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SRQ DAILY Jan 17, 2018

Wednesday Philanthropy Edition

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Wednesday Philanthropy Edition

"Frankly, what's motivating this working group is this is morally the right thing to do."

- Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast Community Foundation
 

[Philanthropy]  Leaders to Unveil Rapid Rehousing Initiative
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Community leaders say a new venture will create a more efficient way to get individuals off the streets and into permanent housing. Philanthropic leaders this morning will announce a $1-million investment in rapid rehousing for those defined by Housing and Urban Development as chronically homeless. Foundations will fund a new partnership with St. Vincent de Paul CARES, a social services agency based out of St. Petersburg and the largest rapid rehousing provider in Florida. 

The effort expects to pull 135 individuals now living without homes in Sarasota County and get them set up in apartment units scattered throughout the region. The rehousing initiative will target chronically homeless, defined by Housing and Urban Development guidelines as those living continuously in homeless conditions for a year or those with some disabling condition who have four episodes of homelessness over three years.

Ed DeMarco, CEO of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homeless, hopes the program will be the “tipping point” in managing chronic homelessness. This new venture means additional dollars and manpower to find the chronically homeless and move them into housing. Then, case workers will provide “wraparound services” from skills and job training to alcohol and drug rehabilitation. 

The approach aims to make more meaningful progress in ending homelessness. “Everyone has been doing good work for years,” DeMarco says. “It’s not a matter of effort. It’s a matter of focus.” This launch happens as a taskforce for the Suncoast Partnership makes a renewed effort at addressing homeless populations in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Michael Raposa, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul CARES, says the new program intends to remove as many barriers as possible to individuals, especially those who may be ineligible for other social services. “You don’t need to be clean or sober. You don’t need a job,” he says. “This is a holistic approach to ending homelessness for this client.” 

Jon Thaxton, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s senior vice president for community investment, says the new effort represents the culmination of a year of dialogue between independent sector and government leaders. The new program, which will provide access points throughout the county, builds on the success of local law enforcement Homeless Outreach Teams. The HOT teams in the city of Sarasota and in Sarasota County reach out directly to homeless individuals to connect them with social services. Thaxton says those teams, along with recent contracting by the city of emergency shelter beds at the Salvation Army, make housing the next appropriate component.

Raposa says the goal of rapid rehousing will be to get individuals into apartments within 30 days of accessing the program, though he noted it could take time to reach that level of efficiency. A similar effort by the organization in Pinellas County over the years has cut rehousing times from about 60 days in 2012 to about 33 days now. St. Vincent de Paul CARES currently offers rapid rehousing services in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk and Pasco counties, serving a 3,500-square-mile area already.

The $1-million investment in this new program draws from an investment by an anonymous donor to the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. A $500,000 donation from that individual is being leveraged with another $500,000 being contributed by donors to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Thaxton expects the program will benefit far more than those chronically homeless individuals now living in Sarasota County.

“I cannot tell you how many hours of work are invested in this partnership,” Thaxton says. “This issue (homelessness) has a demonstrable impact on our local economy, creating a deterrent to doing business downtown. It’s amazingly costly to law enforcement, the judicial system, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, other healthcare providers. We are spending tons of money, and it’s a recurring thing every year.

“But frankly, what’s motivating this working group is this is morally the right thing to do. You have individuals with the most suffering, debilitating illnesses, continuing on a path toward decline, and this is a moral intervention.” 

[Season of Sharing]  The Verge of Homelessness
Brittany Mattie, brittany.mattie@srqme.com

Humble beginnings of this foundation created by The Herald-Tribune and The Community Foundation in 2000 has since expanded notably. Now operating in four counties including Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto, growing well beyond what any community of our size has supported in the past.

Season of Sharing began as an annual fundraising campaign with a simple notion to help the less fortunate in our community. Gaining impressive strength over the past 18 years with the collaboration of multiple media partners and participation of generous donors, has proven it’s become a force to reckon with, breaking down unforgiving barriers to reestablish the premise of the American Dream. Thousands of families meant to thrive through hard work, resilience, and resolve are instead hindered by unexpected life happenings and the economy. As bills pile up, many find themselves living under the threat of homelessness struggling to get by. A recent study shed light on Americans all over the U.S. of which half of are only $1,000 away from becoming homeless, affecting everyone from foster kids, to college students, to veterans and retired seniors. Dialing in to this region, the threat of homelessness is mind-boggling high due to weakened recovery from factors such as the Great Recession and natural disasters. But despite the statistics, Season of Sharing proves one overriding fact- this community genuinely cares about its neighbors.

