Recently I had the honor and privilege to say a few words of love and remembrance at the Celebration of Life for Kappy King, a beloved wife, mother, friend, philanthropist...
The thirty-something skateboarders served as a Venice Beach Boardwalk choir of sorts. Their cathedral was the small skate park just a few hundred feet away from the famous Venice Muscle Beach. It’s...
by Lisa Wright, MSN, RN, Health Occupations Coordinator, School District of Lee County A 27 year-old-mother brings proof of residency and her official GED transcript to the offices of Fort Myers...
I wait with anticipation for “this time last year” photo alerts on my phone. Sometimes I feel let down when it is a misguided shot of my shoe from 2016, but...
The Foundation team and our co-collaborators in Collaboratory are coming together in celebration of Earth Day. Our staff has formed a Green Team as we seek ways to continually have...
NAPLES, Fla. (April 22, 2019) – The Community Foundation of Collier County, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Florida Gulf Coast University and Conservancy of Southwest Florida formalized a three-year partnership to...
The Women's Legacy Fund gathered more than 100 Contributors and supporters on April 12, 2019 at Collaboratory for the annual Women's Legacy Fund Spring Luncheon. The Women’s Legacy Fund is a...
Thanks to our scholarship donors and our volunteer scholarship reviewers. We are pleased to share our 2019 By The Numbers....
I could see his lip quivering as he approached the car. A little man on a mission to make it to the backseat before anyone saw him burst into tears. ...
The team at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is constantly learning. We are committed to staying connected to the community and are always on the lookout for ways to engage...
Floridians learn to be creative in marking the seasons. Since nature does not provide the obvious clues in the form of fall foliage, snow days and cherry blossom blooms, we...
I have always been perplexed by people who become upset with inanimate objects. Someone who stubs their toe and is mad at the table, or unattended burned cookies become the...
Springing Into Action. Spring has definitely sprung at the Foundation and we are seeing lots of action and collaboration happening in our region. This season we partnered with our Midwestern...
Hands down the best part about my job is meeting the interesting people who do exceptional things and give to their community in unique ways. This story starts with a self-described...
The Women’s Legacy Fund of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation will host its annual Spring luncheon for contributors and Prima Donors on Friday, April 12 at Collaboratory located at 2031...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation hosted friends from the Battle Creek Community Foundation for the Inaugural C3 Luncheon, Calhoun County Connections. Community Foundation CEOs Sarah Owen, of Southwest Florida, and...
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...
The wheel starts shaking, the car slows down, rubber is flying, and it takes just a few seconds to realize that an extended stop on the side of the road...
Entrepreneur joins non-profit as Chief Strategy & Operations Officer The Southwest Florida Community Foundation has named Peter Ocsody as its Chief Strategy and Operations Officer. An avid entrepreneur and an educator of...
It wasn’t easy to jump into the fray of all the fundraising pledges happening under the tent on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, but leave it to a strong,...
As a rule, I like to look at the things I have rather than the things I don’t. Focusing on gratitude can be a life-changing experience. I am fortunate in...
The Tommy Bohanon Foundation, operated by local NFL player Tommy Bohanon and his wife Katie, have started the Tommy Bohanon Scholarship Fund at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. After playing for...
The first cup of my vacation coffee was bitter and full of grounds. As my family planned a week of high adventure, going as fast as they could down mountains,...
If you live in Southwest Florida year-round, you know the absolute best time to get outside and be active is the beginning of the year. The skies are blue. The...
During this month of “love,” I am pleased to share a love poem to the community written by residents who joined the trustees and team of the Southwest Florida Community...
For the past year I have been wearing a simple gold ring in the shape of a circle. It isn’t an infinity sign, but the continuous circle serves as a...
For nearly 30 years a woman I never met has been whispering in my ear every time I sit down to write. Sometimes she shows up in everyday conversations as...
Talking and writing about generosity and philanthropy in the month associated with love should come easy. By definition philanthropy is the love of humanity, and maybe that is all that...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation has awarded $596,923 to both established and new programs that are designed to increase the quality of life in sustainable and equitable ways for Southwest...
Over the holidays a friend stopped by with a fresh baked cherry pie – so fresh it was still steaming from her oven. Standing there on our doorstep three days...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation recently announced the promotion of Luis Leon to Chief Financial Officer for the Foundation. Leon joined the Foundation as accountant in 2012, was named controller in...
The woman sat awkwardly on the folding chair outside the dark office of a small business, continually checking the posted hours of operation and the calendar housed on her phone. Without...
Last week a teammate placed a hand-crafted sign on her desk that read, “this is my year” and I believe her. She is talented, committed and has some big goals. January...
I have long resisted the urge to use the phrase “huddle up everyone” in a team or staff meeting. As a lover of all things sports and team building, I...
Happy New Year from our team. We hope your 2019 is off to a great start, and we also hope to see you more this year helping to create change...
What is the Collaboratory? There’s a literal answer to that. The Collaboratory is the new headquarters of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and, eventually, other local nonprofits and businesses....
In middle school I joined the band and learned how to play the flute (sort of). Most students gave the band a go as we grew up in an era...
In one of Fort Myers’ most historic structures on Sunday sprung one of its most forward-thinking initiatives—the Collaboratory, the new headquarters of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and, the organization...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation recently hosted more than 60 local nonprofit leaders, their board and team members for a holiday party at Collaboratory. The event included a presentation on the...
As 2018 winds down and the holidays are now almost behind us, the Amazon Prime boxes with the signature blue and black tape are making their way to the curb,...
The application process for the City of Fort Myers’ Arts and Culture grants opened on December 14 and runs until January 18, 2019. The City of Fort Myers recognizes the importance...
Honored for outstanding evaluation practice and dedication to the evaluation field Cindy Banyai, Ph.D., Evaluation and Design Advisor to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and Principal, Banyai Evaluation & Consulting, was...
If the weather in Southwest Florida dips below 60 degrees I pull out my winter wear. Coats, sweaters, scarves, tights and boots all emerge from my closet and I am...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s scholarship application process for the 2019-2020 school year will begin nearly a month earlier than in the past. Applications may be made December 17 and...
by Katie Leone, Impact and Sustainability Manager, Southwest Florida Community Foundation When I was little, I loved participating in our church’s charitable toy drive. My mom would let me choose the...
It has been four years since I sent a family holiday card. Around October my expectations and intentions reach a pinnacle and I believe that a festive greeting and a...
Holiday Greetings That Stand the Test of Time. My love and nostalgia for stories and words prompted me to invite our foundation trustees and team members to share their thoughts...
On one of our many corporate transfers, my family found themselves in Daytona Beach for a few years. Anyone who has lived the life of moving every couple of calendar...
As another year begins to wind down, many of us take a little more time to reflect and express gratitude. We are amid the holiday season, which tends to bring...
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation brought nationally renowned author and TED talk speaker Dan Pallotta to town on Saturday, November 3 for a one-day board training seminar for 120 leaders...
