Restoring and Empowering Veterans in the Community

Every fall, Davidson Realty hosts the annual sport shooting fundraiser, the Jim Davidson’s Annual Clay Day, in honor of the Davidson family’s patriarch, the late Jim Davidson. This year, on October 16, 2025, Davidson will celebrate its 10th Clay Day at Jacksonville Clay Target Sports. The 100-target sporting clay shooting fundraiser hosts individuals and teams, from beginner to expert levels, to raise money for local nonprofits throughout Northeast Florida. This year’s nonprofits include Builders Care, St. Augustine Youth Services (SAYS), Investing in Kids! (INK!), Port in the Storm Homeless Youth Center, Five STAR Veterans Center and Home for Hope. Since its inaugural year in 2012, Davidson Cares, the corporate giving program of Davidson Realty, has donated more than $871,000 to help these vital programs provide families and individuals with the resources and support they need.

One of organizations Davidson Cares lends support to is Five STAR Veterans Center, a nonprofit founded in March 2012 to assist veterans in need. Five STAR has a specific focus on veterans aged 22 to 55 who suffer from traumatic wounds, particularly physical injuries that contribute to complex mental health issues, like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Depression, Anxiety and others. These wounds when left untreated can prevent veterans from moving forward, enjoying their lives, and successfully reentering civilian life.

Five STAR’s goal for veterans is re-integration into society through their Passport to Independence program, which has a 96 percent success rate with over 400 program graduates. ”Passport to Independence” is an intensive 6 to 12 month program that creates individualized plans for veterans to achieve their goals while they Restore, Reconnect, and Rejoin the community. There are 41 residential beds in their on-site housing, with currently 31 residents living and participating in programs to get back on their feet. Five STAR offers 24-hour mental health services, where each veteran is immersed in different modalities of therapy and outreach events, including individual counseling, peer-to-peer counseling and group therapy. Veterans can also participate in K9 and equine therapy off-site.

Five STAR is dedicated to honoring the sacrifices combat veterans make during their service, and in providing the support they need, veterans can find success and independence in civilian life. Residents are provided with a room of their own, providing them with the safety and peace they may have lost overseas. They have opportunities to reconnect with family members, military buddies and friends; take business and social skills training; and learn personal finance to get out of debt and understand financial freedom. “The support at Five STAR Veterans Center never ends,” shares Sherry Davidson, president of Davidson Cares and Davidson Realty. “They’re making a huge difference in our veteran community here in Florida, and we’re honored to be able to support them and the important work that they do.”

To learn more about Five Star Veterans Center, visit www.5starveteranscenter.org, and to help make a difference today, donate here.