Commitment to Community: Kelly Caldwell and Tidewell Foundation

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | Photo by Nancy Guth | January 2023

R.G. “Kelly” Caldwell Jr., President and CEO of Caldwell Trust Company, learned about the power of philanthropy early in his career. Even prior to launching Caldwell Trust, one of his mentors came to him and said Kelly needed to support Suncoast Foundation for Handicapped Children, which runs the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix among other fundraising events. Kelly said, “We’re not even open yet!” but his mentor replied, “It’ll be good for you. It’ll set the right tone.”

“We did, and it WAS good for us,” Kelly admits with a beaming smile. “It’s the way our directors approach everything—give back to the community that gives to us. We want to be great community partners.”

While Kelly and Caldwell Trust support a number of charities, they have a special relationship with Tidewell Hospice. “No one wants to be a Tidewell Hospice client, but the reality is that a lot of our clients become their clients, too,” he says. “From the start, they’ve been a great partner to work with and not just because of what they do for our clients. We have directors and senior staff members who are very active in their foundation. It’s just a natural step for us to partner with Tidewell Foundation. It fits us in every way.”

One of the philanthropic trends Kelly notes is how clients get more active at the end of the year. At that time, people look back to see how they’ve done financially. When they’ve done well—as many Caldwell Trust clients do—they feel a certain obligation to share their good fortune, so end-of-year gifts tend to be frequent and generous.

People have been especially generous as well in terms of addressing the damage and challenges caused by Hurricane Ian. “Communities are stepping up to help out by giving money and their time,” Kelly says. “The other day, I met some Pennsylvania Mennonites in Arcadia who were helping out by fixing houses and clearing downed branches. They said, ‘It’s just what we do.’ You hate to see the damage caused by the hurricane, but something like that really brings out the best of every community. Anything we can do to support those efforts; we try to do.”

Kelly points out that we’re lucky to have many nonprofit giants that make a massive difference in our community. The Venice YMCA is one, he says, having been involved for 30+ years in their efforts to guide and encourage youth to reach their potential. “They have to be one of the geographically largest YMCAs—they own the territory from Sarasota down to—but not including—Naples. How is that possible? It’s because they run themselves so well.”

A second organization that impresses Kelly so much is the Boys & Girls Club. That’s an organization he knows well since he attended it as a kid. He has fond memories of roaming the beaches and clearing away trash with other members. “It helped mold me into who I am,” he says. “Over in DeSoto County, there’s nothing much for children, so the Sarasota Boys and Girls Club is out there building a new facility, and the YMCA is talking to them about helping out. We have the best charities here.”

Another giant is Tidewell Foundation, which provides philanthropic support to Tidewell Hospice and the not-for-profit Empath Health affiliate organizations in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, DeSoto, Lee, and Collier Counties. “As the CEO of a trust company, to know that Tidwell Hospice takes care of our clients who need service and that they take the burden off spouses and families at this most vulnerable time.  It’s unbelievable. That’s the type of partner you want to see succeed, because it’s exactly what our clients need. The services are irreplaceable.”

He’s also uniquely qualified to talk about how they handle donations. “They’re a very well-run organization. They’re excellent stewards of donated money. They don’t waste it.” 

One of the questions that Kelly asks of any potential new employee is “What do you support?” which he follows up with “Why do you support it?” and “How can we help you?” Clearly, a philanthropic spirit is part of the core culture at Caldwell Trust, where employees serve as board members and volunteers for various organizations that are making a difference right here in our own backyard. “Our clients go to events for the charities they’re involved with, and they see our people in leadership roles. We’ve also introduced our clients to many charities, and they’ve become involved.”

When Caldwell Trust Company served as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2021 Tidwell Signature Luncheon, Executive Vice President Jan Miller gave the introduction, saying, “All of us at Caldwell Trust have a deep connection for the mission of the Tidewell Foundation and Tidewell Hospice. The mission of brightening lives, providing hope and compassionate care for thousands of local families each year is so important to the fabric of our community. Having been involved with the organization as a volunteer board member and donor, and as board chair, I know firsthand that Tidewell Hospice provides exceptional care to families in our region. Tidewell’s commitment to mission, commitment to providing world-class care, commitment to tackling any challenge that stands in the way is so inspiring to see.”

Kelly agrees, adding that “we give our support where our people are. Quite frankly, I don’t know how you can be a good trust person if you don’t have deep empathy for people. And if you have empathy for people, you just want to give back.” 

FOR MORE INFORMATION on the Tidewell Foundation, please visit www.tidewellfoundation.org or call 941.552.7546