Southworth is strongly committed to supporting causes surrounding our private club communities. We want to honor the causes our members and teams hold most dear—where we can make tangible impacts on the lives of those around us. Our community-specific initiatives fill this very important need.
Our members are incredibly philanthropic, and we are passionate about providing them opportunities to give back to the communities they love. Over the years, Southworth has raised more than $20 million in support of various community organizations and causes, many focusing on creating positive impacts for children. In addition to financial support, we proudly support local community initiatives, such as volunteer days—including for Habitat For Humanity, hosting of high school golf teams for play and practice, and providing access for local youth to learn the game of golf.
Our community support initiatives such as Willowbend Gives and Creighton Farms Gives are driven by members and designed to support worthy causes in surrounding communities. Individual tax-deductible donations are pooled into a common fund throughout the year and then distributed at year’s end. We offer guidance and support from a corporate standpoint, but members make the ultimate decisions on selection of organizations and the allocation of funds raised.
Special events at each club—such as charity golf tournaments or benefit dinners—are held to generate funds for specific organizations or community needs. Some of these are recurring events that are part of the particular club’s social schedule and have become highly anticipated, high-profile events—continually growing in both member participation and the amount of funds raised.
When unexpected needs arise in the community, our members are there to step up and offer support. Whether it is a natural disaster or some other immediate crisis, our membership mobilizes to help—from giving financial support to local relief organizations to supporting club employees who have been personally affected by the crisis at hand.
These are just a few of the ways our club communities have built stronger connections to their local areas. We are proud of the results they have achieved and look forward to them growing even greater impacts in the future.
Started in 2012, the Creighton Farms Invitational, hosted by Jack Nicklaus, is one of a handful of elite golf tournaments created by Mr. and Mrs. Nicklaus to benefit the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Since its inception, this event has raised almost $13 million for the Foundation and other children’s health care charities.
Following Hurricane Dorian which devastated the Abaco Islands in 2019, including areas near The Abaco Club owned by Southworth Development, the company launched the Abaco-Winding Bay Relief Fund—a 501c(3) organization. Members, including Joe Deitch and other corporate leadership, raised more than $3 million dollars to help evacuate and house displaced staff and their families and to help Abaconians with assistance for housing, transportation, clothing, medical needs, therapy and more.
In 2022, Willowbend, a community within the Southworth community portfolio, launched Willowbend Gives. This member-driven philanthropic initiative aimed at better connecting the Willowbend membership to the local community and raising awareness around the many incredible charitable organizations and causes on Cape Cod. The Deitch family has committed to a 100 percent match on contributions up to $100,000. In 2022, the amount raised was $78,000.
Formed in 1825, the Kintyre Club was created by Glasgow businessmen to dispense welfare and educational aid without discrimination to all who deserved it. It remained in existence for more than 125 years, and was brought back in spirit when The Village at Machrihanish Dunes created a new club with the same name. Just like the original Kintyre Club, 100% funds raised from the club’s social and sporting events are donated to Kintyre-area charities, supporting children, family and community—with a focus on education and sports. To date the Kintyre Club has distributed over $83,000.
