Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation Supports Hurricane Relief and Recovery with $1 Million in Gifts to Community Foundation of Sarasota County

Two matching gifts of $500,000 each support immediate needs and long-term recovery efforts from storm damage in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.

SARASOTA, FL – After the devastating impact of Hurricanes Milton and Helene, the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation has continued its longstanding disaster recovery support with two matching gifts totaling $1 million to address immediate and long-term community needs and inspire additional giving from caring individuals both near and far:

• A $500,000 matching gift towards Season of Sharing to provide immediate relief for residents in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. This gift, once matched, has the potential to raise a total of $1.2 million for Season of Sharing, which has a match in place from The Patterson Foundation, which contributes $100,000 for every $500,000 raised by the community.
• A $500,000 matching gift towards the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund to support long-term recovery throughout the region once emergency relief efforts have concluded.
  

"These storms have brought unimaginable challenges to our community, and we feel a deep responsibility to support both immediate recovery efforts and long-term rebuilding. By coming together, we can help those affected regain stability and rebuild their lives,” said Christie Jellison Mucha. “We hope these matching gifts inspire others to join in and make a meaningful difference for those in need.”

The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund was activated in the days leading up to Hurricane Ian’s historic gulf coast landfall in September 2022. With a focus on long-term equitable and holistic recovery, the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund prioritizes supporting human services, like childcare and youth programming, on which communities rely. It also targets underserved and vulnerable populations—people living in poverty, those with disabilities, and people living with mental illness—who often are disproportionately affected by community-wide crises. Investments through this fund typically begin months after a disaster strikes, once immediate recovery efforts have concluded, and service gaps and unmet needs can be identified.

The Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation was pivotal in fundraising in the initial days of the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, providing a $500,000 contribution with a match challenge that was quickly met, helping achieve $5 million in fundraising within weeks after Hurricane Ian’s 2022 landfall. Those dollars have been invested back into the community, helping minimize disparities in post-Ian outcomes and empowering families and individuals to regain stability.

The 25^th annual Season of Sharing fundraising campaign this year was activated in the wake of Hurricane Helene, more than a month earlier than it typically does each year, to help the thousands of lives disrupted by the damage of that unprecedented storm surge on our coastal communities. Hurricane Milton, with more widespread impacts, has only compounded the needs of our communities. Season of Sharing is a time-tested, trusted safety net that for 25 years has covered expenses like housing, utilities, childcare or transportation for people facing unanticipated expenses or loss of income. While it is not explicitly a disaster fund, many whose jobs have been placed on pause may find themselves without the resources to handle monthly bills. Others facing unexpected damage repair payments may similarly feel financially strained.

“These significant gifts will go such a long way in helping our community heal after the heartbreaking impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “We are grateful to the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation for their inspirational support of our community and continued help in disaster recovery. This generosity and trust in our Community Foundation’s stewardship of these funds provide a much-needed uplift to our community, allowing for a recovery with resilience.”

Donations to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund and Season of Sharing can be made online at cfsarasota.org/donors/support-our-community#donate or by sending a check (payable to Community Foundation of Sarasota County) to Attn: Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, 2635 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237. All donations are tax-deductible, with every dollar going directly toward our region’s needs.

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About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County: The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $489 million in more than 1,580 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $40 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $435.8 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.