Bobby Nichols-Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation presents over $1.6 million in grants

FORT MYERS, Fla. - April 9, 2025 - PRLog -- The Bobby Nichols-Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation has awarded over $1.6 million in grants to six designated charities of the 23^rd annual Nichols Cup tournaments and auction gala, bringing its total fundraising to date to $20 million for children's charities in Southwest Florida.

Since 2002, Nichols Cup has supported local children's charities in helping more than 100,000 abused and neglected children. Funds from this year's event were distributed at Fiddlestick's annual Piper's Meeting on March 25 among the foundation's two primary charity partners, Children's Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida (https://www.cac-swfl.org/) and Abuse Counseling & Treatment (https://actabuse.com/), and additional beneficiaries Blessings in a Backpack (https://www.blessingsinabackpack.org/), Liberty Youth Ranch, (https://libertyyouthranch.org/) Pace Center for Girls, Lee (https://www.pacecenter.org/locations/florida/lee) and Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice (https://catholiccharitiesdov.org/).

The foundation's first and primary charity partners, Children's Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida and Abuse Counseling and Treatment, were each awarded $575,000. The Children's Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida aims to provide a coordinated response to child victims of abuse and neglect and improve the lives of at-risk children and their families through prevention services. Abuse Counseling and Treatment supports victims of domestic violence and their children, along with survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking in Lee, Hendry and Glades counties.

Blessings in a Backpack received a $175,000 grant to support its ongoing mission in Southwest Florida. With the funds, the nonprofit provides backpacks filled with kid-friendly, ready-to-eat food items to more than 1,200 underserved children at Colonial Elementary and James Stephens Elementary to take home every weekend during the school year. Liberty Youth Ranch, a charitable residential program based in Bonita Springs, received a $140,000 donation. The long-term children's residential group home provides a safe home, education and family to abused, neglected and homeless children.

The foundation awarded a grant of $56,000 to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, to support its Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Serving ten counties in Southwest Florida, the program provides intensive case management and mental health counseling to victims of severe human trafficking as they attempt to integrate into society after being rescued. Pace Center for Girls of Lee County also received a $56,000 grant to support its Reach Program. Through Pace Lee, Reach therapists bring mental health support directly to girls ages 11 to 17, meeting them in their local schools, within their communities, or even at home at no cost to families.

Founded by longtime Fiddlesticks resident Bobby Nichols, winner of 14 PGA Tour tournaments, the PGA recognizes the Nichols Cup golf tournament as one of the most successful community sponsored pro-am tournaments in the U.S.

To learn more about the Bobby Nichols-Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation, email info@nicholscup.org or visit NicholsCup.org.