Key Largo Resident Laura Lietaert Named First Upper Keys Board Chair Robyn Still and Isis Wright Elected to Board 

The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys today announced significant changes to its Board of Governors, marking a milestone in its 27-year history. Laura Lietaert, principal of Coral Shores High School, will become the organization's first board chair from north of the Seven Mile Bridge, effective July 1. Additionally, business owners Robyn Still of Marathon and Isis Wright of Key Largo have been elected to three-year terms on the board.
 
Lietaert, a Key Largo resident and experienced educator, brings a wealth of community leadership experience to her new role as board chair. "I'm honored to lead the Community Foundation into its next phase of growth," she said. "Our goal is to continue expanding our impact across all of the Florida Keys, addressing the unique needs of each community."
 
The Board is responsible for the organization’s efforts countywide including managing 226 charitable funds totaling over $30 million and making grants exceeding $1.5 million annually to support Florida Keys nonprofits. 
 
Lietaert is principal of Coral Shores High School where she was named Monroe County School District “Principal of the Year” in 2023, after receiving the same award at Key Largo School in 2018. She currently chairs Monroe County’s Human Services Advisory Board which annually grants over $2 million to local nonprofits. She served two terms as president of the Rotary Club of Key Largo and is active in The Upper Keys Business and Professional Women, Key Largo Chamber of Commerce, and the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce. Lietaert was the Community Foundation’s first board member from Key Largo when she joined in 2020 and served as chair of the Foundation’s Upper Keys Advisory Council for two years.

Robyn Still serves on the Community Foundation’s Middle Keys Advisory Council. She and her husband, Chris, own The Tackle Box, a bait and tackle store in Marathon. Currently the Mayor of Marathon, Still has been a resident of the Keys since 2016, moving from north Georgia after a 20-year career in law enforcement. She holds several community leadership positions, including past chair of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, board member of the Rotary Club of Marathon, advisory board member for the Domestic Abuse Shelter, and member of Zonta. She is a graduate of Leadership Monroe County and a mentor for Take Stock in Children.
 
Wright has been an inaugural member of the Community Foundation’s Upper Keys Advisory Council since 2021, serving as council chair since 2022. With over 20 years of professional experience in business development and marketing, Wright recently launched two Keys-based brands: B. Ready, a travel and leisure wellness online marketplace, and Italian Food Company, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria. She is a board member of the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce and has served with the Rotary Club of Key Largo, Rotary Interact, and Junior Achievement. Wright holds an MBA from the University of Miami and is a graduate of Leadership Miami.

“Laura Lietaert has an in-depth understanding of the needs of our residents, having graduated from Coral Shores, raised her own family here, and worked for the school system for three decades,” said Community Foundation board president and CEO Jennifer McComb. “With the addition of Robyn Still and Isis Wright, our board now better represents the geographic diversity of the Keys. This aligns perfectly with our strategic goal of becoming a truly countywide organization."

Other Community Foundation board members are Andrea Spottswood (treasurer and finance chair), Jodi Weinhofer (secretary), Marian Buccafurni (investment and grants chair), Bobby Highsmith (governance chair), Warren Leamard (development chair), Larry Nolt, and Ken Silverman. Will Langley and Ron Burd will transition to advisory roles after completing their nine-year terms of service.
 
Your Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, In Paradise for Good, has granted over $32 million to benefit every resident from Key Largo to Key West, supporting arts and culture, beautification and preservation of the Keys, health and human services, disaster relief, scholarships, and youth programs. The Community Foundation helps individuals and families leave a legacy in the Keys by inspiring giving and by connecting people, resources and needs through philanthropy, The Foundation is well-known for its signature “Unsung Heroes” event which honors nonprofit volunteers. For more information, call 305-292-1502 or visit cffk.org.

When you think of Sloppy Joe’s, the Duval Street landmark known around the world, it may bring to mind fun, live music and street-packed events. Now the owners of Sloppy Joe’s are making history in 2023 as philanthropists, with the establishment of the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. 
 
The organization’s commitment to giving back to the residents of Key West and the Florida Keys will include grantmaking to benefit local youth, individuals and families, civic organizations, art, cultural and environmental preservation.
 
