Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Our mission is to unite our neighbors to extend a helping hand to local charities and non-

profits by raising awareness, fundraising and volunteer service. We believe that

“Together we can do more!”

WBCN is an IRS 501 (c) (3) tax exempt charitable organization that seeks to expand the

reach and impact of WildBlue’s charitable generosity and volunteer service. We are

recognized as such in the state of Florida and in Lee County and are eligible to receive

tax-deductible contributions in accordance with IRC Section 170 of the tax code.

Our focus is to support the community needs within Lee County for, Education and Youth Development, Women’s Resources, Housing and Hunger, Seniors, and Veterans, Environmental and Conservation, Animal Welfare and Healthcare and Human Services. Each year we pick our areas of focus based on your input.

We are not part of the HOA, Amenities or WildBlue clubs. We are an independent and

separate organization. However, our goal is to build collaborative relationships with

them to maximize our financial and volunteer support. We hope that some of our clubs

will sponsor fundraisers and will provide any support that they need.

 Our focus is to support the community needs within Lee County for Education and Youth

Development, Women’s Resources, Housing and Hunger, Seniors, and Veterans,

Environmental and Conservation, and Animal Welfare. Each year we will reach out to

our WildBlue neighbors to identify areas of focus and organizations that are important to

them.

Yes. To be eligible to serve on the Board, an individual must be a resident of the WildBlue

Community, Fort Myers, Florida. This includes both full and part time residents. If you

are interested in serving on the board, please contact Melissa Metzger at

president@wildbluecharitableneighbors.org or Debbie Nolan at

vp@wildbluecharitableneighbors.org.

Members of the Board are elected biennially on a staggered term basis. Each officer shall

hold office for a period of the two consecutive calendar years following their election.

The terms of the founding board members will be determined to stagger the succession,

first on a volunteer basis, and then by the Executive Committee if necessary.

In addition to the Executive Committee there are five main committees: Fundraising,

Grants, Finance, Communications and Service. Ad hoc committees may also be opened

and formed to address a specific need.

Please reach out to a committee chair or director directly, or by sending an email to

info@wildbluecharitableneighbors.org.

Watch for postings for our upcoming events and committee efforts on our internal

Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/share/U5H4adGuoBB5rexM/. You may also

check our website for our Events calendar and sign up for our newsletter.

Members of the Board are elected biennially on a staggered term basis. Each officer shall

hold office for a period of the two consecutive calendar years following their election.

The terms of the founding board members will be determined to stagger the succession,

first on a volunteer basis, and then by the Executive Committee if necessary.

We will raise money using special events, memorial matching funds, annual fundraisers,

sales, club sponsored activities, corporate sponsors, and our friends of WildBlue.

Although our primary focus is to raise funds to support the Lee County community, we

will also recruit and organize WildBlue community volunteers to participate in WBCN

events and may provide designated recipient non-profits with goods and services as

appropriate.

Thank you for your willingness to collaborate with WBCN! We need your help and would

love to work with you to create a fun event for our community that can also be a

fundraiser for the general fund, or a specific cause or organization that is important to

you. Please reach out directly to an officer using our internal email directory or send an

email to info@wildbluecharitableneighbors.org.

We will be actively seeking the support of businesses. We will have corporate

sponsorships at different levels. Companies may also choose to support some of the

events with donations, goods, or services. Please reach out directly to an officer using

our internal email directory. Our website has a wealth of information about us, including

acknowledgement of our sponsors and donors.

We do plan to leverage the large network of vendors that work within the WildBlue

community to secure their financial support. If you are interested in helping us, please

consider joining our Fundraising committee or sharing your thoughts with them.

Our primary method of formal communication will be through our email subscription

from our website. However, we will also use our internal Facebook groups for WildBlue

residents only. For large community events, we will also distribute information through

current community channels that are in place through ICON Management. “Word of

mouth” is also a great way to spread the news. Thankfully, we have many

“ambassadors” of WBCN!

We are a 100% volunteer run organization and strive to keep administrative and

fundraising costs low to maximize the percentage of donations that are distributed. We

plan to be very transparent so that our sponsors and donors will know how much of their

donations are going towards our cause and the impact they are making.

We cannot provide funds to political or purely religious causes. The recipients of our

funds must be:

•  A 501(c)3 organization designated tax-exempt by the IRS.
•  In compliance with all other state and federal laws governing charities.
•  Conducting work in Lee County
•  Established organizations with a proven track record of success, and;
•  Vetted by the WBCN Grants Committee and approved by the WBCN Board of

                 Directors to receive a contribution from the WCBN, Inc.

A “grant” is a general term for funds that organizations receive that are not expected to

be repaid. To receive a grant, organizations compete for funds by submitting an

application and undergoing an evaluation process.

Our community will help drive those decisions. In March, 2024 we administered a survey

to learn which pillars and organizations you care about. The Grant committee will review

the data, vet the organizations, and make a recommendation to the board. Additionally,

other organizations may receive designated funds from a particular donor, or a club

event.

Our main purpose is to raise money for 501(c) (3) nonprofits; however, our service

committee will be active in supporting volunteer opportunities in our community. Once

we identify a specific non-profit to support financially, we will also be asking them to

share any volunteer service needs with us. We may be able to provide both. Our

volunteers will help with our fundraising events as well as serve our non-profits directly.

Send us an email at info@wildbluecharitableneighbors.org if you still have questions, or just let us know what you think.