CHARITABLE FOUNDATION OF THE ISLANDS From left, Charitable Foundation of the Islands Board Chair Chip Roach, CFI Board Secretary John Morse, Shady Rest Foundation Vice Chair Dr. Jo Stecher, CFI Executive Director Dolly Farrell, foundation Chair Bob Murray and CFI Board vice Chair Lisa Riordan.

The Charitable Foundation of the Islands announced that the Shady Rest Foundation has established a fund — the Shady Rest Foundation Fund — to benefit older adults living or working on the islands.

“We are so honored to be able to give a monetary gift to CFI that is going to oversee distribution of funds to older adults who are in need,” foundation Vice Chair Dr. Jo Stecher said. “The dignity and respect older adults require and deserve is helped when they don’t have to make a request for assistance. If the help is offered to them, hopefully, this money will make the offers go out more easily.”

CFI reported that it will use the $50,000 donated to create the fund to award grants to nonprofit organizations that serve adults ages 60 and older who live or work on Sanibel and Captiva.

“The Shady Rest Foundation Fund is CFI’s first field-of-interest fund, which means the donors select an area they wish to support — in this case, the islands’ older adults,” Executive Director Dolly Farrell said.

The CFI Grants Committee will invite island nonprofits to apply and will select the recipients.

“The Shady Rest Foundation Fund is one example of how CFI can help individuals and organizations fulfill their philanthropic goals, addressing emerging needs and filling gaps donors see,” committee Chair Bob Wiesemann said.

Foundation Chair Bob Murray said board members visited the islands. They were impressed with the nonprofit organizations that they visited. In addition, some of what they learned surprised them.

“We didn’t know there were older adults on the island that needed support,” he said. “Our goal is to support elder care in various ways, with nursing care, health care, as well as to help them get out and socialize — whatever it takes to make their lives a little better.”