Global warming, climate change and unsustainable over-development are putting pressures on our environment not only on the fringes of wilderness. The increasing loss of species, clean water and uncontrolled water flows threaten our wellbeing and the environmental future for the next generations.
Major beneficiary:
Audubon Florida's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - 13,000 acres of pristine though threatened habitat. Corkscrew's mission is to protect the natural resources of the Sanctuary, its surrounding watershed and the Western Everglades.
In 2013 John joined the Sustainability Board helping to lead initiatives to promote the world's largest old growth bald cypress tree forest. Thereafter we co-founded the Cypress Council attracting other philanthropists to the program.
Twice over the years, and linking our environmental theme to our art education theme, CFF has sponsored at Corkscrew art exhibits of original wood cut prints with the subject matter being natural environments.
Current beneficiaries:
Pace Center for Girls - a nationally recognized and research-based model that features a balanced emphasis on academics and social services with a focus on the future for middle and high school aged girls and young women.
Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida - After years of support for the Music Therapy Program, CFF co-founded Kids Minds Matter to establish a behavioral health program at the hospital.
Women's Giving Circle of Southwest Florida - Their mission is to improve the quality of the lives of disadvantaged women and their families in Lee and Collier Counties, through collective giving and collaboration.
Prior beneficiaries have included:
American Red Cross Florida Southern Gulf Region
Immokalee Foundation
In simple terms, we believe art, knowledge of it, appreciation for it, and possibly for a few, the ability to make art, contributes to the richness of one's life experience. We therefore look for opportunities to appreciate, share, educate and perform art. In the past these have been opportunities to preserve cultural art for future generations. More recently it has be an ability to spread our appreciation for art to the younger generations.
Current beneficiary:
Turchin Center for the Arts at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina - a new initiative designed to provide arts education training, support, and skill-building for educators in K-8 schools across our region. This model creates far-reaching impact and exposure to the arts for countless young people who benefit from arts-based learning in classrooms across our region.
Prior beneficiaries have included:
Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois, Champaign and Urbana
Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida
Cambodian Living Arts
Center for Khmer Studies
To learn more about our current beneficiaries as well as our prior activities please contact us. If you wish to join us in supporting these causes we can put you in direct contact with them.