More than ever before, these nonprofits have encountered an overwhelming demand and dwindling resources in their quest to help families, individuals, and businesses survive from one day to the next. Although their gifts to the community are immense, the wishes of our nonprofits are small, reasonable, and essential for them to continue their life-improving efforts. No donation is too small or too large.
A few of these nonprofits and their wishes are:
Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida. http://www.
1) $30 food kits. Donations can range from $30 to whatever you or your company can afford.
Harry Chapin Food Bank is distributing pre-packed shelf-stable food kits and supplementing these kits with fresh produce when possible. Each kit provides five days of food for a family of four. They are currently distributing more than 6,000 kits per week throughout their five-county footprint. The demand is greater than their ability to meet it, and donations are desperately needed.
2) $7,000 for a pallet jack.
Pallet jacks help the food bank maneuver more than a million pounds of food each week. The average usable life of a pallet jack is 10,000 hours. Five pallet jacks in their fleet of 12 are near the end of their life expectancy.
3) Volunteers.
The food bank struggles to secure the necessary volunteer workforce at its drive-thru distributions in Collier County. Tuesday distributions are held at the Boys and Girls Club in Immokalee, Wednesday distributions are held at the Golden Gate Community Center, and Friday distributions are held at the Boys and Girls Club of Naples in East Naples. Volunteers work from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Collier County. bbbssun.org
1) Sweet treats for their “Littles” (children in their program). BBBS will host a Holiday celebration on December 19 and needs donations of sweet treats or gift cards to purchase treats.
2) Christmas tree donations are also needed for Littles and their families, many of whom will not have a tree for the holidays.
Prison Fellowship. https://secure.
1) Gifts (or money to purchase gifts) for the children of prisoners.
Christmas is hardest for children whose parents are incarcerated. Without our community’s help, it’s possible that these children will not have a Christmas at all. For as little as $22 per child, your donations will help show these children that they have not been forgotten.
Pace Center for Girls in Lee County. https://www.pacecenter.org/
1) 30 school supply kits – $25 each.
With COVID-19, Pace Lee has started providing individual school supply kits to each girl, reducing the need to share materials and limiting the spread of germs. Kits can be purchased on Pace Lee’s website.
KKids Inc. kkidsinc.org
1) Amazon and Walmart gift cards
Donated gift cards of any amount will be given directly to families to help them buy gifts for their teenagers.
Sunshine Kids Foundation. www.sunshinekids.org
1) Paint for craft wall
The foundation is in need of two gallons each of chalk paint and whiteboard paint.
2) Small under-cabinet refrigerator
Gulfshore Opera. https://www.gulfshoreopera.
1) Plexiglass shields to use as barrier for the artists
Lightweight shields for music stands measure 2′ x 2′. The opera also needs standing tri-fold shields which measure 4′ tall with a 30″ center section and 24″ sides.
2) Outdoor venue spaces for small concerts
The opera seeks outdoor venues that will accommodate 50-75 guests with social distancing in place. While covered spaces are preferred, they are not necessary.
A few of the fulfilled wishes are:
Pace Center for Girls – Immokalee needed their facility deep cleaned. Member Scott Leamon, President of TJS Janitorial and Floor Care, will grant this wish by sanitizing the entire facility through an electrostatic spraying process that will also remove viruses in the air.
4 Words Foundation needed a new iPad to help those in the community fighting cancer. Member Brian Chapman Jr, owner of Chapman Insurance Group, will be granting this wish.
Charity for Change needed paper and ink for children in the school system. Member Sue Ryan, Founder & CEO at Sue Ryan Solutions, fulfilled this wish.
If you can join us in granting wishes, would like to see the complete list of wishes, or need more information, please contact Jeanne Sweeney, CEO of the Above Board Chamber, at 239-910-7426 or jeanne@aboveboardchamber.com
