Calusa Sportsman fishing tournament raises $180,000 for Valerie’s house
Bring together a group of dedicated fishermen who believe in a common cause and what do you get? A $180,000 check from the Calusa Sportsman Foundation to Valerie’s House and the nonprofit’s “Forever Home” for continued support in helping children and families coping with the loss of a loved one.
Held September 9-10, the Inshore Benefit fundraiser attracted 233 anglers, 63 teams and 54 sponsors. This was a virtual event where boats could fish many local waterways, catch the required fish, measure and then submit their catches using an app.
The second-year event was originally the brainchild of Calusa Sportsman Foundation founders Mark Wiles, Jeff Richards and Mike Dannenhauer. The tournament raised $120,000 last year.
Champions For Learning awards scholarships to Collier teachers
Collier County teachers were surprised one day in mid-October by Champions For Learning board members, staff, volunteers and supporters when they received funding for their class grants. During the day, Champions For Learning awarded a record-breaking 280 scholarship checks totaling $166,288 to 55 Collier County schools. The checks will provide teachers with the resources they need to implement creative and innovative learning experiences for their students.
These class grants were applied for by Collier County teachers through the online grants portal on the Champions For Learning website. The community can go to the site and fund requests. This online scholarship program was created in 2003 to allow the community to support teachers directly.
Thanks to a charitable donation from Suncoast Credit Union, which supports the technology and capacity for the classroom grant portal, 100% of the community contribution goes towards supporting teacher grants.
The following organizations made significant contributions to funding specific teacher grants: Suncoast Credit Union, Florida License for Learning License Plate Fund, Florida Power & Light (FPL), Harry Debes Family Foundation, Lipman Family Farms, Lucie Jenny MacCarthy Music Fund of the Collier Community Foundation, Naples Luxury Builders, Judith Palay, Perna-Rose Foundation for Hope, Publix Supermarkets Inc, Women In Naples Giving Support (WINGS). This is in addition to numerous contributions from individuals in the community who see and fund grants in which they have an interest.
The community still has the ability to provide students with life-changing learning experiences. More than 100 scholarships still need to be funded. And teachers still have the opportunity to submit grant applications. Especially now after Hurricane Ian, teachers may have new post-storm needs. Visit www.ChampionsForLearning.org/CWACgrants today to fund a class grant.
The Humana Foundation donates $1 million to hurricane relief
The Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), is donating $1 million to provide relief and recovery efforts for those affected by Hurricane Ian in Florida and Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico. Humana has also taken steps to help communities in the path of each storm, including opening access to a crisis hotline with free advice.
Hurricane Ian made landfall along the Southwest coast of Florida on September 28, causing widespread destruction, power outages and an as yet unknown impact on loss of life and property damage. The storm is now affecting other parts of the Southeast including Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico in mid-September, and even days after the storm, many there are still without power.
Given the widespread impact of these storms, the Humana Foundation is making an initial donation of $1 million to address immediate relief and recovery needs. The contribution is part of the foundation’s commitment to supporting communities in crisis through disaster philanthropy. Organizations receiving funding include the Florida Disaster Fund, the Community Foundation of Collier County, Collaboratory, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the GiveWell Community Foundation, and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Additionally, the Humana Foundation announced that it will match disaster relief contributions from Humana employees up to $500 per employee. The Humana Foundation will continue to monitor Hurricane Ian and assess additional rescue needs.
In addition to this donation, Humana has established a Crisis Intervention Hotline through LifeWorks, with free counseling services for anyone – Humana members and non-members alike – who needs help and support to cope with the disaster and its aftermath. The LifeWorks Crisis Support Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be reached at 1-877-757-7587 in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Immokalee Foundation Trinity-by-the-Cove Grant Recipient
What started as an online request resulted in a gift guaranteed to transform the lives and circumstances of Immokalee Foundation students in the real world. Located in the Port Royal Community of Naples, Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church has a long history of giving to charities throughout Southwest Florida. After the initial performance, the “Women of Trinity” then made the 45-mile drive to Immokalee to learn how best to serve the students at the Immokalee Foundation.
After the first tour, the Women of Trinity focused on the housing needs of the Foundation’s post-secondary population. Despite tuition stipends, housing insecurity can be a significant concern for Foundation students attending college. Trinity’s $25,000 gift is intended to meet the housing needs of the Immokalee Foundation’s impressive roster of postsecondary students attending colleges and universities in the state of Florida and across the country. ¦
