Supporters help Southwest Florida Music Education Center open the doors of possibilities
The Floridant/10182835

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Floridant -- A cocktail reception at the Naples Yacht Club on April 5 launched fundraising efforts for the Southwest Florida Music Education Center (SWFLMEC), a nonprofit partnering with the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs of the Berklee College of Music in Boston to provide music education programs for musically talented, neurodivergent young adults. A call for community support raised more than $350,000 during the Fund-A-Need – more than triple the fundraising goal for the event – to help cover the costs of essential music equipment and student tuition assistance.

"We are so grateful for the generosity of the community to support the launch of this much-needed music center designed for talented neurodivergent musicians," said SWFLMEC Founder and Board Chair Rob Moher. "While this is a groundbreaking program for the Southwest Florida region, the music education center has even greater significance on a national level, as it will serve as the model for future programs across the country. This exciting event signifies the start of our fundraising efforts. To see the center reach its full potential and impact the lives of countless neurodivergent young adults requires the community to rally around our mission and help us get the word out about our life-changing programming."

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Since 2019, SWFLMEC has offered the community small-scale, low-cost collaborative music education for neurodivergent and neurotypical peers through a program entitled The Creative Group. This fall, the center will begin offering two-year and four-year post-secondary music certificates at Artis-Naples' Toni Stabile Education Building, focusing on core areas of musical skill development for students who learn differently than their typical peers.

Phase two of the project will include a new campus, student living center and dormitory. The SWFLMEC is currently seeking financial support to build the new music center and dormitory, including land purchase and campus development.

The reception to support the center was emceed by Jay Baker. The Fund-A-Need Committee included Jackie Cronacher, Barbara Lounsbury, Pam Marmaduke, Diane McGinty, Mia McKee, Anne McNulty, Marcia O'Neill, Nancy F. Seeley, Lynne Shotwell, Elizabeth Star, Jenny Sutton Sara Sutton, Elizabeth Swanson, Karen van Arsdale, Kathleen van Bergen, Rose-Marie van Otterloo, Carol Walter and Joanne Wyss.

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For more information about certificate programs or to support the project, contact Jennifer Clark at JenC@SWFLmusic.org or 239-205-8258 or visit SWFLmusic.org.

About the Southwest Florida Music Education Center

The Southwest Florida Music Education Center is a not-for-profit organization serving neurodivergent young adults with a strong interest in music.  For more information, visit SWFLmusic.org.