About

The Shine Forward Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides individual emergency relief grants to women working to rebuild their lives and achieve a fresh start.

Who We Are: Based in Freeport, Florida, the Shine Forward Foundation serves women across the Florida Panhandle and surrounding areas. Founded in 2026, the foundation grew out of founder's  small mobile candle business, where she first began giving back to her neighbors in small ways. Those small acts of giving grew into something bigger: a public charity built on the belief that one hard season should not decide a woman's future.

What We Do:   We award individual emergency relief grants to women in transition. A grant can cover the one thing standing between a woman and her next step, such as a housing payment, utilities, childcare, transportation, or work essentials.

How We Choose:  Every application is taken seriously and reviewed with care.
- The board of directors scores each application on a point scale.
- Applicants submit backup documentation so every decision is accountable.
- Finalists complete a live interview so the board can see how the grant will solve a specific problem and help her move forward.

Recipients are never named without their permission. We protect the privacy of every woman we serve.

Where Our Funding Comes From:  The foundation is powered by its community, through individual donations, online giving, and local fundraising events like our recent candle-making nights. Because we are a public charity, gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Our Goal:  We are working to help a minimum of 10 women per year move from crisis to a new beginning. New grant applications open in October.

Get Involved:  Apply, donate, volunteer, sponsor an event, or refer a woman who needs support.

Website: theshineforwardfoundation.org
Donate: theshineforwardfoundation.org/supportfreshstarts
Contact: Sharon Vaughn, Founder & President | sharon@theshineforwardfoundation.org | (210) 219-1555
Location: Freeport, FL