During the depths of the Great Depression, a small group of determined women gathered in Naples with a simple but powerful mission: to care for children in need. Raising funds through Sunday night suppers at the Lions Club, they provided milk to undernourished local children. From those humble beginnings, the Naples Woman’s Club was born—launching more than ninety years of sustained generosity and civic leadership.
As Naples evolved from a quiet winter retreat into a thriving city, the Club grew alongside it. Members responded to urgent community needs by providing emergency assistance to the ill during wartime, establishing a “loan closet” for prosthetics and wheelchairs, developing plans for a medical clinic, sponsoring educational seminars, teaching local gardeners, and opening a book room that ultimately housed more than 7,000 volumes. These early initiatives played a foundational role in the creation of what are now cornerstones of our community: Naples Community Hospital, the Naples Garden Club, and the Naples Library.
In 1950, the Club purchased land off Fifth Avenue to build a permanent home. Our NWC Clubhouse at 570 Park Street, completed in 1951, holds a special place in Naples history—it once housed the city’s original library. That same spirit of stewardship continued when the Club’s first president went on to establish ‘Friends of the Library,’ ensuring ongoing support for literacy and learning.
Education has remained central to the Club’s mission. In 1954, the Naples Woman’s Club awarded its first scholarship to a nursing student. Since then, in partnership with the Collier Community Foundation, the scholarship program has expanded dramatically. In 2025 alone, the Club awarded 48 scholarships totaling $362,000, helping local students pursue careers that strengthen our community’s future.
The Naples Woman’s Club has continued to play an active role in addressing today’s most pressing needs. The Club helped establish Youth Haven, a safe home for dependent children, and last year Youth Haven was one of nine local agencies supported through grants totaling $160,500. These funds were directed toward critical initiatives including housing for homeless teens, mental health care for veterans, childcare for single mothers, services for abused and neglected children, and early detection of childhood glaucoma.
The 2025 grant recipients included:
- Youth Haven
- David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health
- A.N.A.’s Friends
- Fun Time Early Childhood Academy
- St. Matthew’s House
- Providence House
- Warrior Homes
- The Immokalee Foundation
- Florida Lions Eye Clinic
Our commitment to compassionate action continues in 2026. On March 12, the Naples Woman’s Club will host A Culinary Journey at The Maddox, an exclusive dining experience raising critical funds for Path2Freedom, an organization dedicated to providing safety, hope, and healing for child survivors of human trafficking.
For more than ninety years, the Naples Woman’s Club has given from the heart—and we invite the community to join us as we continue that legacy. Scan the QR code to learn more and attend this special event.