Helping the Helpers - Nonprofit Employee Assistance Program
Raised: $200,000
Awarded: $180,000 (as of 5/15/23)
Recipients: 70 individuals from 11 nonprofit organizations
Average grant: $2,500
The Nonprofit Employee Assistance Program launched in November to help employees of nonprofit partners throughout Sanibel and Captiva islands whose lives were impacted by Hurricane Ian.
Current and former CFI board members and their Donor Advised Fund partners offered a match of up to $100,000 to launch the program. The 1:1 match was successfully met before the Dec. 15 deadline.
Two nonprofit organizations, Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) and Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), each contributed $5,000.
CFI gathered leaders of island nonprofits on Captiva in September 2022.
Jack Evans, one of the first donors to the recovery fund, took a week off from work to volunteer at F.I.S.H. He and his wife have vacationed on Sanibel for 35 years.
What executive directors said
“About one-third of the staff has been displaced. This is a wonderful way to show how grateful we are for the critical work that all our nonprofits’ employees provide to our community.”
-James Evans, CEO
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
“We can’t thank CFI enough for the generosity and speed with which the funds were raised. Our CROW staff, as well as the teams from the other nonprofit organizations, can begin to rebuild their lives.”
-Alison Charney Hussey, Executive Director
Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW)
“F.I.S.H.’s. structure lends itself to this type of program and we are happy to partner with CFI. We are eager to assist those who work so hard for the benefit of the islands.”
-Maria Espinoza, Executive Director
F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva, Inc.
What a grant recipient said
“My grandmother’s home was destroyed and she passed as a result of the storm. I have been a member of this SWFL community since I was born 23 years ago. My family and I endured nu-merous hurricanes throughout my life, but this one left us devastated. We are scrambling to fix my grandmother’s flooded home, while grieving the loss of my only grandparent. I am grateful for this assistance as I will be able to alleviate some of the heavy burden for both repairs and funeral expenses that my family is attempting to cover.”
-Taylor Lukasik
Archived Content
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Hurricane Ian was the largest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since 1935. It is on record as the 5th strongest hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States. It caused widespread damage throughout Southwest Florida. Sanibel and Captiva Islands, home to CFI, received a direct hit, demolishing as many as one in ten homes, destroying many businesses, and taking down trees, and power lines.
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Sanibel-Captiva Recovery Fund
Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) is committed to the recovery of Sanibel and Captiva from the devastation and destruction caused by Hurricane Ian. To do so, we have launched the Sanibel-Captiva Recovery Fund. Our vision is, and always has been, to strengthen the quality of life for those who live or work on Sanibel and Captiva by providing grants to organizations that positively impact the health, well-being and education of our community. Now, more than ever, we provide critical resources to our partnering Island nonprofit organizations so they can continue to serve.
Nonprofit Employee Assistance Program
The first step to recovery of our nonprofits is ensuring their staff have all of their basic needs met. The staff were seen assisting the community even in the face of their own personal destruction. CFI teamed up with members of our Donor Advised Funds to create a $100,000 matching grant program. The funds were matched by community donors. Nonprofit employees now have the opportunity to apply for this funding.
The Nonprofit Employee Assistance Application can be downloaded here. The completed application should be emailed to Nitza@fishofsancap.org. FISH will follow up with an interview with one of their two staff members who will be handling the program.
Note: Individuals can receive up to $2,500 in the first distribution. Individuals will be permitted to apply a second time if monies are available after the initial distribution.
A Note from our Executive Director:
CFI has been supporting our partnering agencies who have been on the front lines assisting our community as it recovers from the devastation brought about by Hurricane Ian. The devastation has been felt throughout our community and beyond and our nonprofit partners need us now more than ever.
What drives me each day to remain positive and productive despite the stress and strain of this crisis is the resolve and commitment of my Board of Directors, our incredible donors, the tirelessness of our partnering nonprofits and the resilience of the local businesses and residents. It is an honor to serve during this difficult time.
There is much work to be done. The island has been severely damaged - there are needs at every corner, and the work of CFI will continue until all our neighbors' basic needs are met. Hurricane Ian Relief Grant funding will be distributed to our partners in the coming weeks.
Thank you to all who have donated to our cause, past, present and future.
Dolly FarrellExecutive Director
CFI Press Release click here.
*** To download the Nonprofit Employee Assistance Program Application, click here. ***
*** For up-to-date information about the Nonprofit Employee Assistance Program, click here. ***
Hurricane Ian Resources
City of Sanibel: https://www.mysanibel.com/hurricane/hurricane-ian
F.I.S.H of Sanibel Resource Page: https://www.fishofsancap.org/hurricane-ian-resources/