We hope you will join us Nov. 18 when Dave Lougee addresses the Press Club (click here for full details). Also appearing at the luncheon is Maria Jimenez-Lara, Chief Executive Officer of the Naples Children Foundation (NCF), formerly known as the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF). Maria will discuss the non-profit organization’s new streamlined name, launch of a new web site, creation of a new logo and, most importantly, and what it all means to the community.
NCF is the founding organization behind the highly successful Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF). Since inception, NCF has invested more than $336 million into nearly 90 of the community’s most effective non-profits—supporting collaborative programs that are changing the trajectory of children’s lives across the region. Along the way, NCF has evolved into the single-largest source of funding for children’s social services in Collier County.
But today, the needs are greater than ever. So the organization is rebranding to showcase the work its does and invite all members of our community to join a mission that shapes the future of Collier County. “It is important to emphasize that this is not a shift in direction—it’s a declaration of who we have always been, ” says Maria. As part of this evolution, NCF is expanding its outreach to engage even more community members and further broaden its donor base — ensuring the Foundation can meet the scale of needs across the Southwest Florida region and respond with urgency to critical gaps in child advocacy, education and healthcare.
Remaining fully committed to presenting one of the world’s most successful charity wine auctions, NCF’s strategic move includes a bold commitment to reaching beyond its historic base of NWWF supporters to engage new donors, community leaders and advocates.
BIO INFO: Maria Jimenez-Lara has been Chief Executive Officer of the Naples Children Foundation (NCF), founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, since 2015. Under her leadership, NCF has opened its first permanent headquarters and expanded partnerships to streamline children’s services into systems of care. She joined NCF in 2012 as Grants Director, responsible for overseeing the charitable grant process in conjunction with the Trustee-driven Grant Committee. She has devoted her career to improving the lives at-risk and underprivileged children in our community.
Click here to learn more about the luncheon and to purchase a ticket or reserve your seat and pay at the door.