“Since 1937, the Sloppy Joe’s legacy has been a cornerstone built on tradition and giving back by supporting our island community, said Jeffrey E. Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Sloppy Joe's Enterprises. “When creating a formal giving program, it made sense to partner with the Community Foundation so we can leverage the Foundation’s 27 years of established processes, knowledge of local nonprofit needs, and connections within the community.”
 
Community Foundation board chair Will Langley said that the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation Fund will empower Sloppy Joe’s to take a more strategic and impactful approach to its philanthropy. “By consolidating its giving and having the Foundation’s help in identifying and addressing pressing needs, Sloppy Joe’s will have a lasting and substantial impact on the Key West community,” he said. Corporate advised funds offer greater flexibility, scalability, and potential for long-term sustainability compared to making individual gifts directly to charities.
 
“Visitors are drawn to destinations that emphasize community involvement and sustainability. A well-publicized partnership can set a business apart, attracting tourists who want to support local businesses that contribute to the well-being of the community they are visiting,” added Jodi Weinhofer, Community Foundation board member and president of The Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West.
 
Sloppy Joe’s and the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys have already partnered for decades on the Hemingway Look-Alike Society Fund. The 42nd Annual Look-Alike contest held at Sloppy Joe’s in July was a record-breaker, and to date more than $400,000 has been awarded for scholarships for Key West High School graduating seniors and College of the Florida Keys students.
 
Over the coming season, Sloppy Joe’s will be rolling out giving opportunities for its patrons from around the world and launching special perks to recognize Sloppy Joe’s Foundation donors. To make a charitable contribution to the fund, visit cffk.org/sloppyjoes.
 
Your Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, In Paradise for Good, has granted over $32 million to benefit every resident from Key Largo to Key West, supporting arts and culture, beautification and preservation of the Keys, health and human services, disaster relief, scholarships, and youth programs. The Community Foundation helps individuals and families leave a legacy in the Keys by inspiring giving and by connecting people, resources and needs through philanthropy, The Foundation is well-known for its signature “Unsung Heroes” event which honors nonprofit volunteers. For more information, call 305-292-1502 or visit cffk.org.     

​Professionals from charitable organizations across the Keys will convene on Tuesday, September 13, for Florida Keys Nonprofit Day. The event, to be held from 1-5 p.m. at the Marathon Community Theatre, is free to paid staff and volunteers of nonprofit organizations, students, and community members interested in nonprofit service.
 
Free registration for the September 13 event is available at cffk.org/nonprofitday.
 
The afternoon will include an education session presented by Naples-based John Riley, CFRE, vice president of philanthropy at United Way of Collier and the Keys, who will share “10 tips for donor relationships.” Professional development expert Dr. Janelle Abela, traveling from Canada to address the group, will explain how our local nonprofits can maximize success using inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. A networking reception is sponsored by First State Bank of the Florida Keys.
 
Florida Keys Nonprofit Day is presented by the Florida Keys Funders Alliance, led by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Ocean Reef Community Foundation and United Way of Collier and the Keys.
 
A limited number of Monroe County nonprofit professionals will have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive online learning experience with Dr. Abela, organized by Reef Environmental Educational Foundation and funded by the Michael Dively Social Justice and Diversity Endowment at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. Participants in the IDEA Learning Group will work as a cohort devoting six hours per month from October 2022 to March 2023. Information is available at reef.org/idea.

​The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys has launched the Florida Keys Volunteer Center. The web site, VolunteerKeys.com, is available for nonprofits countywide to post volunteer opportunities and for visitors and residents to browse and register for volunteer shifts.
 
The online platform is equipped for an unlimited number of volunteer postings that will range from one-time commitments of an hour or two such as a beach clean-up or museum docent shift to multi-year opportunities like serving on a nonprofit organization’s board of directors. Volunteers may register as individuals or create teams such as families, service clubs or groups from local businesses.
 
Reverend Kelly “Kel” Bedard will be managing operations and outreach for the Florida Keys Volunteer Center from the Community Foundation office in Key West. His AmeriCorps Vista project has measurable goals for helping nonprofit organizations expand their efficiency, effectiveness and/or program reach by using volunteers. Kel has both Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity degrees from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and over 30 years of community outreach experience. This includes a practicum living in a homeless shelter, co-founding an early childhood center; and co-founding a disaster response non-profit in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Kel will also continue in his role as a mobile crisis counselor for WestCare's Guidance/Care Center, where he has worked since 2020.
 
