worthy charities across our area.

Over the years these funds have supported local cancer events,The Wounded Warriors, Birdies for the Brave, The Hubbard House, The Florida State Women’s Golf Association’s Scholarship Fund, and, through volunteerism, for Greater Jacksonville Open, The TPC Players Championship and the First Tee of North Florida.

In 2015, a decision was made to rotate four NE Florida counties. Each year the JWGA members from that county select the charity for a given year. All charities are  tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organizations. The four counties are:  St. John’s, Nassau, Clay and Duval and rotation is in that order.  Below is a list of those charities.

2026-2027 Navy-Marine Relief Society

2026 Charity Navy Marine Relief Society The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society was founded in 1904 and is dedicated to providing financial assistance, education and community support to active-duty and retired Sailors, Marines and their eligible family members and survivors.

Their efforts strengthen the readiness and resilience of the Navy and Marine Corps community by helping people navigate financial challenges, build long-term financial stability, and access resources that support their well-being. The NMCRS’s programs support not just their financial needs, but also provide critical assistance in training and education to help families build more stable financial futures.

NMCRS goes even further as it helps with the challenges of day to day life including: emergency travel, vehicle repairs, access to low-cost household goods and assists families  to access health related support services.

Today NMCRS provides financial assistance, financial education and community support to over 1,000 Sailors and Marines right here in Mayport and has provided over $1.2 million in financial aid. Their Budget For Baby program helps families plan for their growing families.

This year they need JWGA’s help more than ever. Let’s not disappoint them and give generously.

2025-2026 Safe Animal Shelter

JWGA Clay County members have chosen Safe Animal Shelter as this year’s charitable endeavor. Safe Animal Shelter is the oldest no kill shelter in Clay County Florida. They receive no government funding. Safe shelter works to provide equality care for cats and dogs through local funding and donations from individuals, businesses and foundations.

Started in 1991, the non profit seeks to provide housing for homeless pets in the community.  Since its inception, Safe Animal Shelter has provided loving care to over 18,000 cats and dogs until they were adopted into loving homes.

All of the animals they rescue are provided with food, shelter and loving care, exercise and medical treatment. That includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations and heart-worm testing. All dogs and cats are also micro chipped for their future owner’s convenience.

Many of our JWGA members have given forever homes to these abandoned cats and dogs.

This season let’s help make happy endings for these rescues.

2024-2025 On Course Foundation

This year JWGA is proud to announce the selection of the “On Course Foundation” as its charity endeavor of the year.

On Course Foundation has received the highest of ratings each year for their charitable endeavors, with just over 90 cents of every dollar raised is pushed back to support their members.  JWGA’s donations will be utilized to support On Course Foundation members in the Nassau, Duval and St John’s county area.

Through golf clinics nationwide, the Foundation helps wounded, ill, and injured veterans connect, recover, and find golf-industry jobs.

JWGA’s Shauna Snyder joined On Course Foundation shortly before retiring from military service. An internship later led to a Foundation role helping veterans find golf-industry jobs.  “We have members who have become PGA teaching professionals, superintendents, club repair/builders for Callaway and Taylor Made, caddies and many other positions across the spectrum of the golf industry.”

 

 

2023-2024 Wildflower Healthcare

Wildflower Healthcare is St. Johns County’s leading nonprofit provider of free medical and dental care for underserved, uninsured adults. Last year, it served 5,381 county residents. Its history began in 1995, when Good Samaritan Healthcare (GSHC) offered free medical clinics at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church and dental clinics at the St. Johns County Health Department. In 2007, GSHC partnered with New Mt. Moriah Christian Ministry and the Health Department to create the Wildflower Project. That year, GSHC also joined Anastasia Baptist Church and the Emergency Services Homeless Coalition to operate a five-day mobile dental clinic.

The GSHC Board of Directors launched a campaign to fund a permanent medical and dental facility. New Mt. Moriah Christian Ministry donated land on Herbert Street, and community support helped the Wildflower Clinic open debt-free in January 2010.

In 2018, the GSHC board renamed the Wildflower Clinic as Wildflower Healthcare to reflect its reach beyond one location and broader community impact. JWGA proudly supports its work.

 

2022-2023 The Hubbard House

The Hubbard House serves Duval and Baker Counties. Hubbard House is a full-service certified domestic violence center that has answered more than 108,750 hotline calls and sheltered more than 47,000 survivors and their children in its life-saving and life-changing 45-year history. Each year, Hubbard House serves up to 5,000 domestic violence victims – adults and children – and receives generous support from the community.

