They say there are seasons to life, and Brooke Denson appears to have entered a season defined by giving back.
Earlier in life, Denson’s days were centered around the demands of being a working mother in Arizona. She raised four children—three stepchildren and an adopted daughter—while working as many as 60 hours a week in the finance department of an automobile dealership.
When her family moved to Estero in 2007 for her husband’s career, Denson stepped away from finance to spend more time at home and later earned her real estate license. As her children grew older and the family established roots in Southwest Florida, she discovered a new sense of purpose through community involvement.
“In Arizona, we didn’t get involved in the community so much. Now we’re here, and our roots are here, and our kids are all here except one, we want to give back,” she says.
Six years ago, her friend Dorothy Fitzgerald introduced the Denson family to the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, an annual event dedicated to raising funds for children’s health needs. The experience had a profound impact on Denson.
“It made me cry,” she admits. “Just seeing those paddles raised and seeing how philanthropic our community is was an eye-opener for me. After that, each year I got more involved.”
The Densons became trustees, and Denson quickly immersed herself in nearly every aspect of the organization. From recruiting chefs to assembling auction packages, she embraced a wide range of responsibilities. “I’m kind of a control freak,” she says. “I like to see what’s going on.”
Trustee Elaine Hawkins later selected Denson to serve as co-chair for the festival’s 10th anniversary celebration in 2018. She also co-chaired the 2019 event, which raised $1.9 million and placed special emphasis on children’s mental health.
For Denson, the mission extends beyond fundraising. She hopes events like the wine festival will help raise awareness of illnesses that have affected her own family while reducing the stigma surrounding mental health challenges. Recent festival proceeds have supported organizations including the David Lawrence Center, Valerie’s House, and the Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation, all working to expand access to children’s mental health services.
The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest and its affiliated nonprofit, Southwest Florida Children’s Charities, remain central to Denson’s philanthropic efforts. However, she continues to seek opportunities to make an even greater impact, including deeper involvement with organizations such as the PACE Center for Girls.
“I told my husband the other night that I feel there’s a bigger purpose,” she says. “I know it’s out there, and I think most of it will be seeing what I can do to make an impact on children.”