In 1999, Valerie Boyd sat down with her husband, Jeff Gargiulo, and several other well-connected Naples couples to discuss how they might pool their knowledge and resources to raise funds for underserved youth in Collier County. Too many kids, they felt, were slipping through the county’s thin net of social services. The group decided to create a charity wine auction and agreed that every dollar raised under the tent at the auction would go directly to the children. Operating costs would be covered by other fundraising efforts and contributions. In 2020, the foundation created an Endowment Fund, which will help support operations and grantmaking activities into the future. “One of the things I’m most proud of is we’ve kept that promise for 25 years,” Boyd says.
More than two decades of growth is not easy—it requires self-evaluation and the will to adapt as needs evolve. Most recently, that realization led to a refreshed identity for the nonprofit, and the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) became the Naples Children Foundation (NCF) last fall. Trustee Robert Heidt Jr. says the new name better reflects the group’s mission to care for the whole child, not just their education. “We took away a letter, but we added more to what we represent,” he explains.
The emphasis on a comprehensive approach is vital as rising costs and rapid growth strain Southwest Florida families. An estimated 43% of Collier County households live paycheck to paycheck, according to a 2024 report from the United Way of Collier and the Keys.
1 of 2
Photography by Venjhamin Reyes
ncf rebrands for whole child care naples nwwf lobby
2 of 2
Photography by Anna Nguyen
ncf rebrands for whole child care naples nwwf
Since its inception in 2000, the Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF)—now the nation’s top charity wine auction—has raised more than $336 million. With those funds, NCF has provided comprehensive support to 385,000 children through nearly 90 nonprofit partners. As part of the rebrand, NCF created a standalone website to reach a broader audience beyond the festival weekend. The platform allows partners, donors and community members to engage more directly with NCF’s programs—and with each other.
At its heart, the foundation’s model remains the same. Its proven framework is built on seven strategic initiatives: early childhood education, healthcare, childhood hunger, mental health, dental and vision care, and out-of-school time. The programs it supports champion children’s overall wellbeing, from weekend meal services to vision screenings for students at low-income schools.
Five-year strategic studies guide decisions about where the needs are, what interventions work and how to scale them. NWWF typically selects from the foundation’s seven initiatives as the Fund a Need for its paddle raise. This year, the festival chose to spotlight healthcare as a whole, with funds distributed among NCF’s four related strategic initiatives. “It is foundational,” says trustee Stephanie Pezeshkan. “Before a child can benefit from educational opportunities, mentorship or enrichment programs, their physical, mental and emotional health must be cared for.”
1 of 2
Photography by Anastasia Walborn
ncf rebrands for whole child care naples nwwf patient
NCF’s recent rebrand underscores its comprehensive approach, supporting children’s needs from hunger to healthcare to mental health.
2 of 2
Photography by Anastasia Walborn
ncf rebrands for whole child care naples nwwf patient
The foundation directs funding through seven strategic initiatives. This year’s Naples Winter Wine Festival spotlights NCF’s four healthcare initiatives as the Fund a Need.
Grants are allocated based on rigorous evaluations, during which the full NCF grant committee interviews nonprofit leaders to discuss their work and how funding can make the greatest impact. The intensive process reflects the scale and complexity of need in a community where 65% of public school-aged children qualify for free or reduced lunch and 80% of children screened through NCF’s pediatric oral health program show untreated tooth decay. “Collier County is experiencing unprecedented growth, bringing with it increased complexity in the challenges our community faces—from housing and education to healthcare and economic stability,” says Jacqueline Wickert, NCF’s senior vice president, branding and marketing. “The pace and scale of change mean that action cannot wait.”
But NCF has always known that funding alone can’t solve systemic challenges. To create lasting solutions, the foundation connects partners and builds systems that serve the whole child. “Our approach doesn’t just respond to need—it transforms how this community supports its most vulnerable children,” Wickert says. Organizations like Guadalupe Center and United Arts Collier (UAC) may not have been originally designed to work together, but NCF connects the dots, so children receive coordinated support rather than fragmented services. Now, Guadalupe Center students receive enriching arts education programming from UAC members and artists.
Photography by Kelly Jones
ncf rebrands for whole child care naples nwwf youth haven
NCF orchestrates collaboration with nonprofits and leaders—including Youth Haven CEO Linda Goldfield (pictured)—to build connected systems of care.
In August 2024, the collaborative model took physical form with the creation of the NCF Pediatric Health Center in Immokalee. The foundation recognized the shared space could unite partners and create lasting access to essential care. The center brings together services from University of Florida: College of Dentistry, ABLE Academy’s Specialized Therapeutic and Analysis Resources (STAR), Meals of Hope and, starting this year, Golisano Children’s Rehabilitation Center to offer a one-stop hub for behavioral health, occupational, physical and speech therapy, nutrition, and vision and dental services.
The proactive ethos drives NCF into the future—redefining its brand and carrying forth its mission. “It’s a community of caring people daring to be great, and doing it together,” Boyd says. Cheers to that.
Courtesy Image
ncf rebrands for whole child care naples nwwf child
The foundation’s goals evolve with the community. “Are we ever finished with the job? No, we can’t be,” says trustee Robert Heidt Jr.