Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast

10/16/2026

💚 Please join us in welcoming Tess Woods to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Collier Community Board!

Tess Woods is Associate Publisher and Vice President of Revenue at Gulfshore Life Media, where she leads the sales team across Gulfshore Life, Gulfshore Business, and The Naples Press. Tess brings a wealth of experience in media, publishing, marketing, and building meaningful community connections.

Her connection to Big Brothers Big Sisters is deeply personal. Tess became a Big Sister in Tampa Bay in 2013, and more than a decade later, she remains incredibly close with her Little Sister, who will be a bridesmaid in Tess’s upcoming wedding. 💚

That lasting relationship inspired Tess to join our Collier Community Board and help create more opportunities for life-changing mentoring relationships between Bigs and Littles.

Tess lives in Bonita Springs with her fiancé and their goldendoodle, Stella. Outside of work, she loves the beach, traveling, shopping, decorating her home, thrifting and antiquing, and spending time with her family

We’re grateful to have Tess’s leadership, experience, and passion for mentoring helping advance our mission across the Sun Coast!

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

Join us for Waxins Naples Social Hour for a Cause and make an impact with BBBS of the Sun Coast.

📅 Tuesday, October 27, 2026
⏰ 2–5: 30 PM
📍 Waxin’s Naples, 9110 Strada Place, Suite 6130, Naples, FL 34108

We hope to see you there!

Every opportunity to come together makes a difference in the lives of the youth we serve. 💚

10/15/2026

📣 ATTENTION, HARDEE COUNTY! WE NEED YOUR HELP! 🍁🦃

💚 It's Thanksgiving Food Drive time! 💚

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is once again collecting food to provide our Littles and their ENTIRE families with a wonderful Thanksgiving meal! We need YOUR help to make it happen! 🧡

🥫 ITEMS NEEDED:

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Macaroni & Cheese, Green Beans, Fried Onions, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Cake Mix, Frosting, and 🦃 TURKEYS!

📍 DONATION DROP-OFF LOCATIONS:

💚 David Singletary - State Farm Insurance
💚 111 Main Coffee and Tea Company
💚 Winn-Dixie, Wauchula
💚 Crews Bank & Trust, Wauchula Branch
💚 BBBS Office – 1017 US Highway 17 N, Wauchula

🦃 WANT TO HELP WITH TURKEYS?

Gift card donations are greatly appreciated! Please drop them off directly at our BBBS office so we can coordinate turkey purchases for our families.

💚 Every donation makes a difference! Help us take away some of the financial burden and give our Littles and their families a Thanksgiving filled with food, love, and memories!

Hardee County, let's come together and make this Thanksgiving special! 🧡

Please DONATE, SHARE, and help spread the word! 🍂

10/15/2026

We’re proud to be part of a statewide network working together to ignite the power and promise of youth. 💚

Behind every number is a young person with potential, a caring mentor, and a community committed to helping the next generation succeed.

Thank you to Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida, our fellow agencies, volunteers, and community partners who make this impact possible.

Together, we’re building brighter futures, one match at a time!

10/15/2026

💚 PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING COURTNEY DAKIN-HARKIN! 💚

We’re excited to welcome Courtney Dakin-Harkin as the newest member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Manatee Community Board!

Courtney is a local photographer, agricultural advocate, and community leader with a strong passion for giving back to the community she calls home. Through Dakin Images, she captures the people, moments, and stories that make our community special. 📸

She is also actively involved in her family’s agricultural businesses and is passionate about helping young people understand agriculture and where their food comes from. 🌱

Courtney’s commitment to children, education, and community service is reflected in her involvement throughout Manatee County. She currently serves as President-Elect of the Leadership Manatee Alumni Association Board, serves on the Manatee County Agricultural Museum Board, and recently joined the FNGLA (Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association) Board of Directors.

We’re grateful to have Courtney’s experience and heart joining our Manatee Community Board as we continue our mission of creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Welcome to the BBBS Sun Coast family, Courtney! 💚

10/14/2026

📣 Attention Naples, Fort Myers & Marco Island!

Grab your team, test your trivia skills and support local youth while you're at it! 💚

Through Thursday, November 19, join Question Maahk Trivia for a fun night of trivia while supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast and our mission to create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Your participation helps us build brighter futures for local children and families right here in Southwest Florida.

📍 Naples | Fort Myers | Marco Island
🗓️ Through November 19
👉 Visit questionmaahk.com for dates, times and locations.

Thank you to Question Maahk Trivia Night - Naples FL for partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast and investing in our community! 💚

10/13/2026

⛳ 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐬 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄!🎉

🛍️ Get a head start on your holiday shopping while supporting local youth!

From sporting events and golf packages to entertainment, fine dining, w**e, and more, our online silent auction has something for everyone!

👉 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://loom.ly/5R3SXxo

You do NOT need to attend the Golf Classic to bid and win! Please note that winning bidders must be able to pick up their items locally in Sarasota.

Auction winners will be contacted next week after the auction closes to arrange pickup. Tournament attendees can collect their items at the event.

⏰ Bidding closes Monday, October 19, at 3 PM!

💚 Every bid makes a difference! All auction proceeds and donations support Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast and the youth in our community.

Happy bidding, and thank you for helping us ignite the power and promise of youth!

10/13/2026

🤝 Stronger communities start with collaboration.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast CEO Kamala Martinez was pleased to join our partners at Bank of America in Sarasota/Manatee for a regional Market Community Needs Roundtable.

Local leaders came together to discuss needs and opportunities for collaboration and to strengthen the connections that move our region forward.

We congratulate Jamie Kahns, Market Executive, on celebrating 16 years with Bank of America! Congratulations as well to Jeff Crabtree on his appointment as Bank of America's Sarasota/Manatee Market President, in addition to his role as Consumer Banking Region Executive.

We appreciate Bank of America's leadership and continued investment in our local communities. 💚

10/12/2026

A BIG thank you to Sunshine Movers for stepping up to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast and our upcoming Cottages for Kids event this November! 🏡💚

We are so grateful for your kindness, generosity, and willingness to help make this event a success. Your support means so much to us and helps bring our community together for a wonderful cause.

We’re looking forward to Cottages for Kids at Wellen Park this December and can’t wait to see everything come together! Thank you, Sunshine Movers, for being such a wonderful community partner and helping us ignite the power and promise of youth through mentorship.

09/14/2026

💚 ONE SUN COAST. ONE FACEBOOK HOME.

Big things are happening across Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast — and now, our Facebook community is coming together in one place.

We’re bringing our local pages together on our main Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast page so you can stay connected to the people, stories, events and impact happening across our entire 10-county footprint.

Same mission. Same voice. Same reach. One Sun Coast.

👉 Like and follow our main page so you don’t miss what’s next:
facebook.com/bbbssun

Thank you for helping us make an even BIGGER impact, together. 💚

04/17/2026

THANK YOU to all who donated over the past 24 hours. Your gifts help provide the gift of mentorship to every child in need! 💚 Thank you for believing in our mission and for your generous donations. Every dollar truly makes a difference and we couldn't do it without all of you!

04/17/2026

🎶𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 – 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐦 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 2026 🎶

We’re excited to share that a small number of free general admission tickets are still available for Country Jam Naples 2026.

📍 Paradise Coast Sports Complex – Naples
📅 April 18
🕒 3 – 10 PM

This opportunity is open to Bigs, Littles, families, matches, staff, ambassadors, and supporters.

⚠️ Tickets are very limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

To request tickets, please respond promptly to [email protected]

04/15/2026

We're LIVE! ✨ The Giving Challenge has officially begun! From noon to noon, this 24-hour online day of giving supporting nonprofits across Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. For the next 24 hours, every gift goes further. Thanks to The Patterson Foundation, donations up to $100 per donor will be matched while funds last.

💚 DONATE NOW, Share this link and help support mentorship in our community!
https://www.givingchallenge.org/organizations/big-brothers-big-sisters-of-the-sun-coast-inc