22 Mar 2019 Bonita Springs Community Advisory Committee awards grants – $24,000 awarded to two local nonprofits
The Bonita Springs Community Advisory Committee recently presented $24,000 to two local nonprofits.
Bonita Wonder Gardens, Inc. received $15,000 and Bonita Springs Concert Band, Inc. received $9,000.
Bonita Wonder Gardens’ Eco-Camps will use the funds to partner with the Bonita Springs Assistance Office to identify 100 under-served children, aged 7-11, residing within close proximity to the attraction. Everglades Wonder Gardens will enroll the children in seasonal eco-camps that would give them an opportunity to learn about the flora and fauna of Southwest Florida, Central America and South America, and experience the cultural amenity first hand. The idea behind the project is not only to build community spirit and pride within children (and their families) who may otherwise feel disconnected from the community due to economic limitations, but also to instill curiosity and a love of nature in a new generation that is largely focused on indoor media.
Bonita Springs Concert Band’s Student Musician program will use the funds to develop a program to coordinate the activities associated with the growing number of students who want to derive experience in playing with the band. The band has been playing concerts for the past 9 years for the people of Lee and surrounding counties. During those years an increasing number of area middle schools, senior high schools and university students have participated in these concerts. They do this in order to gain experience in playing alongside adult musicians and an opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of music. The proposed program would consist of a part time person to coordinate the student activities, develop lines of communication with the students and the band members, develop mentorships with band members, develop a relationship with schools to report on their student’s experience and recruit potential students in the coming years.
The Bonita Springs Community Fund was established at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation in 1997 to promote philanthropy and enhance the spirit and quality of life for all citizens in the greater Bonita Springs area, now and for generations to come through stewardship of permanently endowed funds.
About the Southwest Florida Community Foundation
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Foundation partners with individuals, families and corporations who have created more than 400 philanthropic funds. Thanks to them, the Foundation invested $6.8 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of more than $126 million, it has provided $78.2 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The Foundation is the backbone organization for the regional FutureMakers Coalition and Lee County’s Sustainability Plan. The Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s regional headquarters are now located in the historic ACL Train Depot at Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers, with a satellite office located in LaBelle (Hendry County). For more information, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.floridacommunity.com