Almost a decade ago, my son was the beneficiary of services provided by The Florida Center for Early Childhood. The nationally accredited nonprofit provides an array of comprehensive therapeutic services, clinical interventions, prevention and early education programming for children and families. It received its start in the late 1980s by generous donations from what is now called Suncoast Charities for Children. Dedicated community businessmen, including Ron Foxworthy, Hollis Tucker, John Stafford, Cal Erb and the late Gene Whipp, turned a passion for powerboat racing and helping children into more than $14 million and 73,000 square feet of donated facilities for similar services across Southwest Florida. The organization rents these spaces to area nonprofits for next to nothing, enabling precious programming dollars to be spent on children like my son. When we sought serv ices for my son, there was a large void in the availability of children’s therapeutic services, particularly in South County, that was being filled by The Florida Center as a result of the work of Suncoast Charities.