Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards $286,000 in Grants to Strengthen Healthcare Assistance and Services

Grants support improves access to services for vulnerable populations and provide treatment for mental health needs in Sarasota County.

SARASOTA, FL – Complementing the many efforts underway to heal and recover beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has awarded eight local nonprofit organizations with significant funding to offer, expand, and enhance health care assistance directly to individuals in Sarasota County.

Through the generosity of the James Franklin Warnell & Dorothy J. Warnell Fund and other funds, grants totaling $286,000 have been invested in increasing access and use of services for vulnerable populations, particularly communities of color, immigrants, persons with disabilities, and single mothers. Crucially, nearly half of this funding will address the mental health needs of families and children by connecting individuals with treatments, therapists, and networks of support.

“A year of caring for one another during a global pandemic has reminded each of us how vital our physical and mental wellbeing is to living a successful and fulfilling life,” says Kirsten Russell, Vice President, Community Impact. “By reaching people who often aren’t able to receive the assistance they need to feel whole again, these programs are bridging gaps with much-needed resources and, in turn, helping build a healthier community for all.”

Programs Supported: Access for Vulnerable Populations and Treatment for Mental Health Needs

• Beyond the Spectrum
• Child Protection Center
• Englewood Community Care Clinic
• First Step of Sarasota
• Forty Carrots Family Center
• Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida
• Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast
• Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation

In the last two years, Health Care Grants have provided more than $587,000 to 20 local nonprofit organizations in Sarasota County. Open grant cycles are evaluated by a committee of community volunteers, staff, board, and local healthcare experts. The Health Care competitive grant cycle is offered annually.

Guided by the trust of the community for over 40 years, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $323 million to support causes impacting not only health care, but also education, animal welfare, human services, the arts, and the environment, among others. To learn more about Health Care Grants or view upcoming grant opportunities, visit www.cfsarasota.org/nonprofits/grants

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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 $421 million in more than 1,500 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $48.9 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 $323 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.