LOCAL

Destin Commons donates $35,000 to area charities

Staff Writer

The Destin Log

From the charities receiving money from Coins For A Cause were (from left) Kim Valdyke, Building Homes For Heroes; Ken Hair, Children in Crisis; Heather Ruiz, Bob Perry and Michelle Sanchez, Destin Commons; Marcia Hull, Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation; and Tiffanie Shelton, Food For Thought.

Destin Commons recently made a donation to four area charities through the Center’s Coins For A Cause program.

Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation received $10,000 that will directly benefit their All Kinds of Arts initiative. Three additional charities were the beneficiaries of Destin Commons’ Smoke on the Coast BBQ & Fireworks Festival event this summer. They were Building Homes for Heroes receiving $10,000, Children In Crisis also receiving $10,000 and $5,000 to Food For Thought.

Coins For A Cause was created in 2003 to help benefit local charities with the monies collected from the Destin Commons’ parking meters. This is a win-win with shoppers who can enjoy the convenience of parking right in front of the stores, while local charities enjoy the benefit of donations made to their respective causes related to issues such as health, disabilities, education, the arts and children’s well-being. This year, Coins For A Cause has surpassed the $1 million mark donated to area charities.

“Changing lives one coin at a time best describes our parking meter program,” said Heather Pike, Destin Commons’ marketing manager. “Coins For A Cause fulfills our mission to give back to the community.”