SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION PROVIDES $10,000 TO 

GOLISANO CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF NAPLES

(NAPLES, FLORIDA) — Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples (CMON) announces a charitable gift of $10,000 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. The funds will be used to support the museum’s Discovery Night program, a collaboration with over twenty local agencies that serve at-risk children within the local social services system and children in the community who have experienced loss or trauma. Discovery Night is a private event at the children’s museum designed to offer these children a sense of normalcy while protecting their privacy. Through exploration of CMON’s interactive exhibits, the program encourages playful, open-ended learning. This is crucial because, as research has shown, children’s development is interconnected across domains: physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth work together to support long-term success. For example, social competence and emotional regulation have been shown to underpin cognitive skills, while physical activity fosters cognitive and social development. Providing children with access to these enriching experiences can help close educational gaps and support their overall well-being. 

By bridging the gap between educational play and the needs of vulnerable children, Discovery Night offers an essential opportunity for children to grow, explore, and thrive. These evenings of exploration, provided at no cost to the children or their chaperones or the non-profit organization, give them the skills, confidence, and emotional support they need to build a brighter future: aligning directly with the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation’s mission to promote education, health, and emotional well-being for all children.

“Discovery Night creates a welcoming space where families facing difficult circumstances can experience the restorative power of play,” says Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Foerster. “We are deeply grateful to the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation for recognizing this need in our community and ensuring that, even in life’s most challenging moments, the joy of play remains within reach.”

Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health and emotional well-being of children in the community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates four cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $63 million.

“We’re proud to support this program, knowing these children are in need of services that will benefit them for years to come,” said Jeff Kunberger, Executive Director of Suncoast Credit Union Foundations.  “This program will be life-changing to these children and their families, and we’re honored to contribute to it.”

About Suncoast Credit Union

Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in Florida, the seventh largest in the United States by membership and the 10th largest by assets, with $21.1 billion.  Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Suncoast operates 80 full-service branches and serves more than 1.4 million members statewide.  As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works or attends school in Suncoast’s service area is eligible for membership.  In 2021, Suncoast’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators and educational support staff across all of Florida’s 67 counties.  Suncoast is dedicated to supporting the communities it serves, guided by its “people helping people” philosophy.  Since 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated more than $63 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education and emotional well-being of children.  For more information, visit suncoast.com or follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

About Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples

Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples is a nonprofit, brain-building powerhouse and Southwest Florida’s first museum dedicated to children and families learning through play. Through immersive, hands-on exhibit galleries, CMON invites visitors of all ages to explore, imagine, and discover together.

Guests can journey through the swamps of the Everglades, climb a towering banyan tree, or experiment with interactive water play. Children can become a weather forecaster, a farmer, a chef, a fisherman, or an artist; explore the cold of an igloo, the whoosh of the wind, the sound of the sea, and the effects of gravity. Throughout the day special activities encourage our guests to get involved, try something new and be energized.

In addition to exhibits, CMON offers a wide range of educational programs, classes, camps, and special events designed to support creativity, curiosity, and early learning. Later this year, CMON will open a new Early Learning Center, expanding the museum’s impact by providing high-quality early childhood education for young learners.

Connect with Us

Facebook: @childrensmuseumofnaples
Instagram: @childrensmuseumofnaples

For more information about Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, or to make a contribution, visit cmon.org or call 239-260-1604.