Embracing Our Differences Receives Grant from Community Foundation of Sarasota County

June 28, 2024 | Sarasota

Embracing Our Differences (EOD) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $6,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to launch a Parent Advisory Council (PAC). This initiative is designed to enhance communication with parents and gain valuable insights for EOD’s educational programming.

Sarah Wertheimer, EOD’s executive director, explains that the organization has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with Sarasota County Schools, engaging students and educators through various educational initiatives, including reading days, field trips, school clubs, and workshops.

“Although EOD actively collects feedback from educators and volunteers, we identified a need to involve parents more directly,” says Wertheimer. “Our Parent Advisory Council will inform parents about our programs and encourage their active participation and feedback. This two-way communication will empower parents to contribute to our mission of promoting kindness, acceptance, respect and inclusion. Thanks to their input, our initiatives will resonate even more deeply with the community.”

Wertheimer explains that the PAC will convene quarterly, providing a platform for parents to receive updates on current programs and share their perspectives. Led by Ben Jewell-Plocher, EOD’s learning and engagement director, each meeting will include parental discussions on ongoing and past initiatives. Their input will help EOD address current challenges and explore opportunities for future programming.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to collaborate more closely with parents,” said Jewell-Plocher. “Their insights will be invaluable in shaping our programs to better serve the needs of students and the community.”

Jewell-Plocher explains that the Community Foundation grant will support the operational costs of the PAC, including meeting logistics, outreach materials for parents, and resources to facilitate fruitful discussions. He adds that the group will meet quarterly. At each PAC meeting, he will provide an overview of EOD’s current and previous programs. “We’ll encourage parents to ask questions and give feedback for each program,” says Jewell-Plocher. “We’ll discuss our current challenges and look for ways to overcome them. Parental feedback will make our programming more meaningful and impactful to students.”

For 21 years, Embracing Our Differences has delighted viewers with its annual outdoor display of 50 billboard-sized works of art and accompanying quotes. This high-profile art exhibition draws on the passion and perception of artists, students, and writers, to create powerful statements of inclusion, kindness and respect. The scale and impact of this open-air art show has continued to grow, attracting more than 4.8 million visitors since its inception. EOD’s annual exhibit is the heart of a year-round program of activities using art as a catalyst to create awareness and promote diversity.

Embracing Our Differences’ next outdoor exhibition runs Jan. 19-April 13, 2025, in Bayfront Park, Sarasota; and March 1-March 31, 2025, in Flora Wylie Park, St. Petersburg.

For more information about Embracing Our Differences, call 941-404-5710, or visit embracingourdifferences.org.