Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Board Grants $6 Million to Strengthen Community’s Resilience and Well-being

February 22, 2021 – Sarasota

Recent funding from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation focuses on supporting early learning needs, strengthening mental health supports, and building equitable pathways to education, healthcare, and legal services. Funds will also support the economic recovery of local arts organizations.

“Addressing the systemic issues that impact generations of families requires sustained focus and effort,” says Teri A Hansen, president and CEO of Barancik Foundation. “We are optimistic that the investment of these resources will lead to a brighter, more resilient community.”

Catalyzing Early Childhood Development and Education

The earlier the investment, the greater the return — this is Barancik Foundation’s philosophy on the life-changing importance of investing in early childhood development and education. Grants totaling $1,035,000 have been awarded to boost efforts to support infant and early childhood services.

Grantees include: First 1,000 Days Sarasota, The Florida Center for Early Childhood, and Children First.

Strengthening Mental Health Supports

2020 has shaken us all, but its effects have been especially hard on students and families with trauma and mental health challenges. Funds totaling $964,926 have been granted to strengthen key health and human service agencies that are on the front lines of navigating families through crisis. Funding will also aid children dealing with grief after the loss of a loved one.

Grantees include: First Step of Sarasota Inc., National Alliance for Mental Health in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, and Tidewell Foundation.

Widening Horizons for Teachers and Students

As they persevere through the pandemic’s many challenges, our schools and educators are more critical than ever. A total of $767,767 in funding has been granted to bolster programs that promote student success and provide teachers with the tools and training they need to be superheroes in the classroom. Funds will also be used to recognize extraordinary teachers and expand efforts to strengthen the pipeline of aspiring educators in our community.

Grantees include: Sarasota County School District, Impact Florida, Embracing Our Differences, State College of Florida Foundation, and Florida State University Foundation.

Revitalizing Our Cultural Treasures

The arts and nature’s humanizing effect is more critical than ever. As our cultural organizations reimagine the way they operate, $784,500 in funding has been granted to help sustain their programming. Support will also go towards making community experiences more accessible and inclusive for families of all backgrounds.

Grantees include: Asolo Repertory Theatre, Embracing Our Differences, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota Orchestra, Sarasota Opera, Sarasota Ballet, and The Ringling Museum.

Developing Equitable Health and Legal Services

COVID-19 has laid bare inequalities in healthcare and legal services. Grants totaling $488,480 have been awarded to support equal healthcare access for individuals who are traditionally uninsured and receive a poor quality of care. Funds will also be used to provide free, comprehensive civil legal aid to vulnerable populations.

Grantees include: The Multicultural Health Institute and Gulf Coast Legal Services.

Establishing a Sustainable Composting Model

New local organizations are mobilizing to ensure our environmental resiliency. A grant of $105,500 was awarded to Sunshine Community Compost to cover operating and start-up costs as they build a viable model for composting in Sarasota County.

Annual Commitments

An additional $2 million in funding was awarded to provide annual support for organizations that Chuck and Margie Barancik held close to their heart.

Barancik Foundation continues to partner with Gulf Coast Community Foundation in identifying immediate nonprofit needs and fulfilling critical funding gaps through the COVID-19 Response Initiative as the community recovers. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charities can request funds at https://www.gulfcoastcf.org/covid-19-grant-requests.