The victims and children who come to shelter are provided with warm beds, hot meals and personal amenities. Counseling and group support are made available to every sheltered family member, both adults and their children. Victims also receive services from a victim advocate who helps them to avail themselves of public resources and housing assistance. Services from a court advocate and job coach are also available. Shelter and services are always free to victims, and the goals are always the same: victim safety and empowerment.

 

2021-2022 The Way Free Medical Clinic

The Way Free Medical Clinic’s provides 100% free medical care for the uninsured, low-income residents of Clay Country. Their mission is to improve the overall health of Clay County by providing residents with a staff of dedicated community minded professionals and volunteers who together make a difference.

Their efforts provide accessible, affordable healthcare for thousands of Clay County residents through a coordinated system and network providers. The Way is funded 100% by donations and provides primary care, well woman and prenatal care, diabetes care and through its partnerships helps those with vision and hearing conditions.

 

2020-2021 Nassau County Humane Society

Nassau County Humane Society serves Northeast Florida and beyond from their rescue facility based in Fernandina Beach. NHS is dedicated to the humane treatment of all animals; to alleviate their suffering and neglect, to support the human-animal bond, and to foster an environment in which people respect all living creatures.

NHS supports pet adoption, animal-assisted therapy and pet care education. NHS’s outreach spay and neuter program along with it’s socialization and medical care, including heart worm treatment, provides the ultimate care for their rescues until they find their forever homes.NHS also provides animal-control services for the City of Fernandina Beach.

 

2019-2020 Pie In The Sky

Pie In The Sky is a charity organization dedicated to fighting senior hunger in St. Johns County. Their mission is to connect people with resources and facilitate long term solutions to problems of the elderly, the poor, the historically underserved, and the disenfranchised people of the community.

They do so by delivering fresh produce and spending time with seniors in St. Johns County who are in need.  Pie In The Sky’s volunteers provide much needed services to seniors that make a difference in their lives. Pie in the Sky’s Senior Program delivers to hundreds of seniors. At any given time there are seniors on their wait list many between 80 to 98 years old. Pie In The Sky provides the freshest, best produce available at affordable prices.

 

2018 – 2019 The Mission House

The Mission House empowers individuals affected by homelessness in the Beaches area by providing food, clothing, medical care, and support services with an avenue to self-sufficiency. Mission House is the only day facility to help meet the needs of the homeless adults at the Beaches through compassion, faith, and programs designed to provide assistance at an individual level.

Mission House addresses basic needs through their meal, shower, case management, and medical programs through the Mission House Clinic. In 2021 the Mission House team assisted 94 men and women into permanent housing locations.

 

2017-2018 Challenge Enterprises

Challenge Enterprises of North Florida, Inc. was established in Clay County, Florida in October serves persons with disability in the entire First Coast areas. Their goal is to promote the “Power of People and Possibilities” for individuals living with disabilities. Their efforts help these individuals be able to provide for themselves to the extent that they are able, and to lead useful and productive lives.

The programs support individuals with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities. The staff assists families in navigating Florida’s eligibility for services. The Green Cove Springs headquarters includes a secure shredding facility and lawn maintenance facility. The Training center offers programs to develop life, computer, cooking and gardening skills for job applications and to strengthen literacy and math skills.

 

2016-2017 Nassau County Council on Aging (COA) 

The Nassau County Council on Aging’s mission is to improve the lives of older adults with a special focus on those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged. This is accomplished at their Senior Life Centers where vital programs and services and compassionate care are provided to the elderly. Each program is designed to improve the health, independence and economic security of area seniors and their families.

Nassau County seniors fall into five major service categories: Meals on Wheels (for Seniors and their pets), Home Health Services, Nassau TRANSIT and Adult Day HealthCare. COA also operates two Senior Life Centers: The East Nassau Center in Fernandina Beach and the West Nassau Center in Hilliard.

 

2015-2016 K9’s For Warriors

K9s For Warriors is dedicated to providing service canines to our warriors suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disability, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma as a result of military service post 9/11. The goal is to empower these warriors to return to civilian life with dignity and independence.

When a local golf professional from NAS knew of a wounded vet who played golf and had a dog provided by K9s For Warriors, JWGA invited him to speak at the Annual Burnside Tournament. Learning what amount it would take for JWGA to name a dog, and we took up the challenge. Thanks to the generosity of our members and matching funds. We succeeded and were able to pick a name for this beautiful yellow Labrador Retriever. Burnside was the name chosen in loving memory of Mary Burnside, a past member with a history of giving back to this sport so fully.

Burnside graduated with his warrior, James, on August 25, 2016 surrounded by many of our members.