SRQ DAILY Oct 3, 2020
"Navigating the COVID-19 era is not so different than earlier moments in our history when we have been called to work together as a society to create purpose in a time of unknowingness."
Centuries before the invention of the compass and certainly satellite GPS, brave seafarers would gaze up at the stars for guidance as they navigated through unfamiliar waters, unknowingly – but decidedly - charting a course. Fast forward to the year 2020 and many in our community feel like they are in the same situation, cast adrift on a boat lost at sea having weathered the storm only to brace for the waves yet to come.
The realities conjured by this pandemic have weighed on our hearts like an uncharted ocean, whose size, depth and volatility we are only beginning to understand. While no map nor compass can serve as our only guide, we must trust the resources we have been given – and sometimes look to unexpected solutions. Together our community will navigate the unknown with confidence, discovering new shores, while keeping our eyes on the horizon in search of safe harbors.
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is here to provide some steady footing for organizations that are adjusting and innovating to care for our community.
Anticipating the long voyage ahead, we are welcoming nonprofits partners to take part in several new and reimagined grant programs that were recently announced to serve as markers in these uncharted waters:
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Longstanding needs in our community have only been exacerbated by the challenges of COVID-19, in some cases evolving beyond the scope of existing efforts. To address these changing needs, Community Impact Grants exist to empower local cause leaders to transform innovative ideas into effective programs and partnerships.
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Capacity Building Grants recognize that a nonprofit organization’s ability to meaningfully fulfill its mission is measured by its capacity to serve. In the face of constrained operations and unanticipated losses as a result of the pandemic, Capacity Building Grants provide nonprofits the ability to withstand emergency organizational needs while laying the groundwork for excellence in fundraising, leadership, communication, and evaluation.
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The call for equity and access to services has never been greater. Equity and Access Grants serve to promote educational and health care equity to those populations who face systemic barriers in our community. These grants touch geographically underserved neighborhoods, communities of color, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ communities, and single mothers, among other under-represented groups.
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Other opportunities are available at differing times in the year, focusing on Grade-Level Reading and Family Success, Strategic Partnerships, Animal Welfare, and Health Care.
Navigating the COVID-19 era is not so different than earlier moments in our history when we have been called to work together as a society to create purpose in a time of unknowingness. Philanthropy is certainly not the only guide for our community’s evolving response, but it is one of the many constellations that we know will be relied upon. A constellation that ensures our nonprofit partners are equipped with the resources and supports they need to address the needs of our most vulnerable while innovating their approach and capacity.
Roxie Jerde is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. 
For those of us involved in preparing students to progress in their education and life plan, the arrival of fall season signals the beginning of October, an important and busy month for high school seniors, their families, college-career and financial aid advisors.
Promoted as College Knowledge Month across America, October is when high school seniors start actively preparing for the next phase of their lives, including funding their postsecondary education.
“FAFSA” is the acronym we hear a lot at this time of year. The open application period for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened October 1. Throughout the month, a community collective effort will include financial aid advising and open houses, some virtual and some in person, to provide families and students with convenient resources and help.
The FAFSA is required to apply for Pell Grant dollars and other federal, state and philanthropic grants and scholarships that help pay for college, making it a critical first step for students to access financial aid that will help them pursue their postsecondary plans.
Even families that think they won’t need or qualify for financial aid are advised to complete the FAFSA to have in place as a safeguard against changing circumstances. In addition, some colleges and universities use the FAFSA in evaluating merit aid awards.
This year it is important to apply early. We know that many families’ financial situations have been adversely affected due to the pandemic, and they may need to budget additional time to submit adjustments and, if necessary, request a review by the college financial aid office. In addition to individual importance, a high rate of FAFSA completion is a welcome indication that students are progressing beyond high school. Last year, Sarasota County Schools won top honors in the large district category in a statewide campaign to increase the proportion of high school seniors completing the FAFSA for the 2019-20 school year compared to the prior year.
That means that 56.1% of Sarasota County public high school seniors completed the FAFSA by the end of June, a reason to applaud, but we want to remain mindful that more than 40% of seniors did not complete the form, which translates to lost potential funding for individuals.
Financial aid is especially important for students who are historically underrepresented in higher education—economically disadvantaged, minority and first generation to attend college.
Local financial aid nights and open houses are coordinated by PLANit Sarasota, the Local College Access Network comprised of a cross-sector group of education and youth services organizations and community partners. In addition to FAFSA help, students and their families can learn about Florida Bright Futures and other local and national scholarships.
PLANit Sarasota is a collective impact collaborative whose long-term goal is to increase the percentage of Sarasota County residents 25 and under who have obtained a high-value postsecondary certificate, degree, or training experience to 60% by 2030.
Along with emphasizing FAFSA deadlines, PLANit Sarasota organizers are encouraging students and families who may have experienced setbacks due to the COVID pandemic to keep looking forward and planning.
Persistence in planning and working through the plan is more important now than ever. Studies show that people with higher levels of education are more resilient and able to withstand unexpected upheavals in their lives and work than those with only a high school diploma.
We all know this year is different from any year before in memory of those living now, and educators are aware that the college matriculation and decision-making process have been turned upside down. It’s a lot for students and families to navigate on their own, and that’s why we are coming together as a community to offer streamlined, accurate information to help students and families obtain the “college knowledge” they need to make informed decisions.
Our dedication is to ensure that each student is prepared to be successful in life. We are committed to help students and families obtain the right information to make life choices like these.
