A $250,000 matching effort is underway to expand emergency assistance for Sarasota County residents as more families struggle to cover basic expenses. Sarasota attorney, businessman and philanthropist Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr. has established a dollar-for-dollar match to support Church of the Redeemer’s Culverhouse Benevolence Fund, which provides direct aid to individuals and families in the broader community facing financial hardship. The effort could result in $500,000 or more for essentials such as housing, utilities and food. The fund was launched with a $200,000 gift from Culverhouse during last year’s federal government shutdown, when disruptions to SNAP and other programs left many families without support. The new effort comes as demand for assistance continues to rise, driven by higher costs for housing, insurance, food and child care, along with income disruptions, the removal of government funding and broader economic uncertainty. 

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