the following guest article was written by Kyle DeCicco, President & CEO, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank
What makes a community strong?
Certainly, a healthy economy and thriving businesses are essential. But the communities that endure are built on something deeper: people who care about their neighbors, support nonprofits and invest their time, talents and resources in strengthening the place they call home.
At Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, we believe being a community bank means being part of the community in every sense of the word.
It means understanding that behind every business is a person with an idea, a family depending on its success and employees who rely on that business to provide opportunities and support their families. It means recognizing that nonprofits provide critical services, address community needs and help strengthen the sense of belonging that allows our islands to flourish.
As a community banker, I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand what can happen when businesses, nonprofits and residents come together around a shared purpose. When a business supports a nonprofit, employees volunteer their time, or community partners come together around a common cause, those efforts build connections and momentum that benefit the community long term.
Since 2003, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank has invested millions of dollars in support of more than 400 charitable causes. But the true measure of community investment is not simply how much an organization gives. It’s what that generosity makes possible.
The aftermath of Hurricane Ian was a lesson in what belonging looks like. Businesses worked tirelessly to reopen. Nonprofits responded to critical needs. Residents, volunteers and community leaders stepped forward to help recover what was lost and begin rebuilding the islands we love.
Recovery required substantial financial resources, but it also called for trust, collaboration and a willingness to show up for one another. As difficult as that time was, it reminded us that the strength of our community wasn’t measured only by what was recovered and rebuilt, but by how people came together in the face of unimaginable loss.
That same spirit continues to shape our islands today.
Local businesses play a vital role, and their impact extends far beyond their products and services. Through charitable support, volunteerism, mentorship and civic involvement, businesses of all sizes help strengthen the fabric and character of our islands.
Business success and community well-being go hand in hand. The future of our islands depends on more than economic success. It depends on all of us continuing to invest in one another and in the islands we share. That spirit of generosity and shared responsibility is worth celebrating, and it’s what will continue to make our islands stronger for generations to come.
About the 2026 Generosity Breakfast
The Charitable Foundation of the Islands invites the community to its annual Generosity Breakfast on Monday, November 16, at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa. Centered on the theme Belonging: You Matter More Than You Know, the event will feature nationally recognized philanthropy speaker Lynne Wester, celebrate local Generosity Champions, and highlight the impact of CFI’s Community Impact Fund. Guests will have the opportunity to support the fund and help strengthen the future of Sanibel and Captiva.
Tickets are almost sold out! Learn more and reserve your seat here.
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