Here are places to find resources and help:
PLANit Sarasota financial aid open houses: https://bit.ly/financialaidnights
LaunchYourPlan: www.launchyourplan.com
LaunchPad4U (the Education Foundation’s new community resource center): www.edfoundationsrq.org/launchpad4u
UnidosNow: email info@unidosnow.org to register for a FAFSA workshop
Reach Manatee (Manatee Local College Access Network): www.reachmanatee.com
Jennifer Vigne is the president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
Insects inhabit every domain of our daily lives, performing essential functions that balance our fragile ecosystem on Earth — functions that often go unnoticed because of their small size or scale. Now, using cutting-edge technology and custom methods that put tiny insects on a human scale, artist and photographer Bob Sober allows visitors to see the patterns, textures, colors and details that have always been present, but too small to appreciate in The Bishop’s newest special exhibition: Small Wonders: Insects in Focus.
Creating human-scale images of insects, with resolution so high that every hair, dimple and tiny structure is clearly revealed, was impossible prior to the technological advancements of the past 10 years. Now, Sober’s skills allow us to see the intersection of natural science and art in the smooth metallic finishes and heavily stippled textures, strange body shapes, delicate wing structures and beautifully engineered body components in this series of 30 images that will are on display in the Museum’s second-floor Rincon Gallery and throughout the Museum.
Small Wonders: Insects in Focus features 30 of Sober’s spectacular images and viewers will find themselves at the intersection of art and science. The exhibition, which is included in the cost of admission, is organized by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance and will be open at The Bishop through October 20.
The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W, Bradenton
Join Claudia Baeza, a Kripalu trained yoga instructor, for Yoga and Meditation on the loggias of the Museum of Art Courtyard for a unique opportunity to gently move the body and calm the mind. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road
The 20th annual Fall Class features 17+ Local Eateries Serving Up Awesome Tastes. Early Bird Tickets Available for $15 until they’re Sold Out and General Admission is $20. Tickets include all Food Tastings and Beverages are available at the Cash Bar.
Sarasota Event Center, 600 N. Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL
In the conservative heartland of Boise, Idaho, a most unexpected industry has emerged— commercial surrogacy. Here, 1 in 15 mothers (most of whom are Mormon or Catholic) will carry a baby for strangers who struggle with infertility, for gay couples, and single men from around the world. The local hospital St. Luke’s, runs the most comprehensive surrogacy program of its kind with a network of community, medical, and legal support. Made in Boise is an eye-opening rare glimpse into how this red state became the unofficial surrogacy capital of the U.S. and is redefining family in unexpectedly progressive ways. This surprising story is beautifully told and heart-warming at every level. Tuition: $15. Member: $10. Registration closes on October 10 at 12am.
Online.
Join Historic Spanish Point for incredible stories on the artists that shaped and influenced history around the world. We are proud to offer this art lecture series with Baila Miller as part of our monthly programming. Baila’s unique storytelling presentations will connect you to the art world in a whole new way. All presentations take place at Historic Spanish Point’s Visitor Center Classrooms. Tickets: $15 for Historic Spanish Point members and $20 for future members.
Welcome to Out of the Blue 2020 – a unique Live Online Event and Costume Contest supporting the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Throughout the month of October, you will have the opportunity to enter a picture of your best “BLUE” costume. On October 29th from 6:30-8:00 pm, NAMI will host a Live Online Zoom event emceed by entertainer Jonathan Cortez and featuring local artists and talent all in support of NAMI. Our evening will wrap up by announcing the Costume Contest winners with a “Best in Blue” winner in each category. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to have fun creating a “Bluetiful” costume along with an enjoyable – and safe – evening of entertainment.
After 47 years of teaching, Susan MacManus retired as Distinguished Professor Emerita of the department of Government and International Affairs at the University of South Florida-Tampa. She is author and co-author of over a dozen books and a sought-after nationally-known political analyst and noted commentator on state and national television news.
In the past, seniors have been America’s most dependable voters and were coveted by political can-didates because they historically voted at the greatest rate in elections. Nevertheless, the country has been undergoing an upheaval that has hard-ened political views and is causing the electorate to make decisions based more on personality than on political competence. Will the 2020 election bring unprecedented younger voters to the polls based on political issues, a trust of the principles of democracy, and a desire to see America regain its prominence in the world?
Called the “most-quoted political analyst in Florida,” Susan MacManus returns to Einstein’s Circle to share her experienced insight with us. She will talk about voting history, changing de-mographics in Florida, and what the numbers are telling us about the outcome of this very conten-tious race.
Online.
Taiwanese American violinist Max Tan has been praised as “eloquent” by the New York Times and as a “warmly rhapsodic player” by the Boston Globe. As a winner at Artist Series Concerts’ 2018 National String Competition, an alumnus of the Perlman Music Program and a member of the Sarasota Orchestra, Tan is a welcome and familiar presence on Sarasota’s arts scene. He has also been the recipient of numerous other awards, most recently the 2019 Foote Prize from the Harvard Musical Association. He has been featured on WNYC/WQXR and on Belgian radio Musiq3 as a semifinalist in the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition. He has performed as a soloist with many orchestras including the Juilliard Orchestra, New Juilliard Ensemble, Longwood Symphony, Boston Philharmonic Youth, and Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestras. Tan performs on the 1701 “ex-Franko” Stradivarius on generous loan from the Juilliard School. Pianist, arranger and conductor Joseph Holt is director of artist programs for Artist Series Concerts and artistic director of Choral Artists of Sarasota. Dr. Holt served more than 20 years as principal pianist with the United States Army Chorus, performing for U.S. presidents, military officials and dignitaries from around the world. Doors open at 10:30am and Luncheon following at 12:15pm. Tickets are $53.
Michael's On East, 1212 South East AvenueSarasota, FL, 34239
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