Local Foundations Relaunch Collier CARES Application for Families in Need

Since March of 2021, the Collier CARES (Community Application for Resources and Emergency Services) app has served the community’s most vulnerable populations, connecting people in need with the critical resources and services available in Collier County. Now, approaching its five-year anniversary, the free, bilingual app has officially relaunched with impactful updates designed to improve accessibility, clarity and overall user experience.

Originally launched with the support of Naples Children Foundation (NCF), in partnership with the Collier Community Foundation and Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, Collier CARES was created to connect individuals and families throughout Collier County in the post-pandemic era.

“While the app has received consistent maintenance updates over the years, its anniversary presented an opportunity to take a deeper look at how it was being used,” said Maria Jimenez-Lara, (Featured Photo) NCF CEO. “Through extensive community focus groups, we uncovered valuable insights that inspired meaningful enhancements to make the app even more intuitive, relevant, and easy to navigate.”

Key updates include streamlining the service categories from 12 to nine by reassessing subcategories, reassigning services and removing those that are no longer necessary. Those nine popular service categories are now Education, Food, Legal, Employment Assistance, Emergency and Hotlines, Housing Supportive Services, Health and Medical, Wellness and Mental Health.

Several service categories also were renamed to better reflect the breadth of services offered—such as changing “Shelter” to “Housing Supportive Services” based on user feedback.

Additional improvements include a new button that directs users immediately to supplemental resource pages, an updated map icon that is more easily identifiable and offline functionality for greater accessibility. These thoughtful updates ensure that Collier CARES remains a trusted, user-friendly tool for those seeking support—when and where they need it most.

The public can access the app online at colliercares.org or by downloading the mobile app. Mobile downloads are available for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store) devices.

For more information on Collier CARES, visit colliercares.org or email admin@colliercares.org.

About Naples Children Foundation
The Naples Children Foundation (NCF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, creates transformational change and improves educational, emotional and health outcomes for vulnerable children in Collier County. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCF has impacted nearly 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 385,000 children with the services and resources they need to succeed. Through bold investments, collaborative partnerships, and data-driven solutions, NCF supports programs that ensure every child can thrive. NCF’s unique approach, which bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community–one issue at a time.

About the Collier Community Foundation
Celebrating 40 years of empowering local philanthropy, the Collier Community Foundation® is a trusted, tax-exempt, public charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the community through impactful giving. Established in 1985, the Foundation manages over 940 donor funds, collaborates with hundreds of nonprofits, and has awarded more than $408 million in grants and scholarships over the past 40 years to support vital programs and initiatives. By connecting generosity with community needs, the Collier Community Foundation drives informed giving and delivers powerful results. To learn more, visit colliercf.org or call 239-649-5000.

About the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation was created in 2004 by Best Buy founder, Dick Schulze, to give back to the communities where Dick and his family grew up – in Minnesota, where he built Best Buy to become the world’s largest consumer electronics retailer, and in Florida, where he now maintains a permanent residence. The Schulze Family Foundation creates grant partnerships with organizations that generate meaningful results in human and social services, education, and health and medicine. In all its activities, the Foundation embraces its founder’s vision to strengthen and support initiatives that lead to change within our communities. For more information, please visit SchulzeFamilyFoundation.org.