JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. — This past year has not been easy for families in Jackson County.
So building the community up is the main reason for Thursday's Spirit of Jackson event.
Organizers say they wanted to turn a bad memory into a positive to celebrate just how far people in Jackson County have come.
So far FEMA has spent nearly $95 million on recovery for the county. County leaders say there is still in a housing crisis.
Nearly 40 percent of kids that have gone back to school do not have a place to call home. Many are forced to leave with other family members.
The county says they need events like this to move past what's happened to them.
"Some stress some anxiety thinking about how difficult that was and we certainly don’t want to downplay the fact that it was really a major disaster for area but it’s a way for us to commemorate it, mark it but move forward," said Kristie Cloud, Jackson County Public Information Officer.
Cloud says right now most of the debris is gone. They expect to have the rest picked up in the coming weeks.