EP# 179 - From Miami to Naples: Maria Lara's Dedication to Children's Futures

Ever wondered how a simple wine auction could transform an entire community? Maria Lara, CEO of the Naples Children and Education Foundation, joins us to unveil the magic behind the Naples Winter Wine Festival. Listen as Maria takes us from her early days working with at-risk youth in Miami to her pivotal role in organizing one of the most impactful fundraisers in Collier County. With her extensive background in children's services and non-profits, Maria offers a compelling look at how passion and dedication can yield extraordinary results.

Maria reveals the origins of the Naples Winter Wine Festival and clears up common misconceptions about NCEF. Discover how this three-day celebration not only raises millions but also reinvests every single penny back into community programs for children. From navigating the challenges of youth in difficult environments to ensuring every dollar supports a child's future, Maria’s story is a testament to the power of community collaboration and relentless commitment. This episode is sure to leave you inspired and enlightened about the transformative work happening right in our backyard.

Naples Children & Education Foundation
Naples Winter Wine Festival
Maria Lara
2590 Goodlette-Frank Road North
Naples, Florida 34103
239.514.2239 -or- 1.888.837.4919
info@napleswinefestival.com
WEBSITE

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Cabo Jim.

Speaker 2: 0:08

Schaller. Welcome Good Neighbors to episode number 179 of the Good Neighbor Podcast Estero. Today we have Good Neighbor Maria Lara from the Naples Children and Education Foundation. Maria welcome. Thank you, yeah, glad to be here, yeah pleasure to get to know people in the community and what they do and share that with our listeners. So without further ado, let's jump right in. And why don't you share a little bit about what you do?

Speaker 3: 0:36

Sure, I am the CEO of the Naples Children and Education Foundation. Most people know us as the Naples Winter Wine Festival and there's a second side to that organization, and so I oversee all aspects of both and it's a great job.

Speaker 2: 0:53

Yeah, I love that. So how did you get involved in that?

Speaker 3: 0:58

I have always worked in children's services. My entire career I've worked in non-profit and I was fortunate enough to work for an organization in Immokalee that was a partner organization of NCEF, and when they were looking for individuals to manage some projects, I was asked if I would consider and here I am 12 years later still here obviously, and it's been a great experience and opportunity for me, but also wonderful, to be able to work with the community in so many special ways.

Speaker 2: 1:28

Absolutely. It's following your passion and being passionate about what you do and that adds just, you know, just an extra level, you know, to what you do for the community and we appreciate it. So we've all had some type of I want to say challenge or obstacle along our journey, whether personally or professionally, that we can look back at now and say, you know what Not necessarily glad, I went through it, but I made it through it and now I'm in a better place. Is there something that happened along your journey?

Speaker 3: 2:03

I think part of my journey includes my experience in working with at-risk children. In my first right out of college I worked with really troubled youth gang kids in Miami and in Homestead in Florida City and really got to understand how things happen and where, you know, young people end up in really bad situations or making terrible decisions, and and so I learned firsthand. You know, that people really are a product of their environment, and especially young people in challenging neighborhoods or challenging areas, and so the experience watching young people kind of grow through that and see how one thing led to another in their span of life led me to actually want to work in the nonprofit sector in trying to prevent some of that and trying to figure out ways where, you know, could I work with an organization that can make a difference in some of those challenges so that the outcome for young people in difficult situations is better.

Speaker 2: 3:09

Absolutely so. Are there any maybe myths or maybe misconceptions surrounding what you do or the children that we could clear up for our listeners?

Speaker 3: 3:18

Sure, I think you know. When I go to do a presentation, I say I'm the CEO of NCEF, the Naples Children and Education Foundation. I get a lot of blank stares and then I say we're responsible for the Naples Winter Wine Festival. Oh, okay, okay, I know what that is. And the Naples Winter Wine Festival is this incredible three-day event that helps us raise millions of dollars for our community. It is our signature fundraiser. It is the you know the you know the bulk of our organization. The purpose we exist is to raise those funds. And the other thing that sometimes people don't understand is that 100% of the money we raise at the festival gets reinvested back into the community. Ncef doesn't keep any of it. We don't use it to pay for operations. We don't use it to pay for anything else other than services for children.

Speaker 2: 4:13

That is incredible, and that's the way it should be right. So how did the wine festival come about?

Speaker 3: 4:20

So we are approaching our 25th anniversary, so we are almost a quarter century old, and 25 years ago there were really well-meaning and very caring individuals who loved wine, loved food, but were aware that in our county, in Collier County, there is no tax-based support that goes to fund children's services, and so without that funding support, if there's a need for medical care or child care or after-school care, it really doesn't happen.

Speaker 3: 4:56

And 25 years ago it was even worse. So our founders decided to put together a wine auction and whatever came out of it they would just give to charity. And this was 25 years ago. So the two original recipients were Youth Haven and Boys and Girls Club, and our founders said let's just invite our friends, let's auction off some wine, let's auction off a couple of trips and see what happens. And the first year they generated $2 million, much to their surprise. They didn't know what was going to happen, and so we funded each organization a million each. And then, over time, we've grown, and so we are now we fund 57 organizations, we invest about 25 to 25 million into the community every year and run many, many strategic impact and strategic initiatives that address a variety of issues.

