2021 Naples Winter Wine Festival “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

NCEF to Present Virtual

The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) invites the entire Southwest Florida community to participate in its first ever televised fundraising event which is scheduled to air as a part of the 2021 Naples Winter Wine Festival “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

This year’s virtual Festival will celebrate the dedicated community of partners who have helped deliver life-changing services to underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.

The Naples Winter Wine Festival enters its 21st year, impacting more than 45 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community and providing more than 275,000 local children with the services and resources they need to excel.

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event has been re-engineered to prioritize the health and safety of all NCEF donors, patrons and partners.

“We are grateful for the support we have received over the past two decades building the Naples Winter Wine Festival, from our vintners to our celebrity chefs, bidders, sponsors, volunteers and our beneficiaries who are doing the work in our community,” said NCEF CEO Maria Jimenez-Lara.

“This year’s Festival will look different due to the global health crisis, but we remain energized about bringing the community together in support of children in Collier County.”

A highlight of this year’s Festival is the special televised fundraiser on Saturday, January 30, 2021. Courtesy of WINK-TV, this one-hour broadcast will be an opportunity for NCEF to build community awareness of the organization and the systems of care it has created to support local children.

The program will weave together live and pre-recorded segments, inspirational success stories, personal stories from parents and beneficiaries, reflections from NCEF Trustees, and the measurable impact NCEF has had in Collier County since the inaugural Festival in 2000.

This inspiring broadcast will motivate viewers to make pledges of online support to help NCEF fill critical voids in children’s social services. Festival guests who tune in will be especially inspired to bid high and often during the invitation-only virtual auction that kicks off right after the program.

In addition, the popular online auction will once again be available, allowing supporters to bid on a wide array of fine wines and winery experiences, extraordinary dining opportunities, luxury golf and boating experiences, spa services, artwork, and vacation and staycation packages.

In a new twist this year, the online auction will also offer virtual experiences like wine tastings and concerts.

“We are very excited to once again offer the popular online auction which will enable the local community as well as supporters from across the country to participate in the enthusiasm of the Naples Winter Wine Festival,” said Ann Bain, co-chair of the NWWF Online Auction.

“We encourage our supporters to go online and bid high and bid often.”

Those interested in participating in the online auction are invited to go to nwwfonlineauction.com and bid high and bid often starting Friday, January 22 at 8 a.m. until Tuesday February 2at 5 p.m.

About Naples Children & Education Foundation

The Naples Children & Education Foundation, the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, is improving the educational, emotional and health outcomes of underprivileged and at-risk children. Through its annual grants and collaborative strategic initiatives, NCEF has impacted over 45 of the most effective nonprofits in the community, providing more than 275,000 children with the services and resources they need to excel. NCEF’s unique approach, which emphasizes collaboration between organizations and bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community, one issue at a time.

About Naples Winter Wine Festival

The Naples Winter Wine Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious charity wine auctions, offers a weekend of unforgettable memories. Guests enjoy world-class food and wine during intimate dinners in private homes and are invited to bid on once-in-a lifetime travel and wine experiences during an electrifying live auction. Since its inaugural event in 2001, the NWWF has raised more than $212 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.

For additional information on the Naples Children &Education Foundation or the Naples Winter Wine Festival, contact Lisa Juliano at lisa@napleswinefestival.com or 239-514-2239.