CHAPTER 137
Caught in the Act of Kindness - June 2023
Celebrating individuals, groups and organizations that share their time, talent and treasure to meet the needs in our community.
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. ~Abraham Joshua Heschel
Monica Walsh, Peggy Wilson, Kathy Crane, Scott Burgess, Shelley Shinn, Pam Peters and Judy Tuttle
Collier’s Reserve Country Club Women’s Club granted $183,000 to David Lawrence Centers to expand children’s crisis services and mental health awareness.
At its Kentucky Derby Gala, Bonita Bay Club raised $550,000 to help the Lee Health Cancer Institute expand cancer care for residents of southern Lee and Collier counties.
Trailblazer Academy participants Molly, Deandra and Tiffany
STARability Foundation received two grants to expand its Jr. Trailblazer Academy — $100,000 from the Golisano Foundation and $80,000 from Naples Children & Education Foundation. It also received a $20,000 grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation.
Matthew Martel, employee and STARability Trailblazer Academy participant, presents STAR award to John Cooney, partner at Stofft Cooney.
Stofft Cooney Architects received a STAR Award from STARability Foundation in recognition of the company’s work with STARability participants.
Mike Diamond and Linda Oberhaus, CEO, The Shelter for Abused Women & Children
Diamond Custom Homes announced that its Building Dreams Foundation’s recent Evening of Help and Hope event raised $20,000 to support The Shelter for Abused Women & Children.
Julyvette Pacheco, Meals of Hope manager
Alliance for Period Supplies of SWFL’s Period Poverty Awareness Week raised enough funds to supply 50,909 period products to Women & Girls who cannot afford them.
(Left) Denise Hadley, League Club president and Karen Govern, STARability CEO. (Right) Denise Hadley, League Club president and Dr. Linda M. Cunning, Executive Director of New Horizons of SWFL
The League Club granted $15,000 to STARability Foundation to expand its Trailblazer Academy and $14,000 to New Horizons of SWFL to support the Super Teens Leadership Camp (STLC).
The Naples Woman’s Club awarded $40,000 to local charities: $6,500 to support Grace Place for Children and Families’ Bright Beginnings Family Literacy Program, $18,500 to David Lawrence Centers to support the cost of psychiatric evaluations and therapy sessions for Collier County youth, and $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Collier County to help address the need for affordable housing.
Guadalupe Center President Dawn Montecalvo with Early Childhood Education students at van Otterloo Family Campus for Learning
Suncoast Credit Union granted $20,000 to Guadalupe Center and $10,000 to YMCA of Southwest Florida for its 2023 summer camp.
Sunshine Ace Hardware stores in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties, through Children’s Miracle Network, raised nearly $28,000 in support of Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
CareSource granted $15,000 to Better Together to support its programs that help keep struggling families together.
Tami, founder and president: Julia, diagnosed at age 7; Leah, diagnosed at age 5; and Michael, diagnosed at age 6
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation provided a $23,000 grant to Help A Diabetic Child.
Photo courtesy of Collier County Public Schools
The Naples Daily News School Uniform Campaign raised $183,613 to provide Collier County elementary-age students with uniforms, including a $75,000 challenge match by the Collier Community Foundation, the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) and a Community Foundation anonymous donor.
Home Base Florida, a local nonprofit founded by the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital dedicated to supporting Veterans and military families, partnered with Shy Wolf Sanctuary to provide an opportunity to interact with the animals, work on a related project and have lunch through the sanctuary’s Healing Hearts Program.
Park Family & Cosmetic Dentistry collaborated with Neighborhood Health Clinic to treat acute dental needs of the clinic’s uninsured through a program, called Caring for Collier Day, created by Dr. Mai Huynh-Le and her husband, Dr. Long Huynh.
Florida Power & Light Company and the Community Cooperative distributed hurricane meal kits to 450 seniors across Lee County to assist those who may not be able leave their homes or receive home-delivered meals during the 2023 storm season.
Avow honored veterans from all branches at its free Armed Forces Day Celebration.
Karole Davis, Mario Ealle, Alisa Marie Coccari, Wotts Mercy, Kathy Smart and Aome Keough with baby Dacre Keough. Photo Credit Charlie McDonald
Pace Center for Girls, Collier at Immokalee’s 2023 Crazy Pantz fundraiser raised nearly $120,000. Its Turk & Turk fashion show, which partnered with The Escalante boutique hotel in Naples, raised more than $2,000.
Pace Center for Girls, Lee’s ‘FUNky Fashion Show’ raised $68,600 for its strength-based programs that guide Pace girls in finding their voice and achieving their potential.
Steve Zentz, SWCF; Dr. Richard Shapiro, FLLEC; Robin Goldstone Garcia, FLLEC; Dawn Lieb, FLLEC; Cipora Levine, FLLEC volunteer & Shadow Wood Community champion; Olivia Peña, FLLEC; and Eric Ganz, SWCF
Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation granted $37,000 to the Florida Lions Eye Clinic for its much-needed new electronic medical records system.
Rich Pomeroy of Miromar Corporate, Elisha Baird of Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, Inc. and Jeff Staner of Miromar Outlets
Miromar Outlets sponsored a Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties home for a local family.
For consideration in Caught in the Act of Kindness, email an example of how an individual, group or organization went above and beyond to help those in need to inspireme@ebellamag.com. Please include a related high-resolution photo as well.
