spotlight Collier County schoolchildren benefit from funds raised at the Naples Winter Wine Festival and its spectacular auction, previous page, as enjoyed by NCEF Chairman William H. Cary, center left, and wife Debbi, far left, with fellow trustees Jerri and David Hoffmann. needs such as food, childcare, quality preschool, and medical services. The disparity hasn’t gone unnoticed among a circle of distinguished, civic-minded Naples residents. “This group of friends had highly successful careers in business and industry before moving to Naples,” says resident William H. Cary, a business executive. “Here they combined some of their favorite passions, such as international travel, fine wine, and gourmet cuisine, into a major philanthropic vehicle to give children a brighter future.” On 31 January, 2000, the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) was incorporated with the mission of leveling the playing field for the often-overlooked children nearby. A year later, the NCEF debuted its signature fundraiser, the Naples Winter Wine Festival, which quickly captured the attention of international fine wine and dining aficionados. Featuring a live auction of international travel experiences, rare and exquisite wines, and luxury motor cars, it is frequently a soldout affair, with attendance limited to 630 guests who pay ,500 per couple to attend the three-day soirée at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples. Celebrity chefs and many of the world’s pre-eminent vintners participate, preparing fine cuisine paired with vintage wines for intimate dinners hosted by foundation trustees in stately homes and private settings throughout Naples. Auction lots for the 20th annual Naples festival (24-26 January, 2020) include Centre Court seats at Wimbledon along with tickets to the British Open during an 11-night stay for two couples, a weeklong Mediterranean cruise for four couples aboard a superyacht, wine-tasting experiences in Bordeaux and Napa Valley, and three days of driven pheasant shooting on a five-day stay along the Welsh-English border. The success of the festival has been astonishing, even to the founders. The 2004 edition, for example, raised .6 million in proceeds and was rated by Wine Spectator magazine as the top wine auction in the United States, an honor Naples has secured for 13 of its 19 festivals. The Luxury Institute, a global consulting firm of luxury experts and executives, ranks the festival among the top ten arts and entertainment events for wealthy Americans, based on exclusivity, quality, and prestige. 12 NetJets
“Our model helps children lead happy and healthy lives.” DAVID ALBERS Now, the festival generates an average of $10 million annually—more than 1 million to date—all of which is invested in children’s services. NCEF awards grants annually to approximately 40 well-qualified nonprofit organizations and initiatives that serve children in need through a range of programs: early learning, nutrition, mental and physical health, vision and dental services, and activities to keep them energetic and engaged after school and during summer breaks. “We have become the blueprint for how to change a community one issue at a time,” says Cary, who serves as NCEF’s Chairman. “It traces back 20 years when our founding trustees committed themselves to improving the lives of at-risk and underprivileged children in our community.” The transformation has been remarkable, continues Cary’s wife, Debbi, who serves as a foundation trustee: “NCEF has changed the landscape of human services in Collier County and, most importantly, the future of 275,000 children who have been served by our grantees and strategic initiatives.” Children receiving NCEF assistance live in often-overlooked communities where poverty is common. The majority of children are of African-American, Latino, or Haitian heritage; 100% qualify for free or reducedprice school lunches; and approximately 20% speak languages other than English at home. They live in housing that, for the most part, is substandard, such as dilapidated trailer homes shared with extended family members and rundown apartments and duplexes. Because Collier County receives no independent, tax-based, public financial support for children’s social services, many youths would be without quality child care, after-school programs, medical and mental healthcare, and even basic nutrition without NCEF’s intervention. “We strategically invest in programs because access to these resources can change the trajectory of a child’s life,” Cary says. In Immokalee, a farming community, there are several NCEF beneficiaries, including the Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA), which provides services and education to 6,100 children in rural pockets throughout Florida. “We value the nearly 15-year-long partnership we’ve shared with NCEF as we serve the farmworkers and other low-income families of Immokalee,” says Isabel Garcia, RCMA Executive Director. “NCEF grants help us provide high-quality education and comprehensive services to 1,000 Collier County children each year. NCEF’s support helps RCMA transform the lives of children from birth to high school and beyond.” Celebrating its 20th anniversary during the 2019-2020 season, NCEF has brought many nonprofit organizations together to forge new, more effective paths toward the common goal of making a lasting difference for children in need, according to its CEO, Maria Jimenez-Lara. Another outstanding example of the foundation’s impact can be found at the stateof-the-art NCEF Pediatric Dental Center, which has received more than 135,000 visits from young patients since it opened in December 2008 in East Naples. With clinical staff from the University of Florida College of Dentistry, the center provides comprehensive dental services for children from birth through age 21. A mobile unit visits schools in targeted neighborhoods, providing dental sealants for second-graders and screenings for third-graders. “We reach many children who have never had the benefit of proper dental care in their lives,” says Jimenez-Lara. “The Dental Center’s faculty and staff tell us that the severity of the dental disease they observe is like none they have ever seen.” Children’s vision services represent one more element of NCEF’s approach to target the needs of the whole child. Approximately 20,000 children from low-income families receive screenings annually; of the nearly 3,000 children given follow-up exams, some 2,500 receive two pairs of prescription lenses, one for home, the other for school. According to school district data, 94% of children with new glasses improved at least one letter grade in two or more subjects, and 96% of children improved significantly in behavior and attendance. NCEF also invests in integrated healthcare, which combines traditional pediatric medicine with a mental health component to help identify, at a much earlier age, youths showing signs of emotional challenges. “Research shows one in ten young people in the United States will struggle with mental health issues before age ten, and at least half of them will never receive help,” explains Jimenez-Lara. “Our model treats ongoing behavioral problems and helps children lead happy and healthy lives.” Reflecting on NCEF’s accomplishments during its first two decades, Cary sees a thriving, sustainable model that helps both the overall Collier County community and thousands of children whose lives measurably improve. “High-school graduation rates are soaring, teen pregnancy and juvenile delinquency are at all-time lows, and a thorough safety net of strong, effective nonprofits serves children like never before,” he says. “The children benefit, of course, but the community as a whole also benefits when at-risk children are equipped to grow up into responsible, contributing members of society.” napleswinefestival.com NetJets 13
