Naples Children Foundation helps Lighthouse of Collier through its Vision Initiative

The Naples Children Foundation (NCF), founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, awarded the Lighthouse of Collier (LOC) Children’s Program $367,200 over a three-year period through its Vision Initiative. The Vision Initiative, one of NCF’s seven Strategic Initiatives, is aimed at tackling the many challenges children and youth encounter in Collier County.

The funding will empower youth with blindness and vision impairment by building independence through education, experiences, and socialization. LOC’s Children’s Program focuses on foundational development for infants and families, comprehensive training through the Expanded Core Curriculum for children, and transition services that prepare young adults for life beyond school through summer camps and hands-on work experiences.

As part of the three-year award, NCF funded the purchase of a new 15-passenger van through a capacity-building grant. The van helps ease transportation struggles for kids and their families. It also makes it easier on our staff who had to rely on rental vans in the past to drive students to different activities.

NCF commented on the importance of the new van. “For children and young adults with vision impairments, opportunities to build independence often extend far beyond the classroom,” says Sarah Zaiser-Kelly, Senior Vice President of Grants & Community Impact at the Naples Children Foundation. “By funding this new van, NCF is helping remove transportation barriers and connect more young people to the training, activities, and real-world experiences that build confidence and prepare them for greater independence.”

Lighthouse of Collier Chief Executive Officer Robin Goldstone Garcia shed light on the overall impact NCF has on LOC. She says, “We are truly grateful for the support we receive from the Naples Children Foundation. Their belief in our mission, children, and in the families we serve means so much to us. Our collaboration not only strengthens Lighthouse of Collier every day, but it also strengthens our entire community. We deeply value the trust, partnership, and shared commitment that NCF makes possible.”

The Naples Children Foundation’s Blueprint Partners are a network of strategic organizations working together to strengthen systems of care for children and families. As a Vision Initiative partner, Lighthouse of Collier collaborates with fellow partners to implement groundbreaking programs that ensure children receive quality eye care, glasses, treatment, and the tools they need for academic and social success. Other Blueprint Partners include Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and Florida Lions Eye Clinic.

About Naples Children Foundation

The Naples Children Foundation, the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, creates transformational change and improves educational, emotional, and health outcomes for vulnerable children in Collier County. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCF has impacted nearly 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 420,000 children with the services and resources they need to succeed. Through bold investments, collaborative partnerships, and data-driven solutions, NCF supports programs that ensure every child can thrive. NCF’s unique approach, which bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community, one issue at a time.