The John J. Gorr Foundation of Manatee Community Foundation recently awarded $140,595 in grants to support children in Manatee County. The investments support children in foster care, students impacted by trauma, child abuse prevention, parent education, and early childhood education.

Grant awards included: $92,500 to the Sarasota YMCA’s Safe Children’s Coalition to fund more than two years of the coordinator position in Early Childhood Court, decreasing the time foster children remain in care; $9,795 to Manatee County Substance Abuse Coalition (Drug Free Manatee) to establish a website for Handle With Care, a program notifying the school system when a student has experienced a traumatic incident; $7,300 to the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee to provide Handle With Care/Trauma-Informed trainings for Pre-K childcare providers and support staff in K-12 schools; $9,000 to Forty Carrots Family Center for Partners In Play classes at Manatee County Libraries; $8,000 to Step Up Suncoast to provide books for young readers from low-income families; $9,000 to Parenting Matters for an evidence-based, in-home parenting education program focused on child safety, parenting skills, social supports, and positive decision making; and $5,000 to The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature for its new Mosaic Backyard Universe.

Manatee Community Foundation