Forty Carrots Family Center celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and is recognizing local supporters and community partners who have helped the agency serve more than 40,000 families in Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

Founded in 1993 by longtime residents Betsy Kane-Hartnett and Diane Weiss, Forty Carrots Family Center blended their respective skills of early childhood and parenting education and vision to create a place where families—regardless of economic status, educational background, age, or other factors—would find the resources, tools and support they needed to help nurture their families, educate their children and overcome the challenges inherent in those early years. Over the past two and half decades, the organization has worked to meet the needs of families, collaborating with community partners to expand their outreach services, which include mental health and programs, into dozens of area libraries and community organizations that serve families with young children, pregnant teens, parents, grandparents and at-risk families. Today, Forty Carrots provides services to 17 nonprofit partners at 30 partner locations, including all Sarasota and Manatee Libraries, with 93% of services provided at no cost.

Forty Carrots Family Center