December 2025 Edition

Women Veterans Ignited – Elevating & Championing Her Voice Across Florida

What’s New This Month?

The Transition Journey: Moving Forward with Purpose

Our name change is officially complete; we are now Women Veterans Ignited, Inc.! Just keep in mind, you may still see our former name, Northeast Florida Women Veterans, Inc. on some documents and systems while we finish the full transition. This is a normal part of the process, and we expect everything to be fully updated by early 2026.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support as we move forward with this exciting new chapter as Women Veterans Ignited.

Building Our Future

We’re wrapping up November with our Annual Women Vetsgiving Luncheon, a wonderful way to gather, reflect, and show appreciation before we shift into a very busy December. After the luncheon, we’ll begin packing up the office as we prepare for our big move!

We’re excited to announce that our move is officially underway, and we’ll be celebrating our Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, December 11th at 10am. This new space will allow us to do what we do at a much larger scale and welcome even more women veterans into a supportive and empowering environment.

As we head into the final month of the year, our reach continues to grow. From the Panhandle down to South Florida, we remain committed to meeting women veterans where they are, providing connection, resources, and a community that honors their service and their stories.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey

We wouldn’t be where we are today without each and every one of you who has supported us since the founding of Northeast Florida Women Veterans. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you. Your generosity, whether through time, talent, or financial contributions, has kept us strong and allowed us to continue our mission.

Now, we’re taking the next step: expanding our reach to serve women veterans across the entire state of Florida. With your continued support, we can offer more programs, provide greater resources, and create meaningful opportunities for women who served, no matter where they live. Together, we’re not just sustaining an organization, we’re building a movement that uplifts, empowers, and connects women veterans across Florida.

How to Support our New Statewide Home & Financial Reserve

Online Donations: Contribute any amount under $500 online at https://forwomenvets.org/#donate and select the Still in Service campaign Larger

Contributions ($500+): Mail checks made payable to Women Veterans Ignited to 103 Century 21 Drive, Suite 201, Jacksonville, FL 32216

GoFundMe Campaign: Support our hub directly through our GoFundMe page:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-northeast-florida-women-veterans

Every contribution helps ensure Florida’s women veterans are seen, supported, and celebrated.

All our events can be found on our website:

https://forwomenvets.org/event/

November 19

Annual Women Vetsgiving Luncheon

Our recent Women Veterans Thanksgiving Luncheon was a beautiful gathering filled with connection, gratitude, and community. Women veterans from across the region came together to share a meal, uplifting conversations, and moments of reflection as we honored the strength, resilience, and diverse experiences within our sisterhood.

The luncheon offered space for both celebration and support, recognizing that this season can feel different for everyone. We laughed, we listened, and we were reminded of the power of bringing women veterans together in a room where they are seen, valued, and understood.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all who attended and contributed to making the event meaningful. Your presence helps us continue building a community where women veterans can thrive.

More events coming soon! You can also check our website or social pages for updates.

2026

January 12

HerHEALTHYLife Cohort 5 Starts

Hybrid Virtual and In-Person

January 13

HerTOTALWellness Cohort 36 Starts

Hybrid Virtual and In-Person

This section covers community events that we are either participating or have already participated in:

November 6

3rd Annual Swings for Service Charity Golf Tournament

We want to thank our good friend and Marine vet, Chris Austin, for his 3rd Annual Swings for Service Charity Golf Tournament and for selecting us to be the benefactor for all 3 years. We are humbled and beyond grateful for everything you have done and continue to do in support of women veterans. We know your mom is proudly watching over you and is so proud of the work you’re doing to honor her memory and keep her legacy alive. We are honored to be part of that legacy and deeply appreciative of your unwavering commitment to our mission.

November 11

Veterans Day Parade

It was a very cold day for Jax, but we still showed up for the Veterans Day Parade! Rain or shine, hot or cold, we always show up and show out. Many couldn’t make it, and some decided not to come at the last minute, and that’s okay. We understand. The cold isn’t for everyone! But we want to thank everyone who braved the chilly weather with us that day. And a big shout-out to Ally Financial for supporting us this year!

November 14

FSCJ Connection Community Partner Event



We were honored to participate in the FSCJ Connection Community Partner Event. Our COO, Courtney Griffin, and Outreach Coordinator, Kela Chatman, represented our organization and connected with students, faculty, and fellow community partners throughout the day.

