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Stefanie Edwards of Community Cooperative earns Certified Fund Raising Executive credential

Stefanie Edwards, chief development and operating officer of Community Cooperative, was recently awarded her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Certification, showing professional achievement and commitment to fundraising.

The credentials are awarded based on work experience, continuing education and passing an exam. Each CFRE recipient signs an ethics agreement. Founded in 2001, CFRE International is an independent nonprofit organization whose sole mission is dedicated to setting standards in philanthropy through a valid and reliable certification process for fundraising professionals.

“During this pandemic, it is increasingly more important for nonprofit executives to be able to fund programs in the face of unprecedented need,” said Tracey Galloway, chief executive officer of Community Cooperative. “Innovation and creativity have become critical in fundraising, and Stefanie has been at the forefront of funding through grants, donors and partners and thus meeting the needs of our clients.”

Edwards is a graduate of the Lutgert College of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University and oversees all of Community Cooperative’s operations, fundraising, development and volunteer programs that include 3,500 volunteers with more than 40,000 hours last year. In 2020, Community Cooperative’s annual Soup Kitchen Benefit raised over $1 million for the first time.

She was named the 2017 Fundraising Professional of the Year from the Cape Coral Community Foundation. Currently she serves as an Advisory Board Member for Pace Center for Girls, Lee County and as a board member for the Planned Giving Council of Lee County.

 

About Community Cooperative

For 35 years, Community Cooperative has worked to effectively eliminate hunger and homelessness in Lee County while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in its clients by delivering innovative food, education and social service programs. With a dedicated team of volunteers, board of directors and staff, Community Cooperative stays committed to its core responsibility to collect and distribute resources through a strong and viable network of community partners. Community Cooperative is an exemplary steward of the resources entrusted to it and serves clients with compassion and integrity. Through collaboration and ongoing education, Community Cooperative supports and strengthens those whose lives have been affected by hunger and homelessness, ensuring that they have access to the resources necessary to transform their lives with dignity. For more resources and information on how to get involved, contact Stefanie Edwards at Stefanie@CommunityCooperative.com or call (239) 332-7687. Monetary donations are always welcomed and can be made directly at www.CommunityCooperative.com, or mailed to: Community Cooperative, P.O. Box 2143, Fort Myers, FL 33902.

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