The DOie reveal

Share this post!

One of our favorite events of the year—the Doing Good Together reception—kicked off this year in Naples on Tuesday, February 20, at Grey Oaks Country Club.

The receptions, held in each region we serve, are a way to thank our volunteers, donors and community partners. They say it takes a village to raise a child. We loved spending time with our Naples “village.” There were donors, community partners, church partners, host families, mentors, job coaches, resource volunteers, even a Super Volunteer (more on that later). As always, we recognized a few standouts for their incredible dedication.

However, we changed up the awards this year to be a bit different—and a whole lot more meaningful. We wanted the award to mean as much as the support you all give to the families we serve. So this year, we introduced the DOie awards. That’s “do,” as in the recipients are doing good. In the tradition of prized baseball cards, we commemorated the contributions of our Naples community through eight DOie awards, each card featuring images from our work together and a personalized quote.

This year’s DOie award honorees in Naples are:

Host Family of the Year
Dr. Abby & Isaac Fuller and their children, Noelle and Troy
The Fuller family welcomed a 4-year-old boy into their home so his parents could get treatment. In addition to providing him a safe and loving home, they registered him for pre-K, potty trained him and welcomed him into their family like one of their own.

Mentor of the Year
Francine “Kip” Courtemanche
Kip has helped multiple parents navigate difficult seasons as a mentor. She gives the parents encouragement and helps them accomplish their goals, step by step.

Church Partner of the Year
Calvary Chapel Naples
Pastor Aaron and the people of Calvary Chapel have been a strong supporter of the Better Together mission. At Christmas, they collected so many toys and gifts that delivery required two trips.

Community Partner of the Year
Project HELP Naples, Vaneza Gonzalez
Better Together and Project HELP worked together in hosting an outreach event in Immokalee in 2023. We gave out diapers, wipes and clothing for the kids. Plus, we were able to offer additional resources to 20 families.

DCF Partner of the Year
Daniel Ramos
Daniel Ramos went above and beyond for families, helping with referrals, transportation and more. His support has helped many families gain the support they needed.

Doug Campbell Generosity Award
Moon Bae Chung
Moon Bae Chung has been a longtime supporter of the Better Together mission and has a great desire to make sure no parent struggles alone.

Super Volunteer of the Year
Carol Norkus
Resource volunteers do the co-called “little” tasks that allow host families and mentors to help vulnerable families. Carol has done so much for our families, from baking cookies to recruiting gala sponsors, that she has had a big impact.

Staff Appreciation Award
Jessica Braemer
Jessica embodies the culture of Better Together. She embraces our families with love and gratitude and lives every day to be the hands and feet of Jesus.