Dear Friends, 
 
We hope you have been enjoying our updates to the community. Instead of the weekly format, we will be now sending these out monthly to respect your always filling inboxes and your valuable time by ensuring we have something significant to share. And today is one of those days.
 
I am happy to share some exciting news with you that here at CFCC, we are celebrating two major milestones. The Community Foundation of Collier County turns 35 years old this month and has set a major personal record by distributing over $35 million in grants in our 2019-20 fiscal year! $35 million for our 35th year! The final grant amount for June 30 of $35,422,855 represents a whopping 87% increase over the last fiscal year and record distributions for the Foundation on its 35th anniversary.
 
The substantial increase this year was primarily due to funding in Education and Scholarships including a $1 million grant to the Community School of Naples, Health including an $8,950,000 grant to the American Cancer Society-South Atlantic Division, Give Where You Live Collier with a record $5.65 million in grants, and Human Services with $1.1 million in COVID-19 relief. Our CFCC Donor Advised Funds (DAF) holders continue to demonstrate their exceptional charitable giving capacity by accounting for $19,297,224 of grants. I want to personally thank every one of you who made this incredible amount of support possible.
 
While COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to set records in Florida, I want to assure you that CFCC is on the job providing support when and where it is needed most. When St. Matthews House ran out of food at their Tuesday distribution in Golden Gate City, we were there with a $10,000 grant  to get them up and running again.   We continue to work with our partners in Marco Island  to provide necessities such as rent, utilities, and childcare. We also were able to provide funds to Gulf Coast Veterans to assist two Vietnam vets in furnishing their new duplex in Golden Gate City. Many thanks to our media partners who share our good news! 
 
We also recently gave out about $707,000 in grants for general operating support, programs, and COVID-19 relief to help our nonprofits get back on their feet and continue their fantastic work. Grants were given in arts & environment, education & employment, healthcare & mental health, human services & housing, and to build the capacity of small nonprofits.
 
While we can't list them all, several notable grants include:
 
Audubon of Florida/Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - $15,000
Avow - $7,000
Cancer Alliance of Naples - $7,000
Coalition of Immokalee Workers - $5,000
Collier Senior Resources - $15,000
FGCU Foundation, Inc. - $5,000
Friends of Foster Children Forever - $15,000
Friends of Rookery Bay - $10,000
Guadalupe Center - $15,000 
Grand Piano Series- $1,500
Greater Naples YMCA - $6,000
Habitat for Humanity of Collier County - $5,000
Meals of Hope - $10,000
NAMI of Collier County - $12,000
Naples Therapeutic Riding Center - $15,000
Neighborhood Health Clinic - $10,000
Our Daily Food Pantry - $15,000
STARability - $10,000
The Naples Players - $15,000
 
This funding was made possible not only from our Community Impact Pool, Changing Needs Fund, and the Collier Comes Together Fund but also our DAF holders who are passionate about these vital grants. Follow #whereourgrantsgo on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.
 
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank a do-gooder in our community. Gulfshore Life Magazine is holding a subscription drive to their magazine at a special price and has donated proceeds of over $3,000 to our Collier Comes Together Fund. Great things happen when community comes together!
 
The Community Foundation of Collier County has been connecting people who care to causes that matter, growing charitable legacies, and funding nonprofit organizations to improve the quality of life in Collier County for 35 years. We believe that working together makes all the difference, and I am proud to lead the way to continue this work. I am so grateful for the donors, philanthropic partnerships, full and part-time residents, and the CFCC Board and staff who have made positive and meaningful change possible. 
 
With gratitude, 
 
Eileen Connolly-Keesler 
CFCC president and CEO 

 





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