At its April 7, 2014, meeting, Naples Garden Club announced $58,000 in grants to Naples area nonprofit organizations.
The following grants were made:
- $20,000 to Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation, the final payment in support of the $100,000 Naples Garden Club Endowment to provide financial assistance to selected students who conduct research in plant science at the FGCU/Naples Botanical Garden Kapnick Education and Research Center.
- $10,000 to Conservancy of Southwest Florida, to landscape a pedestrian connection between the Naples Zoo and the Conservancy to the Naples Greenway. Pedestrian traffic between these three areas will greatly enhance visitation opportunities.
- $3000 to Grace Place for Families and Children, to continue our connection with its Children’s Garden, by providing after-school teachers to integrate hands-on learning in the garden with reading, math, writing and science lessons.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity to enable Trail Ridge, an established Habitat community in Naples, to add drought-resistant flowering plants and trees around the entrance, park area and mailboxes.
- $15,000 to Naples Botanical Garden to fund three internship to strengthen interpretation, programming and horticultural design within the three gardens of the Scott Florida Garden (the Naples Garden Club Idea Garden, the Buehler Enabling Garden and the Florida Wildflower Meadow.)
“Each of these projects fully supports our garden club mission of fostering appreciation and understanding of horticulture, design and the environment,” stated President Linda LaRue Brown. “Naples Garden Club has donated almost $800,000 to the community over our 60-year history. We look forward to continuing our support next year. Grant applications will be accepted starting on November 14 through December 15, 2014 at www.naplesgardenclub.org.”
Pictured above are Chad Wasburn, Director of Conservation and Education, Naples Botanical Garden; Stephanie Campbell, Executive Director, Grace Place for Families and Children; Linda Lehtomaa, Senior Director of Advancement, FGCU Foundatio; Linda LaRue Brown, President, Naples Garden Club; Kelly Krupp, Donor Relations, Habitat for Humanity; Rob Moher, President and CEO, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida