Philanthropist Tom Golisano presented $85 million in gifts to 41 different Southwest Florida nonprofits in five categories at a Nov. 19 event in Naples.
About 150 representatives from organizations across the five categories — health, education, intellectual and developmental disabilities, community and animal welfare — were in the audience at arts venue Artis—Naples as Golisano made the presentations.
Golisano, who founded Paychex, the nation’s largest human resource company for small- to medium-sized businesses, said he was impressed with the dedication and innovation of the organizations that he has had the opportunity to build relationships with in Florida.
This distribution brings Golisano’s philanthropy this year to $500 million and his lifelong philanthropy to $860 million, Golisano Foundation officials said.
“I know raising money is not easy for a nonprofit, and it’s been extremely rewarding to see what’s been accomplished by organizations that I’ve provided financial support,” he said. “I know you guys have a tough job raising money. I’ve said it many times, and lately more than ever, the only wealth you get to keep is that which you give away.
“And since I applied for immortality and was denied, I’m here today to give some away,” he told the crowd, to loud applause, adding that the amount would total $85 million.
The largest awards, $10 million each, went to Golisano Children’s Hospital and Ave Maria University in the fields of health care and education. Naples Comprehensive Health received $5 million (after another recent gift of $5 million from the Golisano Foundation), and the Guadalupe Center received $3 million. Other organizations receiving $5 million include Easterseals Southwest Florida, Family Initiative, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, LARC Inc. and STARability.
The gifts, which will be paid over four to five years, were all unrestricted.
Jonathan Foerster, CEO of the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, which received $4 million, said the unrestricted aspect of the gift means the donor is leaving it up to the organization to determine the best use for the funds.
“It’s amazing, in a time when many donors want to very much specify [the use], that Mr. Golisano is trusting these organizations,” Foerster said. “He’s believing in us that we’re going to know what best to do with that money, and he’s giving us that freedom to say, ‘What do you need to do now?’ rather than it needs to be in an endowment, or it needs to go to a building. He’s saying, ‘I trust you. I believe in your mission, I believe in your organization, and you’re going to do the right thing.’”
Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and CEO of Lee Health, said the $10 million gift to the system’s Golisano Children’s Hospital provides the flexibility to expand services to a growing population.
“We deliver a full kindergarten class [of babies] every single day at our OB hospital,” Antonucci said, “so we know the need for pediatric care is going to grow dramatically. And this type of gift really allows us to target our treatments and target our programs to the growing region, and to our children.”
NCH President and CEO Paul Hiltz described Golisano’s latest gifts as “life changing” and said NCH would be using the $5 million it received to “immediately” make some cardiac and stroke services more accessible to the region.
“We’ve got a project that we had kind of teed up, and this will allow us to do it a lot quicker than we could have,” Hiltz said after the ceremony.
Organizations receiving gifts
Health – two organizations – $15 million
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida – $10 million
Naples Comprehensive Health – $5 million
Education – two organizations – $13 million
Ave Maria University – $10 million
Guadalupe Center – $3 million
Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities – 12 organizations – $32 million
Best Buddies Southwest Florida – $1 million
Beyond the Spectrum Inc. $1 million
Easterseals Southwest Florida – $5 million
Family Initiative – $5 million
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida – $5 million
Guardian Angels for Special Populations – $1 million
LARC Inc. – $5 million
Protected Harbor – $1 million
Special Olympics – Florida – $1 million
STARability – $5 million
Sunrise – Naples – $1 million
The Haven – $1 million
Community – 5 organizations – $15 million
American Red Cross Southwest Florida – $3 million
Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida- $2 million
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples – $4 million
Meals of Hope – $3 million
Youth Haven – $3 million
Animal Welfare – 20 organizations – $10 million
Animal Rescue Coalition – $1 million
Cape Coral Animal Shelter – $1.5 million
Gulf Coast Humane Society – $1.5 million
Humane Society Naples – $500,000
SNIP Collier – $1.5 million
Anna Maria Island Pup Rescue – $150,000
Big Dog Ranch Rescue – $500,000
Florida Coastal Cocker Rescue – $150,000
For the Love of Cats – $150,000
Fur and Tails Animal Rescue – $150,000
Canine Castaways Inc. – $150,000
Guardians of Florida Animal Rescue – $500,000
Haven on Earth Animal League – $150,000
Humane Society of Manatee County – $500,000
Humane Society of Sarasota County – $500,000
Max`s Ark Rescue – $150,000
Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue Center – $500,000
Pawtcake Refuge – $150,000
Purradise Gardens – $150,000
Shy Wolf Sanctuary – $150,000
