The Sarasota is a fast-growing nonprofit that helps city’s mentally ill homeless population of adults get off the street and back on their feet by securing them housing and self-sufficiency to reenter society. Unlike many other organizations, Second Heart Homes provides permanent and transitional homes, daily supportive services and skill-building workshops tailored to clients’ individual needs. 

County Judge Erika Nikla Quartermaine recently joined Second Heart Home Inc.’s board of directors, announced by board Chairman David Welle. "We are honored to welcome Judge Quartermaine to the Second Heart Homes board,” said Welle. “Over the years, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to helping the community, especially with mental illness and how it is handled in the judicial system. We are excited that she chose Second Heart Homes to help us improve quality of life for our clients while reducing homelessness and its impacts on community resources.” Quartermaine, a Sarasota native who has helped create local court programs aimed at reducing homelessness, will serve on a board that includes Welle, Kurt Bonner, Jim Doyle and Leslie Travis.

“As a judge, I have come to recognize that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to helping homeless people with mental-health issues,” Quartermaine stated. “Second Heart Homes has an innovative, individualized approach to addressing the complex needs of this vulnerable population. As a board member, I would like to help the organization replicate its model on a larger scale.”

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