Jaguars Foundation Awards $100,000 to 13 Veteran Groups as Jacksonville Opens Its 25-Event Celebration of Valor

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The City of Jacksonville opened its annual Celebration of Valor on Nov. 3 with the announcement of 13 grants from the Jaguars Foundation to organizations that serve veterans and military families. Seven groups received $10,000 each and six received $5,000 each, which adds up to $100,000, according to a report published Nov. 3 by Yahoo News. The city's Military Affairs and Veterans Department held a press conference to kick off the celebration and unveil the recipients, according to the city.

The Celebration of Valor is a series of 25 events that runs from October through December, honoring veterans, active-duty service members and military families. The city's page for the kickoff carries a "Week of Valor 2026 Schedule" graphic, and the full calendar is posted on the city's website. Several of the biggest dates still lie ahead, including the Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11.

Who received the grants

According to the Yahoo News report, the Jaguars Foundation split the money between two tiers. The seven $10,000 recipients and the six $5,000 recipients are listed below. The $100,000 total is calculated here from those reported grants.

The list includes groups with very different missions, from a mental health clinic for military families to a service-dog program and a court that handles cases involving veterans. The Jacksonville Humane Society also appears among the recipients, as it did in the foundation's 2023 round. The $100,000 total is the sum of the amounts reported for each organization, so any change to an individual award would change that figure.

How this year compares

The grants have grown from earlier years. In October 2023, the Jaguars announced $70,000 in grants to 11 military-related organizations, according to Action News Jax. That round included Five STAR Veterans Center, Operation Barnabas, Operation New Uniform, the Florida National Guard Foundation and the Jacksonville Humane Society, all of which also appear on this year's list.

This year's total is $30,000 higher than the 2023 figure, and it is spread across 13 groups instead of 11. The Jaguars Foundation has donated $41 million since 2012 across its causes, according to the city's announcement. The grants are one part of the team's wider military outreach, which the team's president described in 2023 as something that should be part of the Jaguars' identity.

Free smoke alarms for veterans' homes

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department will install free smoke alarms in local veterans' homes throughout November, according to the Yahoo News report. The department's regular Smoke Detector Program, which is open to qualifying residents, works the same way. It provides and installs a battery-powered smoke alarm at no cost, and it also replaces batteries in existing alarms.

The department says the program covers single-family and two-family homes, and that businesses, contractors and rental properties are excluded. Resources are limited, so not every applicant will qualify. Residents can request an alarm by calling 904-630-CITY (2489) or by submitting a request through the MyJax portal linked on the Fire and Rescue Department's website.

What is still ahead

The Celebration of Valor includes several dates that fall after Nov. 7, according to the Yahoo News report. The dates below are as listed there. The city's own schedule page was not available, so readers should check jacksonville.gov for times and locations. Those listed were:

• Nov. 11: Veterans Day Parade, 11:01 a.m.
• Dec. 4: Vetrepreneur 10th Anniversary Summit
• Dec. 12: Army-Navy Watch Party
• Dec. 19: Wreaths Across America

The report did not list all 25 events, and times and locations for several were not included in the sources reviewed. Anyone planning to attend should check the city's Celebration of Valor schedule for the latest details, since event information can change. Times and locations were still being posted for some events when the grants were announced.

Why it matters

Northeast Florida has a large military and veteran community, with Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport and Camp Blanding all within the region. Small nonprofits that serve those residents often depend on grants of this size to cover staff, programs and supplies. The Jaguars Foundation announcement gives 13 of them a boost heading into the busiest stretch of the Celebration of Valor.

For veterans or family members looking for help, the recipient list is also a directory of local services. It points to housing and transition support, women veterans' groups, mental health care and court-based programs. Each organization sets its own eligibility rules, so contacting them directly is the best way to find out what is available.