Student Philanthropy Council Grants $10,000 to Local Nonprofits

The Student Philanthropy Council, a partnership between Collier Community Foundation and the Leadership Collier Foundation (LCF) of the Greater Naples Chamber, granted $10,000 to three nonprofits to benefit programs for mental health, homelessness or hunger, and affordable housing. The nonprofits chosen by the students are The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, Meals of Hope, and the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida.

The young philanthropists who make up the Student Philanthropy Council are members of the LCF’s Youth Leadership Collier (YLC) class of 2022 who have volunteered to serve on the grant committee. In June of 2022, the students read the Collier Community Foundation’s Community Needs Assessment, then went through the YLC program for one week to learn about Collier County—its strengths and challenges. After their education, the students determined the local priorities they felt most passionate about. Working under the guidance of Collier Community Foundation and LCF staff, the committee of students reviewed all grants in their focus areas and decided where to invest $10,000 of the Community Foundation’s unrestricted grant funds.

After completing their grant review and nonprofit interviews, the Council chose to award grants to the following organizations:

The Shelter for Abused Women & Children: $3,500 for rapid re-housing rental assistance and victims of domestic violence programs. The Shelter will utilize this grant to secure safe housing for a minimum of two victims of domestic violence and their families. Funding will be used for credit checks, rental applications and assistance, and security deposits.

Meals of Hope: $3,500 for groceries for local families. Grant funds will be used to purchase dry food items for grocery bags distributed on pantry days. The funds will underwrite 100 grocery bags to be assembled by volunteers at a Meals of Hope warehouse.

Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida: $3,000 for the In-School Pantry Program. Grant funds will be used to purchase shelf-stable food for Harry Chapin’s In-School Pantry Program in Collier County.

In partnership with the Leadership Collier Foundation, Elizabeth Frank and the Collier Community Foundation initially launched the Student Philanthropy Council. Mrs. Frank provided the seed funding for the initiative with a gift of $10,000 annually for the first two years of the Council’s existence. This year the Collier Community Foundation used its reserves of community grant funds designated for hunger, housing, and homelessness to fund the grant cycle.

”The mission of the LCF is to activate the potential of leaders to build a stronger Collier County, and I am confident that these future leaders have truly made an impact with this mission through this enriching, community leadership experience,” said Amanda Pearson, LCF Vice President of Leadership Programs. “We are incredibly thankful to the Collier Community Foundation for this hands-on experience for our students.”

Laura Simmelink, Collier Community Foundation Senior Director of Programs, said, “The ultimate goal of the Student Philanthropy Council is to improve the quality of life for Collier County residents while educating students—our future leaders—on the importance of philanthropy. Our hope is to spark their interest in giving back and that they’ll adopt philanthropy into their value system, sharing with it other teens and young adults.”

About the Collier Community Foundation: Collier Community Foundation™ is a tax-exempt, public, charitable organization established in 1985 to increase and focus on local private philanthropy. Today, the Collier Community Foundation manages more than 850 funds, works with hundreds of nonprofits, and has granted over $268 million to nonprofit organizations, community programs, and scholarships. Informed giving. Powerful results.™  Learn more at colliercf.org or call 239-649-5000.

About Leadership Collier Foundation: The Leadership Collier Foundation (LCF), of the Greater Naples Chamber, activates the potential of leaders to build a stronger Collier through the programs and initiatives it governs: Leadership Collier, Associate Leadership Collier, Youth Leadership Collier, The Emerging Leadership Council and Campaign for Leadership. Through the work of the LCF Alumni Association, graduates continue to build alliances, foster goodwill and civic trusteeship that will strengthen Collier County. The foundation also leads the Chamber’s initiative for work-based learning opportunities for local business and students supporting talent development. For more information, contact Amanda Pearson at amanda@napleschamber.org or visit leadershipcollier.org.

About The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce: The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization of more than 1,200 active members that works to strengthen the local economy and promote the business community. The Chamber accomplishes this through public policy and business advocacy, leadership programs, executive business forums and sessions, and enhanced member benefits and services. The Chamber is dedicated to ensuring that Collier County remains the best place in America to live, work, and visit. For more information, call (239) 262-6376 or visit www.napleschamber.org.