Embracing Our Differences (EOD) has been awarded a $25,000 Strategic Partnership Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The funds will support two key educational initiatives: $20,000 will be allocated to support Unity Day, an initiative designed to foster student leadership and empower young leaders to promote kindness, inclusion, and respect within their schools. The remaining $5,000 will support the purchase of books for EOD’s annual Bucket Fillers Reading Day, an event aimed at promoting empathy and positive behavior through literature. 

Satchel’s Last Resort Animal Shelter and Sanctuary hosted a Taylor Swift-inspired event to raise money for its medical fund; supporters donated to receive friendship bracelets themed to one of Satchel’s cats or dogs or their own pet. There were also Eras Tour-inspired shifts, a variety of raffle baskets filled with great items from theater tickets to dog toys. The event raised more than $24,000 and fundraising efforts were matched dollar-for-dollar, bringing the total amount raised to more than $48,000.

Developer and philanthropist Hugh Culverhouse Jr. has donated $50,000 as a matching challenge gift to Resurrection House, a day resource center for the homeless in downtown Sarasota. The nonprofit, based in the Rosemary District, has served the unhoused population in Sarasota since 1989. 

The Boxser Diversity Initiative was recently awarded $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support its 2024-25 discussion series, which features talks by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, scholars and community leaders. 

All Faiths Food Bank used $25,000 in grant funding from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to launch a summer food pantry pilot program in Newtown at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library.

In the wake of Hurricane Debby, Manatee Community Foundation partnered with donors to engage in relief efforts through generous contributions to its Disaster Relief Fund. Many nonprofit organizations in Manatee County affected by flooding received $40,000 Disaster Relief Grants, which enabled
them to continue to serve their clients.

Neal Communities has donated $8,000 to support community events this fall: Venice Vikings Pop Warner football; the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota County's Leadership Breakfast; the Pace Center Girls Believing in Girls Luncheon; and the Marine Corps Golf Tournament.