“It’s evolved to become a community safety net protecting families and individuals ever having to lose the place they call home,” says Murray Devine, Community Foundation Communications and Marketing Manager

The Community Foundation provides grants directly to nonprofit agencies, where local services make sure they’re getting into the right hands and getting distributed to those in desperate need of financial assistance for rebuilding their lives. These funds may be used rent/mortgage, utility bills, child care, transportation, medicine, groceries, and any other crucial expenses prohibiting someone from getting back on their feet. The forefront concept perpetuating Season of Sharing’s success is its focus on being preventative as opposed to actionary. Research shows that it’s eight times more expensive and difficult to get someone homed after being homeless vs. preventing it from ever happening in the first place. In other words, spending $1 to prevent a family from losing their place to live is a much better return than spending $8 to get a homeless family off the streets and back into housing.

Season of Sharing with its sheer locality bandwidth has managed to raise over $2 million with 3,000 gifts received, supporting more than 2,800 people’s quality of life in just last year’s run. And according to Murray, 85% of recipients never have to return again for help.

Still, the urgency of their goals have only intensified, demonstrating that every citizen and organization must be part of solution to effectively make use of our community resources. The campaign will continue to address the needs of those most vulnerable and endure the human capacity to give year-round.

About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County: The Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of over $333 million in more than 1,400 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling more than $33 million dollars this past year in the areas of education, health and human services, the arts, animal welfare, and the environment. Since our founding, more than $217 million has been invested back into the community through grants and scholarships.
 

For more information.

[Exec Moves]  Sarasota County Commission Names Lewis County Administrator

The Sarasota County Commission voted unanimously yesterday to name Jonathan Lewis as Sarasota County Administrator. Lewis, who has been with Sarasota County since April 2017 and served as interim county administrator since December, will be paid $195,000 annually under the terms of the contract approved during today's regular board meeting. Lewis previously served as assistant county administrator since April 2017. Before that appointment, Lewis served as North Port City Manager since May 2011, and as Deputy City Manager of Palm Bay, FL, from August 2004. He also served as the Assistant Town Manager and Assistant to the Town Manager for the Town of Belleair, FL. A married father of two, Lewis is a credentialed manager and full member in good standing with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), where he previously served as president of the Florida chapter. Additionally, he's served as President of the Space Coast Public Management Association and the Suncoast Chapter of the American Society of Public Administration. Lewis currently serves as the chair of the ICMA Governmental Affairs and Policy Committee. 

Sarasota County Government

[Expansion]  Sarasota Memorial Moves Forward on Cancer Program

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is moving ahead with plans to develop a comprehensive cancer program with premier facilities that will offer services across the entire continuum of cancer care—from prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment, to follow-up care, survivorship and support. The Sarasota County Public Hospital Board today approved $220 million to begin the first two phases of the “destination” cancer program to serve a growing number of cancer patients in southwest Florida. The initial phases of the master plan include building a new cancer inpatient and surgical tower on Sarasota Memorial’s main campus and a state-of-the-art outpatient radiation treatment center on its campus at University Parkway. A third phase that is not yet scheduled involves building a new cancer pavilion with a full complement of outpatient cancer care services on Waldemere Street, across from the main hospital, as well as extending the programs and services to SMH’s Laurel Road campus in south Sarasota County. Hospital leaders will spend the coming weeks evaluating and ranking architects, engineers and general contractors to design and build the first two facilities simultaneously over the next two to three years. SMH plans to host several community workshops and neighborhood meetings in the coming weeks to discuss plans with interested community members and residents who live in nearby neighborhoods, as well as begin meeting with city and regional planning officials. 

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

[Government]  Sarasota County Releases 2017 Annual Report

Sarasota County has released its 2017 Annual Report, which offers a comprehensive look at the county's most important projects, initiatives and accomplishments. The report focuses on how local government works for the taxpayer, while serving as an overview of how tax dollars are being spent. Citizens can view the report online at the following link, or pick up a copy at county offices or county libraries beginning this week, while supplies last. For more information, call the Sarasota County Contact Center. 

Sarasota County Government

[Expansion]  Players Centre Approves Sale of Current Property

On January 16, 2018, the board of directors of The Players Centre for Performing Arts approved a contract for purchase to sell the current property located at 838 North Tamiami Trl. in Sarasota. The terms of the cash offer are confidential; however, the negotiated amount was higher than the listing price of $9,500,000. The buyer wishes to remain anonymous. In 2016, The Players Centre listed its downtown location with Ian Black Real Estate and announced plans to build a state-of-the-art facility in the center of the Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch, approximately nine miles from the current location. The new facility will include a 480-seat main stage auditorium with balcony seating, a 125-seat black box theatre, a 100-seat cabaret theatre with dining and will be the main campus of The Arnold Simonsen Players Studio, the education arm of the organization. The Players is currently negotiating with the Tableseide Restaurant Group to manage the restaurant in the new complex. The Players is in the process of forming a “transition team” to assist with vacating its current property in the summer of 2019.  A temporary location for the 89-year-old organization is currently being sought in Lakewood Ranch until Phase 1 of the new theatre in the Waterside Place is completed. 