This event offered a meaningful opportunity to share our mission, strengthen community relationships, and explore new ways to support individuals and families across our region. We’re grateful to FSCJ for hosting such an engaging and impactful gathering, and we look forward to continued collaboration.

2026

January 23 - 24

Veterans Stand Down

Our Founder’s Legacy of Service

Our CEO and Founder, Ms. Dee Quaranta was inducted into the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame in 2020 and has received numerous awards recognizing her outstanding humanitarian efforts and lifelong dedication to serving others.

If you’ve ever had the chance to speak with Ms. Dee, you know she lives by her guiding motto: “Just do the work.” She has lived by those words long before this organization was created. Every act of volunteer service she’s carried out has been driven not just by duty, but by heart; a deep willingness to step in and make a difference, even if it meant impacting just one person. Because to Ms. Dee, helping one person creates a ripple effect; that one life touched will go on to touch another, and another, continuing the cycle of compassion and change.

It’s this spirit that has inspired and guided our team since the inception of Northeast Florida Women Veterans, now proudly known as Women Veterans Ignited.

Did you know...

• Did you know you can honor any servicemember or veteran whether they are still with us or have passed on our Virtual Military Wall of Honor? It’s a meaningful way to celebrate their service, preserve their legacy, and share their story with our community. Find our more here...

• The programs and services we offer are available to all women who ever swore into the military. Even if she served for 1 day, even if she only attended boot camp, even if she served in the National Guard or reserve, our services are open to them. Find out more about our programs here...

• Northeast Florida has the largest population of women veterans with just under 30,000 in the region and just under 15,000 in Duval County. You can find more specific data by reviewing population tables via the VA's website here...

• Florida has the second-largest population of women veterans in the nation with over 168,000 residing in the state. Read more here...

• In many states, Women Veterans Recognition Day is honored on June 12th. This day commemorates the anniversary of women officially being allowed into the armed forces, best known as Women's Armed Services Integration Act and signed into law in 1948. Congresswoman Margaret Chase Smith introduced this bill into Congress, and we thank her for her efforts in making this historical change for women in the military. Read more here...

• As of July 30th, the Gainesville VA Hospital (Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center) added a "MamaVa Lactation Pod" to provide a private space for breastfeeding of pumping. Hopefully, all VA clinics and hospitals will follow suit. Read more here...

• Military retirees, spouses, and dependents are required to update their USID cards by the end of this year, 2025. Read more here...

• Spouses are also eligible for admission into State VA Nursing homes. Read more here...

• Surviving spouses and dependents could receive tax-free compensation if the veteran passed due to service-related injury or illness. This is referred to as DIC - Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Read more here...

• The FTC warns of companies that charge veterans fees to “expedite” VA claims or promise guaranteed 100% disability ratings — these are red flags. The VA does not authorize such fees for initial claims. Read more here...

• For veterans whose disabilities hinder their ability to work, there is an ILP track (within the VR&E program) designed to help them live as independently as possible. Read more here...

• A feature of the VA pension program, Aid & Attendance helps veterans (or surviving spouses) who need help with daily living tasks or reside in nursing homes or assisted living. It’s underutilized because qualification rules are rigorous, but it can meaningfully offset long-term care costs. Read more here...

• Veterans are eligible for free lifetime passes to National Parks. You can get your passes at any national park or federal recreation site. Read more here...

• Veterans who have a service-connected disability are eligible for a free lifetime military pass to Florida State Parks. You can get your pass from any State Park. Read more here...

More to come in our next HerVOICE Monthly issue! Stay tuned!

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Interested in learning more about the programs we offer? We've created a one-pager that provides the gist of each one. You can find out more on our website, but of course, there's no better way to really dive into any of them than enrolling into an appropriate program.

Need to reach us? Feel free to call our office at (904) 862-6039 Monday through Thursday, from 8 am to 4 pm.

We work remotely on Fridays.

If you need assistance, you may contact Amy at (904) 297-8004 or acollins@forwomenvets.org.

For administrative assistance, you may contact our office at (904) 862-6039 or email info@forwomenvets.org.

More to come in our next HerVOICE Monthly issue! Stay tuned!