With Teacher Appreciation Week starting on Monday, teachers have been on our mind even more than usual – and how we can do more for them. Last fall I wrote here about teachers (and consequently students) paying the ultimate price of Sarasota’s housing crisis. But a fresh take on mixed-use development could offer faculty and staff an affordable place to live in our top-rated school district. 

Sarasota County Schools currently employ nearly 5,800 people who serve more than 46,500 students, making the district one of the county’s largest employers.  With the current average Sarasota County teacher salary at $68,428, and the minimum starting salary at $57,500, affording a Sarasota lifestyle is certainly a barrier in recruiting new teachers and retaining experienced ones. Support staff for public schools - food service providers, custodians, bus drivers and others - often earn less, with starting wages between $31,000 and $46,000 a year. 

At the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Affordable Housing Summit last fall, a report showed 73% of local employers said a lack of affordable housing has severely impacted recruitment and retention and Sarasota County Schools are no exception. 

Spearheaded by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, the Center for Innovation and EduDwell Living would provide affordable housing for district employees while also placing those residents in close proximity to a program hub offering resources and services for students, families, community partners, and teachers. Located in the heart of downtown Sarasota, the facility would operate within a qualified opportunity zone and within three miles of several Title I schools, making it easier for families in need of program resources and services. 

“This project is an innovative step toward improving Sarasota’s housing stock and student achievement,” said Sen. Joe Gruters. “I’m glad to support a project that helps Florida’s current and future workforce succeed.”

Both Sen. Gruters and Rep. Fiona McFarland see affordable housing as an issue that needs to be addressed and have sponsored local funding initiative requests this legislative session for the project to support the early design and development stages. As proposed, the project would bring 82 affordable, workforce, and attainable housing units online, from 23 studio apartments renting for as little as $1,056 a month to three-bedroom units for $2,352. That matters, as the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Sarasota County is $1,859. 

As more funding becomes available through Resilient SRQ, HUD’s disaster recovery block grant for Sarasota County, this project addressing housing and economic/workforce development priorities is a shovel-ready, perfect fit. If fully funded, construction could begin as early as August, with doors opening by the end of 2028. 

Completion will require an all-in effort—galvanizing support from the Florida Legislature, county government, individual philanthropists and foundations. This is a true public-private partnership, and everyone has a role to play.

Many experts agree that the teacher shortage could have more serious consequences than workforce shortages in nearly any other field. Data shows teacher vacancies have a direct, detrimental effect on student learning. Without qualified teachers, classrooms simply don’t progress the same way.

With state and county funding, private donors, and partnerships, we can work together to meet bipartisan educational and workforce development goals. If realized, this project could yield tremendous benefits for the educators shaping Sarasota County’s next generation.

This Teacher Appreciation Week, show your teachers the love they deserve – and let’s think about what more we can do to show them how important they are to this community. 

Jennifer Vigne is the President and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. 

Pictured: The Tuttle Turtles, the team from Tuttle Elementary School, showed up in full force for last weekend's Education Foundation Ringling Bridge Run. Provided photo.

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: The Community Foundation of Sarasota County will host its 10th online giving day next year from noon to noon, April 15-16. For 24 hours, our community will once again come together to support the incredible nonprofit organizations across Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.

It’s amazing to think about the first Giving Challenge in 2012, when we raised $2.4 million for 107 nonprofits over 36 hours. Fast forward to 2024, and our community rallied to raise a staggering $17.2 million in just 24 hours, benefiting 724 nonprofits. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of individuals like you, the Giving Challenge has become one of the top 10 largest giving days in the country, according to The Foundation Review, a publication of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University. Since 2012, our generous community has raised more than $92 million in unrestricted funding for organizations that play a critical role in our region’s health and vitality.

Each Giving Challenge is a celebration of the nonprofit spirit and the generous hearts of everyone who participates. For 24 hours we get to witness the generosity of tens of thousands of people whose caring nature makes our community unique. During the 2024 Challenge, more than 50,000 unique donors made more than 90,000 gifts.

One of the most powerful aspects of the Giving Challenge is the 1:1 match offered by our longtime partner, The Patterson Foundation. Since the beginning, The Patterson Foundation has contributed nearly $37 million to the Giving Challenge. The Patterson Foundation will continue this tradition in 2026, matching all unique donations up to $100 per donor, per nonprofit, with no limit on the number of matches an organization can receive. This means your gift has double the impact and you can be the one to make a difference in our community.

During the 2024 event, four amazing donors joined what we have coined “The 100% Club”—people who have fully maximized their giving power by donating $100 to each of the participating 724 nonprofits. Their donations resulted in $144,800 worth of support per donor after the match. Stories like these are a powerful reminder that every gift matters and that together we can accomplish incredible things.

But the Giving Challenge is about more than just fundraising. In the months leading up to the giving day, participating nonprofits will have access to free trainings and workshops designed to help them strengthen their outreach, build collaborations and fine-tune marketing strategies to amplify their impact. It’s a full-circle approach to community building—empowering organizations not only with dollars but with tools for long-term success.