“The Community Foundation is known for its annual Unsung Heroes event where nonprofits honor their volunteers of the year. The nonprofits asked if we could do more, by helping them find and retain quality volunteers. We are delighted to deliver what they asked by way of the Florida Keys Volunteer Center,” said Community Foundation CEO Jennifer McComb.
 
To get involved, visit VolunteerKeys.com and follow volunteerkeys on Facebook and Instagram. Prospective volunteers who do not have a cell phone or computer to access the web site can contact the Florida Keys Volunteer Center at 305-292-1502.
 
Your Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, In Paradise for Good, has granted over $32 million to benefit every resident from Key Largo to Key West, supporting arts and culture, beautification and preservation of the Keys, health and human services, disaster relief, scholarships, and youth programs. The Community Foundation helps individuals and families leave a legacy in the Keys by inspiring giving and by connecting people, resources and needs through philanthropy, The Foundation is well-known for its signature “Unsung Heroes” event which honors nonprofit volunteers. For more information, call 305-292-1502 or visit cffk.org.     

Grantees from Upper, Middle and Lower Keys Include New Recipients

The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys is awarding grants totaling $307,570 to 48 Keys nonprofits for collaborative projects that will directly benefit our residents, communities and environment.
 
“The Foundation is increasing our impact by increasing the dollars we grant out to the community,” said Jennifer McComb, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. This year’s awards are nearly $100,000 more the $215,266 granted to 35 organizations in 2021. The Community Foundation has more than doubled the $144,500 it granted to 27 organizations in 2020 through the annual competitive process.
 
The Community Foundation grants over $1.5 million a year in total but most of the funding is restricted to specific nonprofits, per the wishes of individual donors, McComb said.
 
Its Grants Committee, comprised of board and community members, scored the 2022 “Collaborating in Paradise for Good” requests from 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits and school programs and selected the proposals for funding. Eligible applications were required to include a collaboration with another nonprofit or service-based organization.
 
This year’s annual competitive grants were funded by generous donors representing the Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam Fund, the Ron and Joyce Burd Fund, the Michael Dively Social Justice and Diversity Fund, the Driftwood Fund, the Beverly and Bill Goldner Charitable Fund, the Brian and Maureen Harrison Fund, the Landau Family Fund of the Upper Keys, the William Monroe Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta and the Jack M. Paul Fund. Permanent legacy funds that contribute to the grants program every year are the Emily Boyd Lowe Music Fund, the Jack Baron Visual Grant Fund, the Florence Fox-Loeb Key West Music and Theatre Arts Endowment and the William C. Euler Jr. and Andrew F. Oates Jr. Fund.
 
The 2022 grantees are:

KEYSWIDE

Autism Society of the Keys, $10,000, to provide sensory boxes to families and first responders, in collaboration with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and Key West Police Department.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, $10,000, to provide rental assistance to prevent homelessness of our growing immigrant population, in collaboration with The Salvation Army.

Florida Keys Council of the Arts, $3,000, to provide tickets for arts opportunities for working families, in collaboration with United Way of Collier & the Keys.

Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition, $10,000, to fund its labor doula program for pregnant families, in collaboration with Community Health of South Florida.

International Woman's Flag Football Association, $5,000, to purchase equipment for teams countywide, in collaboration with the Monroe County School District.

Key West Art and Historical Society, $7,000, to repurpose a Key West history documentary for classroom use, in collaboration with the Monroe County Education Foundation.

Kids Come First In the Florida Keys, $7,500 to provide clothing, shoes, and personal hygiene items to at-risk children, in collaboration with Samuel’s House.

Literacy Volunteers of America, $10,000, to provide training and resources to help students integrate into our Keys community and environment, in conjunction with multiple nonprofits.

Reef Environmental Education Foundation, $9,500, to provide Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility trainings for leaders from multiple nonprofits. 

Special Olympics Florida Monroe County, $10,000, to launch a school-based Bocce Ball program for youth with and without disabilities, in collaboration with the Monroe County School District.

Star of the Sea Foundation, $10,000, to provide 16 weeks of nutrition education to 200 fifth grade students, in collaboration with the Monroe County School District.

