Community Foundation of Sarasota County Celebrates 40 Years of Community Impact

SARASOTA, FL – The Community Foundation of Sarasota County will kick-off its 40^th Anniversary on November 6^th with a celebration honoring the donors, nonprofit organizations, and local professionals who have partnered with them over the years to create lasting impact across generations.

The celebration will feature keynote speaker, Diane McFarlin, Dean of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications and former Community Foundation Board Chair, who will recognize the Community Foundation’s accomplishments, notably the 20^th Anniversary of Season of Sharing, a community-wide campaign that empowers neighbors to help neighbors avoid the threat of homelessness.

During the celebration, the Community Foundation will retrace its 40 years of community impact, from its founding by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council in 1979 to the present. In recognizing its history, founding members J. Ronald Skipper and Russell Natherson will be in attendance, as well as former Community Foundation staff and leadership. The Community Foundation will also posthumously honor another key founding member, John “Jack” Shea, who passed away early this summer.

“Anniversaries are unique moments in an organization’s life, pauses that encourage reflection on what has come before and excitement for all that lies ahead,” says Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “For 40 years, the Community Foundation has united people and organizations to create opportunities for families across generations to improve lives and create lasting impact. We look forward to strengthening that legacy for many years to come.”

To learn more about the Community Foundation’s 40 years of community impact, visit their website to view a comprehensive timeline at www.cfsarasota.org/about/history-of-community-impact.

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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 $418 million in more than 1,500 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $21.5 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 $274 million to area nonprofit organizations to our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.