Registration for the 2026 program will begin in fall 2025. Nonprofits interested in participating will be able to find registration details and training opportunities at givingchallenge.org later this year. An active profile in The Giving Partner, an online directory of nonprofit organizations, is required for eligibility. 

The countdown to April 2026 starts now, and I couldn’t be more excited. I hope you’ll join us in making this 10th Giving Challenge our biggest and most impactful yet.

Kirsten Russell is Vice President of Community Impact, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County. 

In Sarasota County, we know that the arts are more than performances or exhibitions, they are lifelines for connection, imagination, and transformation. That’s why we at the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County are thrilled to invite you to Perspective. Practice. Place., a special summit on arts, community, and creative leadership taking place Wednesday, May 21, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Sarasota Opera House.

This is not your typical afternoon gathering. It’s a chance for all of us—artists, educators, cultural advocates, and curious community members—to come together and reflect on how creativity continues to shape our lives, especially during times of challenge and change.

At the heart of this event is a belief we at the Arts Alliance hold deeply: that the arts are a powerful force for unity and resilience. They give us space to reimagine, to heal, and to lead. And when we gather with open minds and shared purpose, we unlock the collective spirit that defines our region and strengthens it for the future.

We are honored to welcome Deborah F. Rutter as our keynote speaker. Deborah is a visionary in every sense of the word. Her historic tenure as the first woman to serve as president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts redefined how institutions serve their communities and support artists. Her leadership has been grounded in authenticity and the courage to innovate, and I know her insights will challenge and inspire us all.

As Deborah shared with us, “The arts and those who create welcoming environments for artists to share their extraordinary talents are vital to the health of every community.” We couldn’t agree more. Sarasota County has long been a place where creativity thrives, and this summit is our moment to ensure it continues to do so, for everyone.

Our program also features outstanding local voices who are driving meaningful change through their work:

• Maria Schaedler-Luera will explore how participatory arts can be a catalyst for social connection.
• Marty Hylton will speak to how design and architecture help us navigate a changing world.
• Angelica Hull will give a much-needed look at arts funding and the cultural landscape here in Sarasota.

Alongside thought-provoking conversations, attendees will enjoy live performances and interactive experiences that reflect the vibrant pulse of our arts community. And after the summit, we’ll continue the dialogue during a casual social hour in the Opera House lobby from 4:00 to 5:00 PM.

This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Ringling College Town Hall, two partners who share our belief in the power of the arts to transform lives.

We hope you’ll join us. Because when we gather, listen, and imagine together, we build something far greater than the sum of our parts, we build momentum for a more connected, inspired, and creative future.

Visit SarasotaArts.org/event/perspective-practice-place for details and tickets.

Let’s keep building this community, through perspective, through practice, and in place.

Brian Hersh is the Chief Executive Officer of the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.  

Pictured: Join the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County for an inspiring afternoon exploring the powerful intersection of creativity, community, and civic engagement.

To learn more, visit

At All Faiths Food Bank, we have always relied on the compassion, time and energy of our volunteers. They are the lifeblood of our operations and the heart of our mission to end hunger in our community. But this summer, the need for volunteer support is more urgent than ever.

Recent cuts to federal nutrition programs and challenging state-level policy decisions have left significant gaps in the safety net that many local families rely on. From reductions in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to delays and barriers in accessing summer meal programs for children, we are seeing a sharp and distressing rise in the number of people turning to the food bank for help.

Already, our food distributions are increasing, and summer hasn’t even begun. With schools closing soon, tens of thousands of children in our area will lose access to free and reduced-price meals — often their most reliable source of nutrition. Meanwhile, seniors and working families who are already stretched thin by rising costs are now facing even tougher choices about whether to pay for food, housing, medicine or utilities.

Our dedicated team works tirelessly to meet these needs, but we cannot do it alone. Volunteers are essential to our mission. We understand that summer is a time when many people travel, and our usual volunteer base shrinks. But hunger doesn’t take a vacation. From May through September, we will need at least 800 volunteers to fill approximately 12,000 hours at mobile pantries and other food distribution events. 

That’s why we’re asking you to become a “Hunger Hero” this summer.

Much of the volunteer work needed over the coming months involves helping at our outdoor mobile food pantries in the sweltering Florida heat. We know it’s not easy work. But for those who step up, the reward is immeasurable: knowing you helped feed a child, a senior or a struggling family during one of the hardest times of the year.

Volunteering at All Faiths Food Bank isn’t just about sorting or distributing food — though those tasks are crucial. It’s about restoring dignity to someone who may not know where their next meal is coming from. It’s about building a stronger, more compassionate community. It’s about standing up in the face of policies and politics that often leave our most vulnerable neighbors behind.

Last year, more than 3,000 volunteers gave over 54,000 hours to help feed our community. We are deeply grateful — but we must do more.

If you have the time and the heart to help — even just once — we urge you to sign up. Whether you're a student looking to make a difference, a retiree with a few extra hours, or a business group seeking to give back, your service matters.

Visit allfaithsfoodbank.org/volunteer to learn more and sign up. Your time is a gift that helps ensure no one in our community goes hungry.

Nelle S. Miller is the President and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. 

Pictured: All Faiths Food Bank volunteer Stacy Hanan during a recent food distribution Photo by Harry Sayer.