Scene on Site
Kids’ Minds Matter, Golisano Children’s Hospital’s mental and behavioral health care fund, presented its Fourth Annual Secret Garden Gala on March 4 at the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center. This elegant affair, hosted by NBC-2’s Kellie Burns, included a grand cocktail reception, dinner and a keynote address by Kevin Hines, one of the few survivors of a leap from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. This emotional story of hope motivated guests to pledge as part of a “Fund-A Need.” A total of $1.4 million dollars was raised at the gala. Amazingly matched by an anonymous donor, the night’s grand total was $2.8 million dollars all benefitting pediatric mental and behavioral health care for Southwest Florida children.
Better Together, an amazing local organization that strives to keep families together and children out of foster care, presented the second annual “Night of a Million Dreams” gala on March 6. The evening, emceed by NBC-2’s Rachel Pierce, featured a welcome reception, silent auction, dinner, a live auction including “Fund the Dream” and a special guest performance by “America’s Got Talent” finalist Emmane Beasha. All proceeds directly benefit two programs: Better Families, a community-drive alternative to foster care that has served more than 2,000 vulnerable Florida children and kept 98 percent of families together; and Better Work, a church-driven job fair program that has served more than 8,000 job seekers in Southwest Florida.
One in five Southwest Florida children are food insecure, meaning they often go hungry, struggling to concentrate in school. Hundreds of people showed up to walk and fundraise for the 12th Annual WINK News Feeds Families Hunger Walk on Jan. 18 at Miromar Outlets, supporting the Harry Chapin Food Bank. Nearly $300,000 has been raised by teams of walkers and generous donors and sponsors. The event was presented by Bill Smith Appliances & Electronics and the Copperleaf Charitable Fund.
Photos by Ashley Snizek