ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The St. Augustine Society has been named a finalist for a 2027 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Regional Award, receiving a $35,000 grant and competing for an additional $200,000. The St. Johns County nonprofit is the only Florida-based organization in the Southeast nominated for the grant.
Public voting for the award opened Tuesday, Sept. 1, and continues through Sept. 30. Chick-fil-A Owner and Operator Wayne Efford nominated the organization after working alongside its food and housing programs for nearly a decade.
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Founded in 1984, the St. Augustine Society provides services to individuals, youth, and families facing hunger and housing instability. The organization operates three connected programs: the St. Francis Housing Crisis Center, which offers emergency shelter, daily meals and housing services; the Port in the Storm Homeless Youth Center, providing shelter and structured support for unaccompanied youth; and SOS Street Outreach, delivering meals directly to unsheltered individuals.
Joy Case serves as the director of development at the St. Augustine Society. She emphasized the role that nutrition plays in the organization’s outreach strategy.
“At St. Augustine Society, food is more than nourishment,” Case said. “It’s our first point of connection for individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. A meal may seem simple, but for someone in crisis, it can be the moment everything begins to change. By using food as a starting point for care, we build trust and work to connect people facing hunger to shelter, services, and pathways that lead to lasting housing stability.
”Case added that the nonprofit is “incredibly honored and excited to be nominated for such an impactful award and to be recognized for the critical care we provide.”Between Jan. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2025, the St. Augustine Society served 3,203 individuals across its three programs. During that period, the nonprofit sheltered 2,278 people and provided 499,638 meals. In the first half of 2026, 48% of participants at the St. Francis Housing Crisis Center and 50% from Port in the Storm exited to positive housing situations.
The nonprofit serves an average of 1,000 individuals annually and expects demand to remain high in 2027. Demand has expanded following the addition of the Goff Family Shelter this year, which provides temporary housing for adults with minor children. Grant funding will support food purchases, kitchen operations and meal distribution to maintain consistent food access.
Efford, owner and operator of two Chick-fil-A locations in St. Augustine, has supported the organization through in-kind food donations totaling more than 100,000 pounds over time.
“We’ve worked with the St. Augustine Society since 2017, providing in-kind food donations and gift cards,” Efford said. “I also encourage all my team members to participate in the St. Francis House’s Chef’s Night Out, where they can help serve meals directly to shelter residents and see the work in action. It’s an honor to give back to the St. Johns County community that shows us so much love and support. Just one meal can start a conversation that helps someone when they need it most.”
Voting for the True Inspiration Awards grant continues through Wednesday, Sept. 30. Community members can cast one vote using the Chick-fil-A app on iOS or Android devices.
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