UPPER KEYS

Active Disabled Americans, $2,500, to provide outings to those that would otherwise be excluded due to disability and financial hardship, in collaboration with Ocean Dreams Cancer Healing Center.
 
First Key in Paradise, $5,000, to help repair and refurbish the 40-foot Key Largo holiday community tree, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Key Largo and Rotary Club Key Largo Sunset.
 
Florida Keys Children's Shelter, $10,000, to fund recreational outings for at-risk youth participating in summer camp, in collaboration with MarineLab.
 
Good Health Clinic, $8,400, to help pay for a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the office one day a week, in collaboration with Womankind and the Florida Keys Area Health Education Center.
 
Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys, $10,000, to fund materials and labor for a nine-unit housing project, collaborating with Habitat for Humanity of Key West and the Lower Florida Keys.
 
History of Diving Museum, $5,000, to create a series of cultural programs offered with its limited-time Sponge Hunters exhibit, collaborating with REEF and the Morada Way Arts & Culture District.
 
I.CARE, $3,000, to support volunteer divers’ expenses so they can help transplant and monitor coral fragments, in collaboration with Mote Marine Laboratory.
 
Key Largo School, $10,000, to establish a theater program and drama club, in collaboration with The Key Players.
Kids 4 Kids USA, $8,000, to train and certify local instructors in adaptive swim education, in collaboration with iCan Shine.
MarineLab, $5,000, to provide a mangrove ecology field trip for Upper Keys fifth graders, in collaboration with Monroe County School District.         
 
MarrVelous Pet Rescues, $5,000, to help cover expenses for a Spay and No Balls Clinic to spay and neuter of feral cats, in collaboration with Whiskers and Paws Forever of Monroe County.       
 
Ocean Dreams Cancer Healing Center, $2,500, to host educational classes about cancer prevention and caregiver development, in collaboration with multiple nonprofit organizations.
 
Plantation Key School, $4,800, to provide authentic artist instruction by linking art to curriculum, in collaboration with Our Place in Paradise.
 
Treasure Village Montessori School, $4,000, to enlarge its vertical rooftop garden, and to construct a solar-powered hydroponic system, in collaboration with First Baptist Church of Islamorada.

MIDDLE KEYS
 
Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys, $10,000, to help fund building costs of "Bell Haven" (formerly known as 79th Street Homes for Hope), in collaboration with the Zonta Club of Marathon.
 
Marathon Garden Club, $1,000, to replace broken ceiling lights with more efficient lights, in collaboration with multiple nonprofits that use the facility.
 
Marathon Wild Bird Center, $4,000, to purchase pelican education signs and mount them at fishing cleaning stations, in collaboration with Crane Point Hammock.
 
Presents in Paradise, $5,000, to purchase clothing, shoes, and bedding available at “Rick’s Closet” for children in need throughout the year, in collaboration with multiple nonprofit organizations.

KEY WEST AND THE LOWER KEYS

A Positive Step, $10,000, to fund a part-time career coach and summer jobs for at-risk Key West High School students, in collaboration with the City of Key West.

AH of Monroe County, $10,000, to help pay for an architectural blueprint for an affordable housing project on Duck Avenue, in collaboration with the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition.

Bahama Village Music Program, $10,000, to fund sets, costume design, personnel, and supplies for the Keys Kids Junior theatrical production, in collaboration with Horace O’Bryant School. 

The Basilica School, $5,000, to provide counseling services for new mothers, before and after birth at Lower Keys Medical Center, in collaboration with the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition.      

Florida Keys SPCA, $10,000, to care for animals of people experiencing violence, illness, and homelessness, many clients of the Domestic Abuse Shelter or Cornerstone Resource Alliance.

Habitat for Humanity of Key West and the Lower Florida Keys, $5,000, to purchase materials for minor home repairs for people in need, some referred by the Star of the Sea Foundation.

Key West Botanical Garden Society, $2,500, to purchase plants and supplies to create a new K-8th grade Living Lab program, in collaboration with the Lower Keys Zebra Longwing Project.

Key West Community Sailing Center, $6,000, to provide boating and picnic experiences for clients from the Monroe Association for Remarcable Citizens.

Key West Impromptu Classical Concerts, $3,870, to provide music education seminars for the Key West High School Band and students enrolled in the Bahama Village Music Program.

