Thanks to the Collier Community Foundation’s hurricane resiliency efforts, the first home in Naples’ historic River Park neighborhood is being elevated to protect against future flooding — and it’s not just any home. This 63-year-old family house belongs to Jackie Dean, a retired school bus driver who raised three children here and calls it her mother’s legacy. Now, it's being lifted nearly 5 feet to help her weather future storms — without leaving behind the character and history that make this home special. Powered by a $4.8M state grant (secured with help from Sen. Kathleen Passidomo), this project is part of a larger mission to elevate or replace flood-prone homes across Collier County — including in Everglades City, Plantation Island, and Enchanting Shores. Thanks to Gulfshore Business and The Naples Press for sharing this story! 🏠 Building resilience. Preserving history. Protecting people. #WhereOurGrantsGo #CollierStrong #HurricaneResilience #communityfirst https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/state-grand-elevates-replaces-naples-homes/ Home lifting and replacement projects are sponsored by Collier Community Foundation and the State of Florida Department of Commerce (fb)

🎶 “Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take ya…” 🌴☀️ It might look like we’re island-bound — leis, sunglasses, and all — but we’re actually celebrating something just as exciting with our amazing Board of Directors: the return of Summer Fridays! Starting Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Collier Community Foundation will close at 12 PM every Friday, giving our hardworking team a little extra time to rest, recharge, and soak up the summer after a season full of impact. Thanks to our board for assuring our team of community helpers gets to trade spreadsheets for sunscreen once in a while! 🏖️😎 (fb)