“We are so proud of this award,” said Dan Lavender, President and CEO, in response to Moorings Park Communities receiving the prestigious 2021 Outstanding Philanthropic Organization Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Florida, Collier and Lee Chapter. “Our residents and board members are so generous, as they go above and beyond in giving back to the Collier community and our organization’s employees. We are so honored to be recognized with such a respected award.”
This award recognizes a business or organization that has provided direct financial, in-kind, or volunteer support to non-profit organizations and charitable projects in the local community. A true community leader, Moorings Park Foundation has provided support to local non-profits that empower residents throughout southwest Florida to age more successfully.
About Moorings Park Foundation
The residents of Moorings Park Communities established their foundation in 1994 with the broad mission of benefitting three avenues of service: its employees, the greater community, and its residents. Each year’s charitable giving plan depends on funds raised by residents, typically between $1 and $2 million.
Moorings Park Communities and the Moorings Park Foundation boasts a long philanthropic history and board mandate to give back to the community. In 2010, Moorings Park won the Communitas Award for Social Accountability in the category of Leadership in Community Service and Corporate Social Responsibility.
“Social accountability is a part of our core values,” said Lavender. “We think it is important to find ways to give back to the community in which we live.”
Furthermore, Moorings Park was named the 2011 Philanthropists of the Year - Outstanding Business of Collier County by Gulfshore Life.
Supporting Employees & The Collier Community
The Foundation’s support of over 900 Moorings Park staff has resulted in over $2 million in scholarships. On average, each year, 54 employees and their family members take college courses with the Foundation’s help of about $300,000 a year. The Moorings Park Foundation also provides grants related to disasters including hurricanes and COVID-related work disruptions, subsidized childcare, and instruction in personal financial management.
Additionally, given that successful aging is Moorings Park Communities’ forte, Moorings Park Foundation micro-focused its “greater community” mission on encouraging local successful aging and development of the workforce needed to serve our treasured local seniors. The focus has allowed Moorings Park Foundation to award over $1.4 million to fund projects at agencies that serve local seniors since 2015, and over $900,000 to help develop the workforce necessary to serve our local seniors since 2017.
Since 2019, $1 million has been raised as a pledge to help affordable housing for the general workforce and local seniors in need. Partnering with other local foundations, Moorings Park Communities added another $2 million for the project taking shape in the Golden Gate area.
Earlier this year, Moorings Park Foundation board members answered a need to house 17 homeless senior women. One by one, these women are being re-homed through a grant to the local Hunger & Homeless Coalition.
The Moorings Park Foundation will be celebrated, along with additional 2021 AFP award recipients, on National Philanthropy Day - Monday, November 15th at The Club at the Stand in Naples.
