Pictured: Brandon Thrift and GCCF volunteers encouraged visitors to spread love at the Better Together event. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

The 1500 block of State Street in downtown Sarasota was transformed into a philanthropic celebration on Thursday, March 16th. Better Together, Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s outdoor, fun event brought donors, nonprofit partners, and community members of all ages together to celebrate collaboration, community, and connection.

The event featured free activities celebrating education, arts, health and human services, and the environment. Among many local partners who hosted a booth was local artist Brandon Thrift, known for his “Spread Love” artwork. Thrift invited visitors to collaborate on a piece of community artwork by decorating individualized hearts inspired by the work of renowned artist, Romero Britto, who uses vibrant colors and bold patterns as a visual expression of hope, dreams, and happiness. “This event was an automatic yes for me,” says Thrift. “I’m a huge fan of Romero’s work and I’m so happy to be sharing his inspiration in such a meaningful way today.”

Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Strategic Engagement Manager Kelly Borgia hopes that this Better Together event is the first of what will hopefully be many more like it. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate the collaboration and amazing things we can do when we work together,” she says.

Pictured: Brandon Thrift and GCCF volunteers encouraged visitors to spread love at the Better Together event. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.