By: Charlotte Miller, Manager of External Affairs for Fort Myers and Naples, Florida Power & Light Company
Every day across southwest Florida, volunteers are powering strong communities. Consistent, hands-on service helps ensure families are supported, essential programs remain strong and local nonprofit organizations can continue serving those who depend on them.
Yet many organizations are being asked to do more with fewer hands. According to the Florida Nonprofit Alliance, about 40% of nonprofit organizations say they need more volunteers to meet current demand. Here in southwest Florida, that need is clear. With extra support, food banks like Community Cooperative can distribute more meals, youth organizations such as YMCA of Collier County can mentor more students, and community groups like Keep Lee County Beautiful can keep our neighborhoods and shorelines clean. But many still lack the regular volunteers they depend on to operate at full strength.
That’s why corporate volunteerism matters. After decades of working alongside nonprofit partners, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has seen firsthand how reliable volunteer engagement helps stretch limited resources and reduce operating costs. When volunteers return month after month, they become trusted partners who make it possible to plan ahead and meet growing community needs — whether during hurricane season, the holidays or throughout the year.
In February, hundreds of FPL employees participated in our 18th annual Power to Care Week, an initiative rooted in the belief that lasting impact comes from showing up consistently. In LaBelle, FPL volunteers rolled up their sleeves to help complete the new LaBelle Educational Garden to create a welcoming outdoor learning space for students and the community. That commitment continues throughout the year, as FPL volunteers contribute more than 55,000 volunteer hours annually working alongside hundreds of nonprofit partners, from preparing meal kits for seniors ahead of hurricane season alongside Community Cooperative and Collier Senior Center – Golden Gate to supporting programs that help families meet basic needs.
Strong communities aren’t built overnight. They’re built through steady, hands-on service – one hour, one skill and one project at a time – that lays a foundation of volunteerism that lasts for generations. As southwest Florida grows and faces new challenges, dependable volunteer support will be more important than ever to make our communities thrive.
On Feb. 18, 2026, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) volunteers, along with LaBelle Middle FFA Chapter, help complete the new LaBelle Educational Garden. Volunteers installed educational signage for foliage, hammock posts and a fountain and also landscaped the area and planted a new pollinator garden area — creating a welcoming outdoor learning space for students and the community. This project is in partnership with the City of LaBelle, Arts of the Inland Gallery, LaBelle Garden Club, National FFA Organization, LaBelle Middle School and Hendry County School District. Now in its 18th year, FPL’s Power to Care program reinforces the company’s long-standing commitment to powering strong communities making Florida an even better place to live, work and raise a family. This year, FPL’s Power to Care week consists of more than 30 projects led by hundreds of employees in over 10 counties across Florida.
