Member News

SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. Announces Theme & Date for 2021 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest 
FORT MYERS, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2021) – SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. has pledged to help bring children “Out of the Darkness Into the Light” with the commitment to build the new SWFL Children’s Charities Eye Institute of Golisano Children’s Hospital. This new state-of-the-art facility will provide expanded Ophthalmology services to children across the region. The 2021 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest’s story book inspired theme is touching given our current times and speaks to the struggles of children facing vision challenges and blindness.
Celebrating its thirteenth year, the 2021 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest will take place Saturday, April 24, 2021. The evening will include a virtual event, online auction and exclusive dining experiences in private homes throughout Southwest Florida, featuring exquisite wines from renowned vintners and cuisine from celebrated chefs.
“We are looking forward to another magical evening in support for our region’s growing pediatric health care system,” Board of Directors President Sandy Youngquist said. “The new eye institute is a beacon of hope in these uncertain times, literally helping to bring children out of the darkness and into the light with the life-changing gift of sight.”
This year, the traditional live auction will go virtual offering opportunities to bid on one-of-a-kind wine, cuisine and travel experiences plus the important virtual paddle raise to help fund the eye institute. As always, the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest will feature a night of artful cuisine created by celebrated chefs and expert wine pairings from selected vintner partners. Guests will have the option to join in person at our live, intimate Chef Vintner Dinners at luxury venues throughout the region or participate safely from home while engaging in the Wine Fest @Home experience by ordering a prepared four-course meal and specially paired wines, joining us for the virtual event on the same evening. The virtual event will combine live and pre-recorded segments, impactful stories of children and families who have been affected by pediatric healthcare challenges in our region, a preview of auction items, mobile bidding and entertainment.
Funds raised at the auction will benefit SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc.’s efforts to provide lifesaving care and lasting solutions that enable a secure future for the children of Southwest Florida. Proceeds will support pediatric health care services at Golisano Children’s Hospital, specifically the new SWFL Children’s Charities Eye Institute.
Event Sponsors include Seminole Casino Hotel, Synovus, California Closets, Siesta Pebble and Stock Development. Media partners include Florida Weekly, Gulfshore Life, Naples Daily News & The News-Press. To learn more about the 2021 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, please visit www.swflwinefest.org.
About SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. 
SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. is a local nonprofit organization that is dedicated to saving children’s lives by supporting the region’s growing pediatric health care system. The organization has donated over $24 million over the past 12 years in support of children’s health initiatives across the five regions. The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is the organization’s annual signature fundraiser. Proceeds from the 2021 event will support pediatric health care services at Golisano Children’s Hospital, specifically focusing on the new SWFL Children’s Charities Eye Institute. For more information, visit www.swflwinefest.org.

It’s now a Brews for Blessings family-fun block party at Millennial Brewing
Event organizers take it to the street to ensure a safe, socially-distanced event

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2021) – Blessings in a Backpack SWFL’s inaugural ‘Brews for Blessings’ is garnering tremendous support and excitement from the community. Because of the overwhelming interest in this event hosted at Millennial Brewing Company, Royal Palm Ave. near the family-friendly brewery will be closed on Saturday, Feb. 27, from 3:00 – 7:30 p.m.
The street closure will provide extra space to ensure a socially-distanced, safe event for everyone. Attendees are encouraged to wear masks or face coverings, observe social distancing guidelines, and bring their own chairs to enjoy the outdoor fun while supporting a valued nonprofit.
This free event was created for families with young kids and will feature a special children’s area with a bounce house, face painting, games, and the Sno-Ball Pelican truck serving snow cones. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will offer fingerprinting and deputy badges, and will have a squad car on site for the kids to check out.
 Adults will find a large selection of brews, food trucks, a silent auction, and live entertainment featuring local favorite Electric Lipstick. This high-energy, female-fronted band plays rock, dance, and funk and guarantees to leave attendees electrified.
In addition to offering food and fun, ‘Brews for Blessings’ is designed to help educate young families in our community about Blessings in a Backpack SWFL and allow them an opportunity to help feed a child for a school year. A donation of only $115 will provide meals for 36 weekends for one school-age child. Due to various circumstances, including COVID-19, local school meal programs have seen the need for weekend meals increase, while funding and donations have declined. To combat this, ‘Brews for Blessings’ will serve to increase community awareness, raise funds and have fun.
 Sponsors for the event include: Title Sponsor Premiere Plus Realty; Barraco & Associates; Rohrman Electric; Youngquist Brothers, Neubert Construction Services, Sawyer Smith, Jones, Haber & Rollings; Colonial Roofing; D.R. Horton; TM Strategic Consulting; Lee Drywall; Sanibel Captiva Community Bank; Universal Engineering Sciences; First Florida Integrity Bank; Your Team @ Schooner Realty; LandQwest; Pulte Group; Chris-Tel Construction; Spiro & Associates; Millennial Brewing Company; CONRIC pr + marketing; Something Borrowed Event Rentals and Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Additional sponsors are appreciated. Packages are available and range from $500 to $2,500 and include drink tickets, website link and logo, signage, swag, and access to the VIP area. To become a ‘Brews for Blessings’ sponsor, contact Cecilia St. Arnold for details at 239-410-9592 or [email protected]. All monies received go directly to providing meals for food-insecure kids.
Blessings in a Backpack’s mission is to mobilize communities, individuals, and resources to help provide food for local school children who might otherwise go hungry. During the school week, these children are fed by federal government programs, but meals are not provided on weekends.
A leader in the movement to end childhood hunger, Blessings in a Backpack SWFL makes sure school-age children receive nutritional meals over the weekend during the school year. Every Friday afternoon, each child receives a backpack filled with nutritious, kid-friendly, ready-to-eat items. They return the backpacks on Monday, and each is filled and ready for the next weekend.
Millennial Brewing Company is located at 1811 Royal Palm Ave. in the Fort Myers River District.
Blessings in a Backpack helps prevent childhood hunger
Blessings in a Backpack serves 5,000 students through 24 school-based programs located throughout Lee and Collier Counties. In these schools, test scores, reading skills, positive behavior, general health, and school attendance have improved dramatically due in part to students receiving the nourishment they need throughout the week and the weekends.
Kids are our future; you can help secure theirs. A $115 donation will feed a child for one full school year. Gifts of all sizes are welcome through the donations portal at https://swfl.blessingsinabackpack.org/ or via mail at P.O. Box 61402 Fort Myers, FL 33906. All contributions are tax-deductible.
 

