Fulfilling a promise: A.N.A.'s Friends grants 100% of requests in 2025
The Floridant/10329647

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Floridant -- A.N.A.'s Friends, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children in Southwest Florida who have been abused, neglected or abandoned, met the needs of all requests for support in 2025, as it has done for five consecutive years.

The nonprofit serves local youth with programs that help meet their basic needs, include them in normal childhood experiences and support them through critical developmental stages. In 2025, the nonprofit received 2,250 requests on behalf of children and fulfilled all of them.

"A.N.A.'s Friends exists to give vulnerable children a sense of normalcy, and thanks to our donors, board members and volunteers, we've been able to deliver just that to every child in our community who needed us," said A.N.A.'s Friends CEO Jessica Stanfield. "The need in our community continues to grow and we will work tirelessly to meet it for years to come."

One of A.N.A.'s Friends' largest programs, A.N.A.'s Comfort Closet, is dedicated to children's tangible needs like diapers, hygiene supplies, toys, books, clothing items, beds and more. The organization's other programs include Heartfelt Hangouts, group outings positioned to give children and teens fond memories of their childhood and connect with kids in similar circumstances, and The Children's Needs Program, a request-based program that supports immediate and long-term needs, covering the costs of clothing, tutoring, prom, graduation, therapies and other expenses.

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Among the more notable successes in 2025 were:

• Distributing 1,601 items from A.N.A.'s Comfort Closet
• Celebrating 423 birthdays with gifts to make children feel loved
• Providing 661 gift cards to purchase clothing for children and teens
• Supplying 471 beds for children in foster care or temporary living arrangements

Its mission is made possible by donations, volunteers and grants. During the holiday season, A.N.A.'s Friends' board of directors matched donations up to $25,000. In total, the year-end campaign raised $137,084, which supports abused, neglected and abandoned children in Southwest Florida through the organization's various programs.

Learn more about A.N.A.'s Friends by visiting ANAsfriends.org or calling 239-245-7787.

About A.N.A.'s Friends

A.N.A.'s Friends is a nonprofit organization that provides programs and services to vulnerable Southwest Florida children and teens who have been Abused, Neglected and Abandoned (A.N.A.). "Friends" of the organization includes individuals, businesses, foundations and nonprofits that collaborate through partnerships that provide a safer, more nurturing environment allowing youth to heal, grow and thrive. Originally founded in 1984, A.N.A.'s Friends is a United Way Partner Agency that serves youth in the dependency court system across Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. For more information, please visit ANAsfriends.org or call 239-245-7787.

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