Air Force Retiree Continues to Serve His Community in Okaloosa County, FL 

United for a Good Cause Inc.

David Triana, now retired from the U.S. Air Force, had a career that took him all over the globe. 

“Being in the military got me involved with many charitable activities to serve the communities I visited around the world, regardless of where I was,” he says. “That included visiting orphanages in South Korea and Panama and things like that. I’ve always enjoyed being involved in good causes.” 

When he retired from the Air Force, Triana settled in northwest Florida and wanted to connect the region with the growing Hispanic community. The Latino population experienced a growth spurt in Okaloosa County and surrounding areas in the mid-2000s following hurricanes in South Florida. 

“I got involved with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast, Children in Crisis and also created the first Hispanic nonprofit organization in this region called United Latinos of the Emerald Coast,” he says. “My goal was to grow the positive impact of the Hispanic community in this region.” 

‘All for the Children’ 

In 2004, Triana and a group of friends established the Emerald Coast Christmas Miracle Fiesta to bring toys, food, music and a holiday party to underserved children and their families. Approximately 180 kids attended that inaugural celebration. Twenty years later in December 2024, the annual Christmas Miracle Fiesta took place at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds in Fort Walton Beach, and the event has grown to more than 3,000 children and their families. 

“We also invite 10 other area nonprofits to have activity booths at every Christmas Miracle Fiesta to help entertain the kids, and the event has grown into an attractive cross-section of the community, with both Hispanics and non- Hispanics participating,” he says. “The slogan of the festival is ‘Uniting the Community for the Children,’ and it has become a yearly seven-hour party backed by several sponsors, including Emerald Coast Toys for Tots.” 

Today, Triana is board chairman of a nonprofit called United for a Good Cause, which organizes the Christmas Miracle Fiesta as well as events like a Santa’s 4-County Sleigh Ride and Youth Leadership Conference. 

“We are very busy these days, and it’s all for the children,” he says. “Our efforts are to make a bigger, positive impact on the youth of our northwest Florida region, bringing together young people and their families of all backgrounds.”