Good News Friday: Good Deeds - Sept. 11, 2015
Habitat for Humanity is breaking ground on the second home sponsored by FCCI Insurance Group at 9:30 a.m. next Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 5225 Venture Ave. in Sarasota. Through the Community Contribution Tax Credit Program, FCCI donates funds and pledges to provide a minimum of 200 hours of volunteer labor during the construction of the home. Itsr first home sponsorship was complete in June 2015; FCCI employees provided more than 400 volunteer hours.
Keep Sarasota County Beautiful’s 2015 International Coastal Cleanup is gathering volunteer groups to help collect litter at locations throughout the county from 8 a.m.-noon next Saturday, Sept. 19. Individuals, community organizations, youth groups and neighborhood associations will be participating at locations in Sarasota, Laurel/Nokomis, Venice, Englewood and North Port. Venues are filling up fast, and KSCB is still seeking volunteers in a few south county locations. To register, visit scgov.net/kscb or call the Sarasota County Contact Center at (941) 861-5000.
The Humane Society of Sarasota County, 2331 15th St. in Sarasota, is offering a reduced adoption fee to all firefighters, police and veterans today and tomorrow, Sept. 11-12. Adoption fees for dogs over 40 pounds will be reduced to $40 with I.D. or proof of service. The fee includes a comprehensive medical exam, vaccinations, spay or neutering, deworming and microchipping. HSSC is also partnering with JDub’s Brewing Company, 1215 Mango Ave. in Sarasota, from 1-3 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 12 for an adoption day event.
Forty Carrots Family Center received a $10,000 grant from the Kates Foundation in support of its programs providing parenting education and mental health services to teen parents and their children at Riverview and North Port high schools. Forty Carrots’ program fosters healthy relationships between young parents enrolled in Sarasota County Schools’ CYESIS Teen Parent Program and their children, strengthening the parent-child bond and reducing the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast’s Decisions to Win program has been awarded $7,500 from the Kates Foundation and another $500 from the Michael Saunders Community Foundation. In Decisions to Win, an adult mentor from the community works one-on-one with a high school student in a focused, intensive course consisting of an 18-lesson workbook on personal decision-making. Ninety-five percent of the students who complete the program graduate from high school.
Designing Daughters of Sarasota has launched its fall 2015 grants process to benefit local nonprofits. Once recommendations are received, all nominated nonprofits will be asked to submit a formal grant application requesting up to $5,000 for a tangible need, program or project of its choosing. Designing Daughters of Sarasota grants, which are netted through fund-raising events throughout the year, will be presented to recipients at a granting ceremony in winter 2015. For more information, visit designingdaughterssarasota.com.
The Fresh Market is continuing its partnership with the No Kid Hungry Campaign this September with its third annual Cupcakes for a Cause event. Beginning today through Sunday, Sept. 27, shoppers can make a donation to No Kid Hungry by purchasing paper cupcakes at The Fresh Market’s checkout counters with a minimum $1 donation. On Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27, stores will host a cupcake decorating event from 1-6 p.m. For a $3 donation, shoppers can decorate and take home bakery cupcakes. The Fresh Market will donate 100 percent of the money raised to No Kid Hungry, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $150,000. More information here.