Through her camera lens, Red has witnessed the many challenges our most vulnerable children can face and knows—as we all do—that the most important thing you can do is to make a difference in the health, life and future of a child. Without a foundation of good health, there is no future.

In 2026, our Fund a Need focus is Healthcare—strategically addressing critical gaps in access to mental health, oral health, vision and primary healthcare services.

Every day in Collier County, children face heartbreaking health challenges. Teen suicides have doubled in just five years. Eight out of ten children screened through our pediatric oral health initiative suffer from untreated tooth decay. As many as 85% of at-risk students live with undiagnosed vision problems, and more than half of local student population come from low-income families with limited access to even the most basic healthcare. Without help, these children endure unnecessary pain, fall behind in school and too often end up in emergency rooms for conditions that could have been prevented.

Your gift will change that. By supporting this year’s Fund a Need, you will open the door to essential care—primary, dental, vision and mental health services that catch problems early and restore children’s well-being before it’s too late. With your generosity, barriers come down and every child has the chance to grow up as the true picture of health.

Everyone who bids on this lot will be a winner, but the biggest winners will be the underserved children of Collier County.

Here’s how your contribution will make a difference:

$100,000 provides developmental screenings for 2,000 children
$50,000 provides mental health assessments for 400 children
$25,000 provides 50 children with comprehensive dental exams
$10,000 provides 50 children with complete health screenings
$5,000 provides 70 children with two pairs of eyeglasses, one for home and one for school
$1,000 provides oral health education classes for 175 families

Here’s how this unique auction lot will work:

Your registration packet includes five cards that display your paddle number. Four of the cards display a specific dollar amount on one side and a signature line on the reverse side. The fifth card displays a write-in area for you to choose the amount with a signature line on the reverse side.

Following the auctioneer’s call to action, every paddle holder has the opportunity to drop one (or more) of the signed cards into the bucket provided by volunteers as they move from table to table through the tent.

Red urges you to give from your heart. This lot is the perfect chance to have an impact on the health and welfare of our most vulnerable children—your reward will be the priceless knowledge that you have enabled a child to have a happy and healthy life.

Dig deep, bid high and help us make a difference: It’s ALL for the Kids!