First 1,000 Days Sarasota County is a collaborative initiative of 32 partners strategically led by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and facilitated by Bill Little, the former director of the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, The initiative has pledged to raise $1 million for a three-year pilot program to connect families in need to a system of care. The initiative will also proactively reach out to families with messages on the importance of prenatal care, early childhood development and the many resources available. In Sarasota County, 52% of babies are born into families living in poverty. These families often lack stable housing, food, healthcare, and other resources key to babies’ foundational physical, emotional and intellectual development. The initiative launches April 25 with an announcement at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Participating partners include All Faiths Food Bank, Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center and more.

First 1,000 Days Sarasota