May 15 & 16, 2021
Saturday 9:00Am to 5:00Pm
Sunday 10:00Am to 4:00Pm
Lee Civic Center
1831 Bayshore Rd. N Ft Myers, Fl  33917
$12 Per Person Admission –  Kids Under 18 Are Free
Outdoor nautical market, fishing seminars from local guides, boats, seafood, art, nautical flea market, boating and fishing gadgets, kayaks and paddleboards, nautical clothing and jewelry, marine electronics, nautical wood crafts, food trucks, Miss Nautical Mile pageant, meet Faith the Mermaid and more!  This is a fun event for the whole family!
https://nauticalmilemagazine.com
Jim  Griffiths
Nautical Mile Publications, Inc.

Shostakovich, Walker & Schoenberg

(Fort Myers, Fla. – February 10, 2021) — The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center will host Luck of The Irish Casino Night on Saturday, March 13, from 6:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. at the outdoor pavilion at The Heights Center, 15570 Hagie Drive in Fort Myers.  Guests will enjoy blackjack, craps, roulette and poker, music by DJ Michael B., a silent and live auction, and prize drawings.
Tickets are $100 per person and include Irish-style food catered by Clancey’s restaurant and $1,000 in funny money.  A cash bar is available with specialty drinks.  Masks are encouraged, and the event will be outdoors with limited tickets sold to provide social distancing.
“The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average,” said Kathryn Kelly, president, and CEO of The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center. “This event will support programs at The Heights Center, including School Success and our enriching summer camp.”
The Heights Foundation works to build self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood.  The mission is to support education and wellness, promote family and community development, and provide the benefits of enrichment and the arts.
For more information, visit www.heightsfoundation.org/casino or contact Brenda at (239) 482-7706 or [email protected].
 About The Heights Foundation and The Heights Center
The Heights Foundation works to build self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood.  The mission is to support education and wellness, promote family and community development, and provide the benefits of enrichment and the arts.  The Heights Center, supported by The Heights Foundation, is a place for Education, Opportunity, and Enrichment.   Heights Early Learning serves more than 80 babies through age 4. The Harlem Heights Community Charter School serves 120 children from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Harlem Heights was originally settled as a rural agricultural community.   Approximately 780 children live in a mixture of single-family homes and multi-family apartments. Demographically, the population is approximately 70% Hispanic, 20% African-American, and 8% Caucasian. The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average, with family income 40% below the county average. Families cannot easily access family support services located in downtown Fort Myers and benefit greatly from programs located within the neighborhood.
Elly Hagen
(239) 994-3927
[email protected]

Our GreenMarket stage is an intimate, open-air venue where our neighbors can safely enjoy live entertainment. Enjoy an upcoming outdoor performance under the Florida sky! Reserve your square now for an evening or afternoon of good times. Click here to view our digital playbill.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Treasury Department, re-opened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers.
This round of the PPP continues to prioritize millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $284 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses through March 31, 2021, and by allowing certain existing PPP borrowers to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.
Join the South Florida District Office as we explore the next steps in the PPP process.
*Eventbrite access is required to register for the events.
(en español) Monday, February 8 
11am – 12pm EST
Click here register on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 8
1pm – 2pm EST
Click here register on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, February 9
1pm – 2pm EST
Click here register on Eventbrite.
(en español) Wednesday, February 10
11am – 12pm EST
Click here register on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, February 10
1pm – 2pm EST
Click here register on Eventbrite.
 
PPP Forgiveness Webinar
The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, published a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act.
Join the South Florida District Office as we explore the next steps in the PPP process.
Thursday, February 11
1pm – 2pm EST
Click here register on Eventbrite.
Friday, February 12
1pm – 2pm EST
Click here register on Eventbrite.
 
Updated PPP Lender forms, guidance, and resources are available at www.sba.gov/ppp and www.treasury.gov/cares.
Date: 02/5/2021; Author Information: Heather Hines, Public Affairs Specialist