Middle school volunteers with Community Youth Development's SRQVolunteen program recently chose literacy as their community service focus and have taken part in activities that they hope will improve the literacy rates of Sarasota’s youth. On June 22, the teens took over “Storytime” at the mid-Sarasota Barnes & Noble. After reading to preschoolers and assisting with arts and crafts, the SRQVolunteen class held a book drive to benefit Forty Carrots Family Center, collecting more than 45 books. On June 27, the SRQVolunteen participants read these books to preschoolers at Forty Carrots and then donated the books to the school.

Single mothers will receive free parenting education and mental health services, thanks in part to a $12,500 grant from the Edward K. Roberts Fund at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.  The services will be provided through Forty Carrots Family Center’s Free Community Outreach program.

Dr. Helen Jelks King and the Jelks Family Foundation recently awarded $5,000 to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast. The gift will help support land protection projects, community education and arts and environment programs.

Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida and Goodwill Manasota are partnering with Junior League of Sarasota to host the “Little Black Dress with Pop!” luncheon and fashion show from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, July 22. The event will feature Junior League role models wearing little black dresses selected at area Goodwill retail stores and then embellished with a pop of color, with the help and creativity of local Girl Scouts. 

The Suncoast Center for Independent Living in Sarasota will celebrate the 26^{th a}nniversary of the Americans with Disability Act with An Affair to Remember at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, at the Potter Building, Sarasota Fairgrounds, 2896 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. 101 Mobility will receive the organization's ADA Empowerment Award for their charitable work to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Manatee and Sarasota counties.