Collaboratory invites you to Fall Night Market
Public invited to learn more about Collaboratory, its resident partners and participate in International Literacy Day with FutureMakers Coalition
Collaboratory is inviting the public to their fall themed Night Market from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8 at Collaboratory’s campus at 2031 Jackson St. in downtown Fort Myers.
This Night Market will feature live music by The Line Up Band and local entrepreneurs, innovators and Collaboratory resident partners, such as FutureMakers Coalition. FutureMakers Coalition aims to transform Southwest Florida’s workforce by increasing the proportion of working-age adults with college degrees, workforce certificates, industry certifications and other high-quality credentials to 55 percent by 2025.
To recognize International Literacy Day, FutureMakers Coalition will spotlight their Reading Support Initiative to improve third-grade reading scores and are seeking partners to join the effort.
“According to TheFloridaScorecard.org, only half of Florida’s third graders are reading at grade level and this continues to decline,” said Mike Martin, Interim President & CEO at Collaboratory. “We must be a part of the solution and invest in building a workforce of tomorrow.”
There will be activities for learners of all ages, including the Lee County Library Bookmobile and special guest storytellers. Building Talent Foundation and Patty’s Place will also be onsite to connect with attendees.
Food trucks and vendors include Vesuvius Wood Fired Pizza, Caritos Gourmet Empanadas, Forever Grounded Coffee, Southern Snoballs, The Dawg Pound, Brookes Nugget Wagon, Flying Eagle Kombucha, Dynasty Guacamole and more.
Retailers on site will include Amorist Jewelry, Love Muffins, Wajoli African Wear, Chaotically Copeland Creations, Henna Magick, Groovy Growing, Willow & Hitch, The Adventuring Nerd, The Herb Appeal, SummaVitaLinx, Sugar High Cotton Candy, Jayce’s Freeze Dried Candy Shack, Citrus Circus, Personalized: by Lilly, Rabbit Paws – Art and More, Wild at Heart Flower Truck and more.
To get involved with, or donate to, FutureMakers’ Reading Support Initiative, contact Kaleigh Rodden at krodden@collaboratory.org. Anyone interested in participating as a partner vendor can email Stacey Mercado at smercado@collaboratory.org.
To R.S.V.P. please visit collaboratory.org/events.
About Collaboratory
Collaboratory is committed to coordinating the solving of all of Southwest Florida’s social problems on an 18-year deadline including homelessness, poverty, mental illness, illiteracy and more. We plan to do this with the entire community working together including people of all ages, colors, beliefs and imaginations across all five counties. We’re committed to coordinating all of this on a massive scale, in the way NASA coordinated the hundreds of thousands of businesses, universities, institutions and people to get us to the moon in nine years. We’re not oblivious to people saying this is ridiculous, insane and crazy but we’re driven by the inspiration of all those great figures in history who have come before us to achieve things no one ever thought remotely possible. Steve Jobs’ observation sums it up for us: “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” We’re building the largest, most democratized living laboratory for community problem-solving in history.
Collaboratory was founded in 1976 as the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. It has made over $100 million in grants since then and is home to more than 400 philanthropic funds. It is upon that legacy of a commitment to community we plan to fulfill on that mission at the level of its greatest expression. As Collaboratory, we will finish what we started.
To learn more and get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit collaboratory.org.
Source: Collaboratory