May Sands Montessori School, $5,000, to pay for staff, materials and supplies for a “History Comes Alive” program, in collaboration with the Key West Art & Historical Society.

Old Island Restoration Foundation, $2,000, to provide complimentary admission for low-income residents to learn about classic conch recipes, in collaboration with Williams Hall.

Red Barn Theatre, $3,000, to provide free show tickets to residents in financial need, collaborating with referrals from multiple human service partners.

Samuel's House, $10,000, to construct a covered outdoor rejuvenation area at its shelter with benches, tables and plantings, in collaboration with Kids Come First.

Sister Season Fund, $10,000, to fund rent and utilities for hospitality and tourism employees, who have become temporarily out of work, in collaboration with The Key West Business Guild.

The Studios of Key West, $10,000, to retain the non-profit InHEIRitance Project to develop a new piece of theater written to address issues related to the sustainability of our island community. 

Tropic Cinema, $5,000, to pay for film rights and help cover costs to offer the theater free of charge for local students to see film adaptations of books, in collaboration with Somerset Island Prep.

Unity of the Keys Spiritual Center, $1,000, to purchase clothing vouchers for people in need to shop at St. Peter's Thrift Store.

University of Florida Endowment Corporation, $3,000, to help families learn to grow their own food by providing demonstrations, fact sheets and container gardens at Grimal Grove.

Zonta Club of Key West Foundation, $1,000, to provide scholarships for Samuel’s House clients to participate in GED and certificate programs to expand career opportunities.

The annual competitive grants program is the only opportunity for any 501(c)(3) nonprofit, faith-based organization or school in Monroe County to submit an application for consideration. The 2023 grant application will be available next year at cffk.org/grants.
 
Your Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, In Paradise for Good, has granted over $32 million to benefit every resident from Key Largo to Key West, supporting arts and culture, beautification and preservation of the Keys, health and human services, disaster relief, scholarships, and youth programs. The Community Foundation helps individuals and families leave a legacy in the Keys by inspiring giving and by connecting people, resources and needs through philanthropy, The Foundation is well-known for its signature “Unsung Heroes” event which honors nonprofit volunteers. For more information, call 305-292-1502 or visit cffk.org.   

The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys is excited to announce a new initiative to support the financial sustainability of our Monroe County nonprofits.
 
Local agencies are eligible to receive $10,000 to $20,000 each from the Peter MacDougall Match for Agency Endowments. This can be a match to create a new endowment with the Community Foundation or add to an existing endowment.
 
“The Community Foundation wants to do all we can to support the long-term viability of the nonprofit organizations in Monroe County, and the MacDougall Match is a wonderful way to strengthen or start the endowments that do just that,” said Dr. Susanne Woods, board chair of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys.
 
This opportunity is first come, first serve. The campaign will end when $500,000 in matches are made, to match $500,000 in dollars received from the estate gift of seasonal Key West resident Peter MacDougall, who passed away on October 27, 2021.
 

• Only 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations and faith-based organizations located in or serving Monroe County, Florida are eligible.

 

• The funds can come from the organization itself or from one or more donors in the community and may be a gift by check or stock. The Community Foundation will make the match after at least $10,000 is received and the agency has signed an endowment fund agreement.

 

• There is a limit of $20,000 total match per organization.

 

• A nonprofit that already has an endowment fund at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys may add $10,000-$20,000 to its current fund to receive the match.

 

• A nonprofit that has an existing Community Foundation of the Florida Keys fund that is not endowed may convert to a permanent endowed fund to receive the $10,000-$20,000 match, without adding any additional funds.

 

• Alternatively, the nonprofit may keep its non-endowed fund and transfer $10,000-$20,000 to start an additional fund that is a permanent endowment.

 
For more information, contact [email protected] or 305-809-4991.
​
 
Your Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, In Paradise for Good, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Since 1996, the Community Foundation has made over $32 million in grants to benefit every resident from Key Largo to Key West, supporting arts and culture, beautification and preservation of the Keys, health and human services, disaster relief, scholarships, and youth programs. The Community Foundation helps individuals and families leave a legacy in the Keys by inspiring giving and by connecting people, resources and needs through philanthropy, The Foundation is well-known for its signature “Unsung Heroes” event which honors nonprofit volunteers. For more information, call 305-292-1502 or visit cffk.org.