The Players Centre for Performing Arts

[Exec Moves]  McCann Joins Sarasota Facial Aesthetics

Sarasota Facial Aesthetics has announced that Sue McCann has joined the practice as a Partner and Certified Aesthetic Provider. McCann joins Sarasota Facial Aesthetics in continuing to provide non-surgical facial aesthetic, skincare, laser and body contouring services and treatments for patients. With decades of medical experience, McCann has maintained a strong local following due to her proven track record of providing and maintaining a natural look in client's appearances. McCann has been selected by leading Medical Aesthetic Companies, Allergan and Galderma, to train physicians, PAs and ARNPs on injectable products and treatments. A board-certified nurse practitioner, member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Nurses Association (ANA), McCann earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of South Florida where she was inducted into the prestigious International Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing. 

Sarasota Facial Aesthetics



[Best Of SRQ Local]  Cast Your Vote For Best Local Furniture Store!

“We always seem to end up at Home Resource.” — Barbara Carey. Everyone has that their Favorite Furniture Store when shopping for new items to spruce up their home- last year readers voted in both Blu Home & Home Resource for the top stop. What’s your favorite furniture store? We want to hear from you, so cast your VOTE in the 2018 Best of SRQ Local Competition today! 

Vote Here!

[TODAY]  PERFORMANCE: SWAC Speaker Series , January 17, 6:30PM

The Sarasota World Affairs Council Lecture Series is a collective of local discussions on world issues. It will continue in January with Raymond Baker. Baker is an author, businessman, and CEO who will be speaking at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion on global financial integrity. More specific topics which will be covered include how dirty money affects less-developed countries, human rights abuses, and economic inequality.  

Mildred Sainer Pavillion, 5313 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL 34243

[SOON]  THEATER: Singin' in the Rain , January 18 – February 4, 2pm or

Don Lockwood, with humble roots as a musician, dancer and stuntman, must navigate his movie studio’s transition into “talkie” production. Lockwood falls in love with Kathy Selden, the lovely back-up singer dubbing over the tone-deaf Lina Lamont. A classic love-battle ensues and will determine who shall have their happy ending, as if audiences don’t already know.

The Players Centre for Performing Arts, 838 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

[SOON]  FOOD: Nosh & Knowledge , January 23, 7:00PM

Join the Jewish Housing Council Foundation over dinner on January 23 at Michael’s on East for the conclusion of Nosh and Knowledge. Investigative journalist and author, Carl Bernstein, will be here to share his experience reporting on the Watergate scandal with Bob Woodward as well as participate in audience Q & A. 

Michael’s On East, 1212 S East Ave Sarasota, FL 34239

[SOON]  MUSIC: Amadeus , January 24 – January 27, 5:30pm, 7:30pm, and 8pm

The maniacal and quirky music prodigy stereotype exists for a reason. From Mozart’s impishness to Schubert’s obsessive work habits, this presentation explores the intriguing and outrageous stories behind many of the best known musicians and composers. Guest conductor Stefan Sanders will be joined by operatic tenor Jason Collins and Principal Bass John Miller.

Holley Hall, 709 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

[SOON]  THEATER: Native Gardens , January 24 – March 25, 2pm, 3pm, 7pm or 8pm depending on day

When lawyer Pablo and his pregnant wife Tania move into a new house next to Frank and Virginia, two members of the community, a dispute over a longstanding fence spirals out of control into a battle of comical proportions. Clashing on everything from taste and privilege to accusations of entitlement, when a molehill becomes a mountain, nobody wins.

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota

[SOON]  BUSINESS: SB2 Luncheon: State of the Region and LOCALPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS , January 25, 11:00am-1:00pm

Join SRQ Media for the next installment of the 2017-2018 SB2 Luncheon Symposia series with SB2: State of the Region on Thursday January, 25 2018 from 11:00am-1:00pm at The Francis, Downtown Sarasota. Local experts will explore the economic link and symbiotic relationship between entrepreneurship and tourism in the Sarasota and Manatee region. The luncheon will culminate with the presentation of the SRQ LOCALPRENEUR OF THE YEAR awards honoring area trailblazers whose initiative and business savvy are helping our region grow.

