Goodwill recognizes community standouts while raising nearly $72K to support mission services

FORT MYERS, Fla. - June 23, 2025 - PRLog -- Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida (SWFL) hosted their annual Breakthrough Award ceremony at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center on Friday, May 30, 2025. The event recognizes individuals and businesses who have advanced the Goodwill Mission throughout the prior year. The fundraiser brought in $71,590 to support Goodwill programs and services. We even offered a sneak peek into our exciting upcoming capital campaign, "Change is Good," highlighting how we're expanding our reach to meet the evolving needs of our community!

Tom Golisano and the Golisano Foundation have been named the 2024 Philanthropist of the Year in recognition of their extraordinary generosity and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

This award highlights their impactful contributions over 2024, including a $45,000 grant awarded earlier this year to formalize the Disability Navigation Program. In a remarkable and unexpected gesture, the Foundation also announced a surprise $5 million gift to expand services through the Pathways to Opportunity program and enhance Disability Navigation services across Southwest Florida.

This transformative support will significantly broaden access to critical resources and opportunities for individuals with disabilities, reinforcing the Golisano Foundation's legacy of inclusive philanthropy and community empowerment.

Additional Honorees Recognized for Outstanding Achievements

Several individuals and organizations were also honored for their exceptional contributions:

• Michael Wentland received the Chet Perry Breakthrough Achiever Award for overcoming significant barriers to employment and thriving as a dedicated Goodwill employee.
• Lauren Ramnath Daharry was named the William J. Barrett Breakthrough Graduate, celebrating her success as a local mental health counselor and yoga instructor. Lauren began her journey through Goodwill's SWFL MicroEnterprise Institute.
• Allegiant Air was recognized as Employer of the Year for creating meaningful employment opportunities in Charlotte County.
• Regions Bank earned the title of Business of the Year for its long-standing partnership with Goodwill and its commitment to promoting financial literacy throughout Southwest Florida.
• Charissa Comerota was honored as Goodwill SWFL Employee of the Year in recognition of her 31 years of service as the organization's Computer Graphics & Web Manager.

Goodwill extends its heartfelt gratitude to the generous sponsors and donors whose support made the event a resounding success, including One Digital, Zaks Jewelry, Dentons, Cohen & Grigsby, Florida Blue, J Fisher Law, SuEllen's Floral Company, Joshua Tree, Lillian Dear Photography, Rig Entertainment, Encore, and The Luminary.

Goodwill SWFL is a nonprofit organization that is committed to serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence.  They have been providing services to people with disabilities and disadvantages since 1966 in five counties of Southwest Florida: Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades & Hendry counties. For more information about how Goodwill SWFL positively impacts the community, visit https://goodwillswfl.org/programs.