The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation recently announced that it has awarded $5.2 million in new grants to a variety of organizations. Second Heart Homes will receive $650,000 to expand long-term supportive housing for homeless adults with mental illnesses by buying one new home and providing matching funds toward the purchase of an additional home. The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation will receive $550,000 to support its CareerEdge Funders Collaborative and Opportunities for All program. Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness will receive $496,000 to strengthen the organization’s capacity. Project Prosper will receive $150,000 to expand its financial literacy, coaching and 0 percent interest loan programs for refugees and immigrants. Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County will receive $400,000 to expand its services to DeSoto County to help economically disadvantaged students. The University of South Florida Foundation will receive $250,062 for a pilot program to equip promising local teachers to serve as leaders and administrators. The Sarasota Children's Museum will receive $175,000 to enable the organization to launch a state-of-the-art mobile museum. Beyond the Spectrum will receive $300,000 to enable more families to receive specialized education, therapies and care for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The National Alliance on Mental Illness will receive $250,000 in capacity-building funds to expand its peer-led mental-health support services. The Safe Children Coalition will receive $750,000 for staff capacity-building to provide and expand child welfare services. The Manatee Community Foundation will receive $350,000 to help the foundation continue to increase philanthropic funding and initiatives. Asolo Repertory Theatre will receive $300,000 to implement its Big IDEA initiative, which is designed to broaden community participation in live theater and educational programs. Florida Humanities will receive $125,000 to support and expand its history, literary and cultural programming. Solutions to Avoid Red Tide will receive $350,000 to expand its Healthy Pond Collaborative.

Asolo Rep recently received a $1 million donation from longtime donor Mary Jo (Jody) Reston, who left the organization the gift in her estate. The donation will launch the second phase of Asolo Rep’s Capital Campaign, a plan to expand the Robert and Beverly Koski Production Center to include the construction of a new costume storage facility, which will be named after Reston.

Legal Aid of Manasota recently received a $100,000 donation from Palmer Ranch attorney and developer Hugh Culverhouse Jr. The gift was made after the Sarasota County Commission moved to cut $172,000 in funding to the organization.

Students at Bradenton's Visible Men Academy recently received a brand-new backpack packed with school supplies as part Coke Florida's Backpack Giveback, which will ultimately supply more than 5,500 students with backpacks and school supplies.