The Patterson Foundation Seeds Local Efforts for Hurricane Helene Immediate Relief and Long-Term Recovery with Community Foundation of Sarasota County

The Patterson Foundation’s gifts highlight the importance of strategic recovery in our community support

SARASOTA, FL – With Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic impacts on Sarasota and Manatee counties’ barrier islands, The Patterson Foundation has initiated major support for two initiatives managed by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County:

1. The Patterson Foundation will activate its challenge match of donating $100,000 for every $500,000 raised by the community for Season of Sharing to help provide a financial bridge for those displaced from their homes or facing disruptions from work.
2. The Patterson Foundation will seed the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund with an additional $100,000 to help support long-term recovery efforts led by local nonprofits in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene.

These gifts come just weeks after The Patterson Foundation seeded the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund—initially established as a response to Hurricane Ian’s catastrophic impacts—with a separate $100,000 gift, signifying an evolution of the fund to support disaster responses beyond any one storm or moment in time.

Season of Sharing, which typically kicks off annually at the beginning of November, is actively fundraising now to help ensure that impacts to those whose livelihoods are put on pause are as minimal as possible. A trusted, time-tested safety net for nearly 25 years, Season of Sharing covers expenses related to housing, utilities, transportation and childcare to help avoid compounding financial setbacks that can be the result of a missed payment. It is anticipated that the hospitality industry will be disrupted across the region; this is a jobs sector that employs more than 70,000 individuals in Sarasota and Manatee counties in accommodations, food service and retail. As with any disaster, many in our region require swift assistance. Those in need should call 2-1-1 to be directed to support from Season of Sharing and other services.

“Long-term recovery is essential to helping our communities recover with resilience, but we also have neighbors in need of immediate relief and support following one of the most severe catastrophes of their lives,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “The Community Foundation affords donors a pair of effective, proven avenues to make a lasting difference in the short- and long-term. The Patterson Foundation is grateful for their holistic approach to disaster recovery and privileged to support both initiatives.”

A holistic approach to disaster response

The $200,000 combined contribution to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund from The Patterson Foundation, a longtime philanthropic partner of the Community Foundation, builds upon the lessons learned locally during the last two years of recovery since the Category 4 Hurricane Ian caused $115 billion in damage across the state of Florida.

The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund is specifically focused on supporting vital community resources of those living here, including emphasis on mental and behavioral health, legal services, case management, children and youth services, as well as efforts identified by Long Term Recovery Groups within Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. Such efforts include rebuilding and repairing homes, along with replacing damaged furniture and appliances, all of which makes homes safe and livable.

“We are grateful for the ongoing and critical support of The Patterson Foundation in ensuring our region’s complete recovery is thoughtfully executed,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund provides assurance that there will be support available long after more conventional resources have been allocated.”

All contributions to this fund will be dedicated to long-term recovery efforts, which tend to be identified in the months following an event like a hurricane after initial emergency and short-term disaster response and relief efforts have concluded.

According to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, there are four stages of disaster response:

• Response and Relief
• Reconstruction and Recovery
• Preparedness
• Resilience, Risk Reduction and Mitigation

“Communities across the Suncoast will face significant challenges in the days, months and even years ahead as they recover,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “Our previous experience with Hurricane Ian highlighted the need for a strategic approach to strengthening community recovery efforts based on long-term needs, many of which aren’t revealed or fully understood until long after a storm of Helene’s size has passed.”

Donations to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund or 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 or Season of Sharing, 2635 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237. All donations are tax-deductible.

###

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 The Patterson Foundation: The Patterson Foundation strengthens the efforts of people, organizations and communities. The Foundation focuses on issues that address common aspirations and foster wide participation, along with ways organizations learn and share as they evolve. For more information, please visit www.thepattersonfoundation.org.