At their recent annual Gala, the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC) awarded this year’s prestigious Zeke Bratkowski Award to Steve and Lynn Dugas and their Dugas Family Foundation.

Zeke Bratkowski, a professional football quarterback, and later NFL coach, played for three NFL teams for 14 seasons. After his retirement, Zeke Bratkowski lived in Northwest Florida and was a major supporter and spokesperson for ECCAC before he passed away in 2019. He was also responsible for the beginning of ECCAC’s annual signature event, now in its 28th year, the Gala & Golf Weekend. Every year for the past 5 years at, ECCAC has honored worthy recipients at their Gala to those who have demonstrated exceptional support of their mission to restore childhoods often lost to abuse.

The Dugas have provided long-time support over the years with numerous important donations to ECCAC. Including helping make the DeFuniak Springs Pierce Family Advocacy Center possible. ECCAC named the children’s courtyard at this center in their honor. As well, the Dugas have made substantial donations to financially assist ECCAC’s new C.A.R.E.S. program. The Dugas Family Foundation, founded by Steve Dugas’ mother and father, is a private foundation with major assets that focus on philanthropy, education and human services in Tennessee, Texas, and Florida.

“Lynn and I were honored to receive the Zeke Bratkowski Award this year,” commented Steve Dugas. “We strive to help worthy charities in our area, especially Walton and Okaloosa Counties. ECCAC was one of the first grants the Dugas Family Foundation gave when it was formed. Our Foundation looks at the leadership role when we consider grant requests and have been mightily impressed with Julie Porterfield for her dedication and true commitment to their 2 Centers and the community.”

Porterfield, ECCAC CEO added, “We are so grateful for Lynn and Steve Dugas. Through their caring hearts and their generous giving, they have brought hope and healing to thousands of child abuse victims, the most vulnerable in our community.”

ECCAC’s mission is to heal and prevent the trauma of childhood abuse and neglect by providing advocacy, child-friendly therapies, prevention programs, and a safe environment for kids to feel seen, heard, and understood. Though ECCAC doesn’t house children, they provide services to children and their families at no cost in their Okaloosa and Walton County centers.

For further information about ECCAC, visit www.eccac.org. If abuse is suspected, report it by calling the anonymous Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE.

ECCAC’s 2026 Zeke Bratkowski Award received by Steve and Lynn Dugas