Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to families and children, has received a $25,000 donation from the Collier Community Foundation to support the children and families it serves in Collier County.
These funds will support Better Together’s Better Families and Better Jobs programs in Collier County, which build strong families and prevents the need for foster care by empowering parents with meaningful connections, work opportunities, mentoring and short-term care for children.
“We are so grateful to the Collier Community Foundation for their generous support and belief in our mission,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “These funds empower us to continue providing vital resources to families in crisis in Collier County, keeping families together and preventing the need for foster care.”
The Collier Community Foundation awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. Selected organizations receive grant dollars from the Foundation’s discretionary funds. These funds were gifted by donors who believe in the Community Foundation’s ability to mobilize resources to address the community’s greatest needs.
“We’re proud to support organizations like Better Together that strengthen the foundation of our community,” said Eileen Connolly-Keesler, president and CEO of the Collier Community Foundation. “At the Collier Community Foundation, we believe strong families build strong communities. Better Together meets parents at some of the hardest moments in life and surrounds them with compassion, guidance, and opportunity. We’re proud to support their work keeping families together and helping them thrive.”
Better Together works to prevent the need for foster care by building strong families and communities. When a parent needs support – due to homelessness, a medical emergency, or other crisis – Better Together volunteer host families provide a safe, loving home for the children short term, while staff and mentors empower the parents to secure employment, housing and other needs. Because job loss is at the root of most family crises, the Better Together workforce program provides opportunities for all job seekers through relational job fairs and volunteer job coaches.
To date, Better Together has served more than 15,000 children, and 98% of children served through mentoring and hosting remain out of foster care. The nonprofit has also connected more than 45,600 job seekers to employment opportunities through church-based job fairs across 24 states.
To learn more about Better Together and its mission, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
ABOUT BETTER TOGETHER
Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. A privately funded and professionally supported organization, Better Together is made up of volunteers who believe helping people help themselves is the best way to restore dignity and bring families together. Through the Better Families program, families are offered a preventive alternative to foster care while they get the help they need. To date, the program has kept 98% of children served out of foster care. The Better Jobs program was created to address the 76% of families that come to Better Together because of economic hardship tied to unemployment. In addition to community job fairs, the program offers job seekers coaching, guidance, support and encouragement through local church partners. For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
About the Collier Community Foundation
Celebrating 40 years of empowering local philanthropy, the Collier Community Foundation® is a trusted, tax-exempt, public charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the community through impactful giving. Established in 1985, the Foundation manages over 900 donor funds, collaborates with hundreds of nonprofits, and has awarded over $392 million in grants and scholarships to support vital programs and initiatives. By connecting generosity with community needs, the Collier Community Foundation drives informed giving and delivers powerful results. To learn more, visit colliercf.org or call 239-649-5000.
