FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 14, 2026) – A national sports tourism conference hosted by Lee County Government – through Lee County Sports Development in partnership with The Express Conferences – selected Family Initiative as its official community service partner for its January 2026 community service project.
As the conference’s commitment to community engagement, more than 90 professionals from across the country participated in a hands-on service project Tuesday, Jan. 13. The two-hour volunteer effort took place at Family Initiative’s Fort Myers site, located at Christ Community Church.
Volunteers assisted with painting projects, landscaping projects, reorganizing materials and supplies, and assembling sensory bags that will be distributed to youth affected by autism spectrum disorder through Family Initiative programs. These projects were selected to provide meaningful, practical support for local families while allowing conference attendees to give back to the community hosting the event.
“Partnerships like this show what’s possible when local government, national organizations and nonprofits work together,” said David Brown, president and co-founder of Family Initiative. “The time and effort these volunteers are giving will directly support children and families affected by autism and help create welcoming spaces for the people we serve. We are grateful to MGM Grand for their sponsorship of this event and support of Family Initiative.”
The volunteer project reflects a broader effort by Lee County Government and The Express Conferences to integrate community impact into large-scale sporting and tourism events, creating lasting connections with nonprofit partners and the communities they visit.
“We were happy to facilitate connecting participants in this sports-tourism conference with our community,” said Jeff Mielke, director of Lee County Sports Development. “We knew Family Initiative would be a good fit.”
To connect with Family Initiative, visit www.FI-Florida.org or follow at www.facebook.com/FamilyInitiative. To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters and follow on social media: www.leegov.com/socialmedia.
About Family Initiative
Founded in 2015, Family Initiative Inc. is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children with autism and strengthening their families. Its team of clinicians serves children through a compassionate, personalized approach using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Occupational Therapy (OT). The organization also offers autism play groups, teen meetups, parent education, and community conversations. In addition, Family Initiative provides training and support for child welfare caregivers through its Family Impact Program. For more information, visit www.fi-florida.org, follow Family Initiative on Facebook and Instagram at @FamilyInitiative, or on X (formerly Twitter) at @FI_Inc.
About Lee County Sports Development
The mission of the Lee County Sports Development Office is to attract and retain sporting events and activities that will provide economic stimulus through sports tourism. Learn more at www.leegov.com/sports/about.
