ABOUT NAPLES ST PATRICK FOUNDATION, INC 501c3
A little over 40 years ago a group of fun-loving Neapolitans got together and decided to have a parade to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Through the hard work of many volunteers and the generous support of patrons like you, the Parade has prospered in the decades since. The Parade is now the largest privately-funded Parade in the state. It draws over 40,000 people to downtown Naples each year to celebrate Irish heritage and Irish culture in America. The Foundation has donated over $200,000 to local high school bands and scholarships in the last five years.
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BOARD MEMBERS
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
All of our Board Members are volunteers who give of their time.
OUR FOCUS
We are a volunteer group staging all St. Patrick’s Day activities and raising the money to support
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Music Programs
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Scholarships
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Raise Awareness
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Friend:
On behalf of The Naples St. Patrick Foundation, Inc., I invite you to attend and support Naples premier winter event the—49th Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade to be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025, beginning at 11 am. Our small group of local volunteers has once again been hard at work to bring the best Parade to you, your friends and your family.
Our Foundation continues to harness the power of the great annual event in order to meet our stated goals and honor our mission statement:
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Support high school music programs throughout Southwest Florida
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Provide College scholarships to deserving young students, and
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Increase awareness and appreciation of Irish culture.
We changed our business model in 2010 when we became a 501 ©3 non-profit foundation in an effort to better serve the community. Since then we have funded four-year college scholarships to deserving students from Collier County. We have also awarded grants to each of the high school bands that march in the Parade so that their music programs can continue to grow and develop. We are able to do this because of your interest and generosity.
As you may know, the Parade receives no public funding. Friends of the Parade can support the event through our website naplesparade.com
Finally, I invite you to our 49th Annual Flag Raising Ceremony at The Dock Restaurant at Crayton Cove at 9:30 am. This traditional and moving program honors our veterans and public safety personnel who will be featured along with color guards and impressive musical accompaniment. Join us for free coffee and Danish. This event is generously underwritten and supported by the Dock at Crayton Cove for providing refreshments every year.
Sincerely,
Kim Heaslip, President
Naples St. Patrick Foundation, Inc.
