Niceville nonprofit CALM receives new 15-passenger van through community donations

CALM received a 15-passenger van named Serena through community donations and support from its Spring Up for CALM 2025 fundraising event.
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CALM, Inc. has acquired a new 15-passenger van named Serena, made possible through community donations and support at Spring Up for CALM 2025.

  • The name Serena, which means calm, was chosen by the moms, House Managers, and Executive Board to reflect “the steady strength and grace that help carry CALM families forward day by day, mile by mile,” according to the organization.

The van provides safe, reliable transportation for moms and children to attend appointments, outings, and meet everyday needs.

Mirror Image Motors in Seminole, Florida, helped CALM find the van and traveled to North Carolina to deliver it. Beachside Church contributed more than $5,000 to cover the final purchase amount.

  • “Serena isn’t just a van, she’s a symbol of what happens when a community comes together in faith, love, and action,” said the CALM leadership team. “Because of your generosity, our families can continue moving forward. One mile, one mom, one little at a time.”

Since its founding, CALM has served 61 moms and 81 children through transitional housing and life skills training. The organization began in 2013 as a church life group serving single mothers and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing mothers in crisis with tools to move from poverty to self-sustainment.

In 2017, CALM received its current property through a donor and continues working toward expanding transitional housing through CALM Village.

C.A.L.M. stands for Crisis Aid for Littles and Moms. The organization was founded in 2016 and provides transitional housing and life skills training for mothers and their children in crisis.

For more information, visit their website

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