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The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) has announced a significant investment of over $34 million to support underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County, Florida. The funding raised through the Naples Winter Wine Festival will be distributed to nearly 50 nonprofit organisations.

For further information, read more details here

“We are thrilled to announce this major investment in the lives of Collier County’s most vulnerable children,” said Stephanie Pezeshkan, 2024-25 NCEF Grant Committee chair. “Our supporters showed an incredible amount of generosity at the 25th anniversary Naples Winter Wine Festival, allowing us to have a further profound and sustaining impact on underprivileged and at-risk children in our community.”

The funding includes $16.5 million allocated to 17 agencies in support of multi-year strategic initiatives. These initiatives aim to address fundamental gaps in local children’s services, with a focus on early learning, healthcare, and out-of-school time programs. Specifically, $4.3 million will be allocated to early learning initiatives, $2.3 million to healthcare programs, and $6.4 million to out-of-school time initiatives.

In addition to these strategic initiatives, NCEF awarded traditional grants totalling $6.7 million to 32 organisations. These grants will support a range of programs and services, including education, healthcare, and advocacy

Some notable traditional grant recipients include the Children’s Advocacy Centre of Collier County, which received $686,000; the Legal Aid Service of Collier County, which received $600,000; and Fun Time Early Childhood Academy, which received $490,000.

For further information, read more details here

NCEF also announced an $8 million investment in a new Early Learning Enrichment and Expansion Program. This program aims to drive systemic change in Collier County and provide children with access to high-quality education.

“By investing in the most effective organisations, we ensure that our dollars drive meaningful change, improving lives and strengthening communities for the long term,” Pezeshkan said.

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