The organization operates a Thrift Shop and a Summer Camp for youngsters. It is involved in many ad-hoc activities to help the community, especially those in the lower economic brackets.

Reach Out Everglades also helps families in crisis. The area relies on seasonal fishing and tourism so emergency financial aid is often needed during the lean times to meet household bills or to face unexpected expenses.

The full title of the association reflects the part played by the Sheriff's department. C.O.P.S. stands for Community-Oriented Policing Service, a national program sponsored by the U. S. Department of Justice. Click here to read more.

Our local deputies attend meetings and hear about the problems that have come to our attention. Conversely, they often advise us of families who are undergoing legal hardship or have been victims.

Reach Out Everglades was started in 1996 by concerned citizens.

Their first project was to help a family repair a roof. They moved on to providing Christmas gifts for children whose parents could not afford them, an activity that still takes place.

The corporation gained 501(c)3 not-for-profit charitable status in 1999. It serves the remote areas in southern Collier County, Florida, comprising Everglades City, Plantation Island, Chokoloskee, Copeland, Lee Cypress, Jerome, Deep Lake, and Ochopee.