Guest Panelists include: Elliot Falcione, Executive Director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau; Virginia Haley, President of Visit Sarasota County; Mark Huey, President and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County; Brian Mariash, Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor of Mariash Lowther Wealth Management; Jeff Mayers, General Manager of the Resort at Longboat Key Club; Rick Piccolo, President and CEO of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

Tickets are $65/per person, which includes a mouth-watering plated lunch provided by The Francis. Reserve your spot online at SRQSB2.COM

The Francis , 1289 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236

[SOON]  DANCE: Dance Makers –12th Annual concert , January 25 – January 28

Sarasota Contemporary Dance's annual concert featuring imaginative dance pieces by internationally acclaimed contemporary choreographers.

Jane B Cook Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: A New Beginning , January 25, 10:30 AM

Join Selah Freedom for the Fifth Annual "A New Beginning" Fashion Event on January 25th. The event will feature a runway show showcasing stunning fashions, a champagne luncheon, sip & shop, and inspirational survivor stories.

Selby Five Points Park, 1331 1st St Sarasota, FL 34236

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: Moving Identities , January 26 – January 29, 2pm and 7:30pm

Opening with another company premiere, Paul Taylor’s Airs kicks off the night with a beautiful and flowing performance that showcase the choreographer’s passion for modern dance and ballet. Following Airs, Sarasota Ballet Resident Choreographer Ricardo Graziano brings the return of his Valsinhas, which premiered in 2013.  

Sarasota Ballet, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: Northside Hollow , January 26 – March 11

Trapped underground after a deadly collapse, a coal miner finds his salvation in the arrival of a young and inexperienced first responder. While they wait for additional rescue assistance, they discover they have a curious amount in common. As the men confront mortality, their connection may unearth a deeper revelation about acceptance and spiritual refuge. For more information please visit www.urbanitetheatre.com for show times and tickets.

Urbanite Theatre , 1487 Second Street, Sarasota

[SOON]  MUSIC: Dance Makers 12th Annual Concert , January 27, 7:30PM

Join Sarasota Contemporary Dance for their annual concert featuring imaginative dance pieces by internationally acclaimed contemporary choreographers. Performances will be held at FSU Center for the Performing Arts and continue for several nights. 

Cook Theatre at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Trl Sarasota, Florida 34243

[SOON]  MUSIC: Tango!! , January 28, 3pm

All the way from Buenos Aires, Latin Grammy-winning pianist and composer Pablo Ziegler celebrates the tango in all its forms in an intimate chamber music setting. Ziegler brings his own compositions, as well as works of tango legends such as Ángel Villoldo, Gerardo Matos Rodríguez and Ástor Piazzolla, for whom Ziegler served as pianist for many years and iconic recordings. 

Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice

[SOON]  GALLERY: My Sarasota , February 1 – March 9

An illustrator, graphic designer and former student of the great Paul Rand, John Pirman unites influences from modern architecture and Swiss design to pop culture and old posters of the WPA for his own distinct, minimalist and symbolic style. See vibrant illustrations of Florida life, as well as Pirman’s own renderings of various pieces of modern architecture.

ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

[SOON]  FESTIVAL: The Theatre Odyssey 6th Annual Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival , February 3 – May 5

View eight ten-minute plays selected for full production from the many submitted each year to this annual contest. Adjudicated by theater professionals, cash prizes will be awarded for the first place winner and runner-up.

Cook Theater, 5555 N Tamiami Tr., Sarasota

[SOON]  SEMINAR: SWAC Speaker Series , February 6, 6:30PM

Join the Sarasota World Affairs Council for a series of high–profile foreign affairs lectures covering current international issues ranging from foreign intelligence to peace negotiations to immigration and trade. This month, President and CEO of the Rachel Carson Foundation, Doctor Robert Musil will discuss the social responsibility of sustaining the planet for future generations and global climate change. Each lecture is followed by a wine and cheese reception for members. 

Mildred Sainer Pavillion, 5313 Bay Shore Rd Sarasota, FL 34243

[SOON]  THEATER: Shakespeare's Greatest Hits , February 7 – June 10, Varies by day

"Brush Up Your Shakespeare" with the best of the Bard. This tongue-in-cheek musical revue is a collection of songs inspired by the world's greatest playwright. From relevant to irreverent, from soulful to sinful, from "Get Thee To A Nunnery" and "Othello's Rap" to "What A Pieve of Work is Man" and "Tonight." 

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota

[SOON]  THEATER: Rhinoceros , February 7 – April 14

A biting absurdist satire from Eugene Ionesco, a seemingly normal man wakes up, goes to work, drinks too much and flirts with his coworker, when normalcy is shattered by the thundering arrival of a full-grown rhinoceros. As the townsfolk transform into horned beasts around him, this man must contemplate the temptation and tragedy of following the herd. Directed by the Tony Award-winning Frank Galati.

Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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