Moorings Park Foundation has donated $375,000, as well as a $25,000 grant, to the David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) in efforts to address the mental health crisis and to support uninsured and underinsured seniors in Collier County. These donations support Hope for Collier: Building Stronger Minds Together, a comprehensive campaign launched by DLC to address the mental health crisis in Collier County.
“We are absolutely thrilled, blessed, and honored to have the Moorings Park Foundation walk along with us as one of the first and lead gifts to the Hope for Collier campaign,” says Scott Burgess, CEO of DLC. “We just feel completely honored to have such a great organization that is willing to help us advance care in our community.”
With these funds, DLC will establish a 15-bed geriatric wing at the new Collier County Behavioral Health Center to provide essential services to seniors in crisis, offering 24-hour walk-in access, inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services and assessments, crisis intervention, and more by top-notch service providers. The wing is due for completion in the fall of 2026 and will be named after Moorings Park Foundation in honor of the generous donors across Moorings Park Communities.
“We are extremely grateful to receive this generous grant from the Moorings Park Foundation to ensure we can continue expanding crucial support for underserved seniors throughout Collier County,” said Kimberly Dye, Vice President of Advancement at DLC. “At DLC, we understand the unique life changes that can impact the mental health of our older population, including retirement, serious illness, physical changes, loss of a loved one, relocation and isolation. Positive mental health is essential to healthy aging and these funds will allow us to reach more vulnerable seniors in need.”
According to the National Council on Aging, up to 25% of adults 65 and older experience a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression. However, less than 50% of these individuals receive treatment. DLC recognizes this and provides unique services in the community, as there continues to be a growing need for services to support seniors.
For more than 55 years, DLC has been committed to ensuring behavioral health care is available to everyone in need through education, prevention, intervention, and treatment. DLC delivers care throughout the community through six distinct centers of operation, including mental health, addiction recovery, emergency services, awareness and prevention, virtual care, and children and young adults.
“Thanks to the generous contributions from our residents, the Moorings Park Foundation Wing at the new Collier County Behavioral Health Center will become a reality,” says Dan Lavender, President and CEO of Moorings Park Communities. “A place where our community’s vulnerable seniors can receive the specialized mental health care they need. This wing will represent hope; a place where seniors can regain their strength and reclaim their lives. To each and every donor who make this possible, thank you.”
Moorings Park Communities is a nationally accredited, Medicare-certified, non-profit retirement living provider and one of the only senior living organizations in the country with A or A+ ratings by Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings. Moorings Park Foundation focuses on three avenues of service: partner, resident, and community support. From educational and community grants to scholarship awards and life-changing resident programs, Moorings Park Communities continues to achieve excellence through the generosity of individuals who choose to help advance the mission of philanthropy and charitable giving. For more information, please visit Moorings Park Communities’ YouTube channel or the Moorings Park Foundation website.