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

2021 Naples Winter Wine Festival “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” will be Highlighted
by Televised Fundraiser to Support At-Risk Children in Collier County

The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) announced that it willpresent a virtual 2021 Naples Winter Wine Festival “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” on Saturday, January 30, 2021, celebrating the dedicated community of partners who have helped deliver life-changing services to the underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.

The Naples Winter Wine Festival enters its 21^st 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.

A highlight of the event is the first-ever televised fundraiser, 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 built to support children. It will weave together live and pre-recorded segments offering inspirational success stories, personal stories from parents and beneficiaries, reflections from NCEF founders, and the measurable impact that NCEF has had in Collier County.

Throughout the broadcast, NCEF will ask the community to join together in this important work by making a pledge of support either via text or online. In addition, the popular online auction will be available for all to participate and will remain open for bids until Tuesday, February 2, 2021.

Plans are coming together for another successful event thanks to the leadership of the 2021 Festival Chairs Darlene and Don DeMichele. This year’s theme “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” is particularly prescient during these uncertain times and reflects NCEF’s enduring determination and achievement in impacting the lives of thousands of underprivileged and at-risk children.

“Thanks to the commitment of our Trustees and the generosity of our donors, we have been able to build systems of care with 45 of the most effective non-profits throughout Collier County,” said Darlene and Don DeMichele. “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has created even greater need within our community. Our response requires creative thinking, flexibility and building new community partnerships in order to meet the soaring demand for these vital services.”

Don & Darlene DeMichele

The DeMicheles take on the role as Festival Chairs after three years as NCEF Trustees. Darlene DeMichele is the former President of QVC U.S. Commerce, where she was instrumental in the company’s exponential growth and diversification of its sales platforms. More recently, she has served as President of Multi-Channel Management Group LLC, a consulting firm advising retailers and manufacturers on digital platform strategies. Currently, Darlene DeMichele is the Executive Director of Ikatu International, focusing on impact investing in the areas of sustainable agriculture, affordable housing for the working poor and micro finance for impoverished women in rural communities. A former executive with The Proctor & Gamble Company and Ocean Spray, Don DeMichele is Co-Chairman of Triaxia Partners, a consulting group focused on the strategic planning and building of customer-centric, multi-functional teams in Fortune 100 organizations.

“We are grateful for the support we have received over the past 21 years 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 Chief Executive Officer Maria Jimenez-Lara. “Our priority is the health and safety of all our supporters. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 data into the Fall to determine if any other features can be added.”

For updates on the 2021 Naples Winter Wine Festival, visit https://www.napleswinefestival.com.

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.