Bishop-Parker Foundation contributes $100,000 to Season of Sharing to provide post-hurricane relief to Manatee County

The gift will help Manatee County residents rebound from financial crises propelled by Hurricanes Helene and Milton

SARASOTA, FL – After the devastating impacts to Manatee County brought on by the back-to-back destruction unleashed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Bishop-Parker Foundation has announced a $100,000 contribution to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Season of Sharing to be directed to Manatee County residents in need.

“So many in Manatee County have had their lives turned upside down, and we believe that this investment in their short-term financial well-being will empower them to return to solid ground,” said Wendy Deming, CEO of Bishop-Parker Foundation. “This grant to Season of Sharing will help prevent rippling crises that are the potential outcomes of missed bill payments for many who live here. That stabilizes their lives and, in turn, can help safeguard our community.”

Many whose jobs have been disrupted, and others who face unexpected damage repair payments—or down payments on new lease agreements—may be financially strained, unable to afford basic necessities. Season of Sharing was initially conceived nearly 25 years ago to help people in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties rebound from setbacks with dignity.

All gifts to Season of Sharing are distributed to those in need in our four-county region and may be used for rent or mortgage assistance, utility bills, childcare, transportation, or other crucial expenses to help families restore a sense of security when it is needed most urgently. Every dollar contributed to Season of Sharing goes to those in need, with no administrative costs, so donors are assured that their gift makes the greatest impact.

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.

Manatee County was especially hard hit by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, with some neighborhoods destroyed, prompting new restrictions on rebuilding that comply with new FEMA guidelines, leaving many without the option of repairing or rebuilding their homes. Hurricane Helene caused an estimated $350 million in damage to property and climbing, according to reporting in The Observer, while Milton caused another $250 million in damage to homes and businesses, according to early estimates reported in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

“What has happened to our neighbors in Manatee County is heartbreaking, and this investment in their well-being and their ability to get back on their feet will go a long way in restoring the quality of life for the many individuals and families who have been impacted,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this generous gift and humbled, too, for the partnership among funders that is helping repair our communities.”

Donations to 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: Season of Sharing, 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.

About Bishop-Parker Foundation: The Bishop-Parker Foundation strengthens the Manatee County Community by providing financial support to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of individuals and animals. The Foundation achieves this by prioritizing funding in health, human services, education, the arts, environment, and animal welfare. Learn more at bishopparkerfoundation.org.