Speaker 2: 5:50

That is great. Now, have you noticed? In 25 years since the foundation has been around, have you noticed things? Well, obviously things have changed a lot, but do you notice anything more recently trending with the children or with the way the organization operates?

Speaker 3: 6:06

I think you know we always look at what is the need.

Speaker 3: 6:11

So every few years we conduct a study of child well-being to make sure that the funding and the investment we're making is really tied to needs and to data and to filling gaps. We never want to be in a position where we're funding something to just fund it. So we were pretty strategic about that and I think you wouldn't be surprised. But you know, between COVID and the hurricanes and then the challenges of current life, you know mental health and well-being for young people is really really a concern and a challenge. We have more young people with more severe situations and their parents are also struggling. So we have to figure out a way to meet the needs of the community and help those families that you know are in a particular circumstance for whatever reason. You know how do we help them become more resilient and overcome those situations, because life continues to be more complicated for all of us. So there isn't a magic bullet, there isn't one answer, but developing really strong, resilient young people and families will make a big difference.

Speaker 2: 7:21

Absolutely, and as Southwest Florida grows, so do the needs grow as well too. And exactly. It's grown quite a bit over the last number of years. So, on a personal side, are you from Southwest Florida originally.

Speaker 3: 7:44

I am not. I have been here for over 20 years, since well, actually 25 years. I was a transplant from Miami Dade County, lived in Everglades City for quite some time, for a few years, loved it and miss it greatly. So I've been in Southwest Florida for about 25 years and I've been in Florida, for you know, my whole life.

Speaker 2: 7:59

So You've seen a lot life, so you've seen a lot of change.

Speaker 3: 8:02

I've seen a lot of change, Almost a native not quite yet Not quite native Southwest Floridian, but definitely Floridian, absolutely, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 8:11

So I know your job is very demanding and you probably have very little free time, but if you do get a little smidgen of free time, what do you enjoy doing?

Speaker 3: 8:21

You know I love our community and I love, you know, being able to go out on the water, spend time with my family, either traveling or out on the boat or fishing, or just doing things with my family that are recreational. So we have we just have a beautiful community, and so I'd love to enjoy parts of it that maybe I don't get a chance to do when it's really busy season. So it could be a farmer's market, it could be day on the beach or it could be just, you know, driving up and down the highway trying to find you know little fishing spots to throw a lure in. With my husband and son, Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 8:57

What's the saying? That we live where most people vacation? So we have all this for us, so we need to get out and see it once in a while as well. So is there one thing you wish our listeners knew about NCEF that maybe they're not aware of, to connecting NCEF and the Naples Winter Wine Festival.

Speaker 3: 9:25

NCEF is the organization that gives the grants and makes sure that the funding that goes for its intended purposes. The Naples Winter Wine Festival is a vehicle we use to raise those funds, and together they're an incredible powerhouse and an incredible way of making a difference in a community, and so I always try to tie those two together. For people, you know, sometimes during the wine festival we get a lot of press and it's very glamorous and it's very exciting and there's a lot of things happening. We have world-renowned chefs and vintners that donate their time. So we don't pay anyone to come see us. These are people who donate their time to. We don't pay anyone to come see us. These are people who donate their time to help us raise money for our own community.

Speaker 3: 10:05

So it's just, it's generosity and philanthropy at its finest and on so many different levels, from so many different genres in our community and people and walks of life. Um, sometimes people you know don't understand it and uh, and I would invite and encourage everyone to learn more about us, learn more about the organization, get involved. We're always looking for volunteers. We have an amazing online option that opens up during the week of the festival that anybody who has a computer or a phone can access, and there's lots of fun, affordable things on there that also generate funds for the organization, and it's just a really great organization to become involved in.

Speaker 2: 10:48

Absolutely so. How would our listeners go about contacting you if they want to get involved or donate?

Speaker 3: 10:56

So we have an info at that on our website that helps us sort of direct people to where they want to connect with whether it's becoming a volunteer or making a donation or getting involved with our online auction or being on the receiving end of some of those links and so our information is on our website, but also it's on the info at button is right there on our website.

Speaker 2: 11:22

Very nice, very nice. Any last words for our listeners.

Speaker 3: 11:27

I want to thank the community for being as resilient, as incredible as Southwest Florida is. We are all so fortunate to live in this community. This is such a special place and it's because of the people like you, jim, and just the other leaders in our community, but also the citizens, Jim, and just the other leaders in our community, but also the citizens. You know we're a tough crowd in terms of sticking it out. When things get difficult, we band together and people help each other, which is amazing, and I think people sincerely care about the well-being of our community and our children. So I just want to say thank you and, you know, let us know if we can help in any way and if we can keep in touch in any way.

Speaker 2: 12:06

Absolutely, maria. It's been a pleasure getting to know you. Thank you for being such a good neighbor. We appreciate what you do for the community here in Southwest Florida and I hope to see you out in the community soon.

Speaker 3: 12:17

Me too. Thank you, jim, it's been a pleasure.

Speaker 1: 12:20

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Estero. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPestero. com. That's GNPestero. com, or call 239-296-2621.