Roxie Jerde: A Caring Heart for the Community

By Scott Ferguson | Feature Photo by Nancy Guth | December 2024

The first thing people notice about Roxie Jerde is her radiant smile, an ear-to-ear grin that reflects her generous spirit and positive attitude. Those attributes have served her well in her 13 years as president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, as she and her colleagues and donors have helped redefine and expand philanthropy in the region. 

From homelessness, hurricanes and Covid to the generosity of donors large and small, Jerde has witnessed the impact of it all on the people of this community. On June 30, 2025, she will retire as only the second leader of the Foundation since its founding in 1979 (succeeding Stewart Stearns, who served as executive director from 1988-2010). But Jerde says she will remain the Foundation’s “biggest cheerleader” when the organization transitions to a new leader.

In 2011, she left her job as senior vice president of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri, to become the second leader of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Prior to their move, Jerde and her husband Mike, weren’t familiar with Sarasota. 

“We loved Kansas City,” says Jerde. “We went to Chiefs games, we had Royals season tickets. Mike and I both attended the University of Iowa as undergrads, and he went to law school there, so we would drive up to Hawkeyes football games in Iowa City. 

“I loved my job, too. We had a lot of friends and we were very involved in the community. So when I first got here to Sarasota, it was a little scary. I didn’t know anybody. My whole life was lived in the Midwest. But there’s a Midwestern feel here; a lot of people in Sarasota are from there. I think that was one reason the Foundation’s Board of Directors liked my background.” 

As the Jerdes became accustomed to their new home, they quickly adapted to life in Sarasota. 

“It turned out that Mike and I liked being in a smaller town,” she says. “The people who are attracted to Sarasota are the most fascinating people. In my work I have had the privilege of meeting so many amazing people through the nonprofits we work with, and the donors and elected officials I meet. It really is a dream job.”

In her time at the Community Foundation, Jerde has helped transform the art of philanthropy through initiatives like The Giving Partner, which features a website linking potential donors with hundreds of nonprofit organizations in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. That led in turn to the Giving Challenge, a 24-hour online opportunity (usually once every two years) for anyone to give $25 or more to the nonprofits of their choice.  

“The board agreed that we needed ways for everyone to feel that they could be a philanthropist, not just the very wealthy,” says Jerde. “We needed to be a true community foundation and provide giving opportunities for everyone. That led to The Patterson Foundation’s wonderful match.” 

Since the inception of the Giving Challenge in 2012, The Patterson Foundation has matched all gifts from unique donors up to $100 per donation. Some of the participating nonprofits also offer their own matching gifts. Nine Giving Challenges later, the campaign has raised $92 million in unrestricted funds for more than 700 local nonprofits through the generosity of thousands of unique donors.

Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation, has worked closely with Jerde on the Giving Challenge and other philanthropic initiatives. She speaks highly of Jerde’s impact on the community.

“Since Roxie first arrived in Sarasota, she has used her many gifts in ways that inspire, affirm and advance positivity,” says Jacobs, “not just with words, but with actions that make our world a better place. She is a phenomenal colleague and friend.”

Another important project of the Community Foundation is Season of Sharing. Launched in 2000 as a partnership between the Foundation and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, donations made from fall through late January help people all year long who are facing financial crises. In 2024, it has taken on added urgency in the aftermath of hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, as families that are already struggling face lost wages, unexpected child care costs and damaged or destroyed homes and vehicles. 

In addition to the challenges of post-hurricane recovery, Jerde says Covid presented financial and logistical challenges to the Foundation, as it did for every individual and organization.

“I’m proud of the way our team and the community rallied,” says Jerde. “In March of 2020, Debra Jacobs called me and said, ‘I think we need to reactivate Season of Sharing.’ The Patterson Foundation made a wonderful gift and a matching opportunity and we reactivated it. 

“The Giving Challenge had been scheduled for April of that year, but there was so much uncertainty about everything during Covid. People asked, “Are you still going to do it?” And we said, ‘We need to do it now more than ever.’ It turned out that the largest amount we’ve ever raised in the Giving Challenge was in 2020.” 

That record-breaking year saw more than $19 million raised from over 106,000 donations. In addition to the Giving Challenge and Season of Sharing campaigns, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County manages funds that provide more than $2 million in college scholarships each year. 

“We are a tremendous supporter of scholarships because our donors care about investing in the future and students having opportunity,” explains Jerde. “We strongly encourage renewable scholarships; the goal is graduation. We’ve helped our donors understand that you’ve got to keep consistent financial support for students, because if they get a thousand dollars one year and it’s gone the next, that’s challenging. So, we’ve been able to evolve our scholarship program for traditional students.

Jerde is also proud of the Foundation’s two-generation work with students and families, which provides opportunities for economic mobility for families through education. The goals include helping elementary students read at grade level and working with parents — often single parents — to further their education and training.

“We have some wonderful stories of how parents’ income has risen because they’ve been able to get better paying jobs with benefits,” says Jerde. “That upward economic mobility in this community is important, because it’s expensive to live here. And we depend on workers in healthcare and hospitality and retail.”

Jerde has been involved in so many initiatives at the Foundation that it’s impossible to name them all. She has made a positive difference in the lives of thousands of people, whether helping them get through difficult times or introducing them to the joys of giving.

“The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has grown immensely with Roxie at the helm, strengthening our entire community as a result,” says Marilyn Thompson, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “As a leader, she shines — with her deep knowledge, impeccable judgment, innovative spirit, and her ability to make everyone in her presence feel the full force of her caring heart. The initiatives and relationships she’s brought to the foundation and nurtured have propelled our ability to achieve our mission of unlocking possibilities for all who call this area home. Our Foundation is well-positioned for the future.”

As for Jerde, she is looking forward to retirement. 

“I joke about this, but I will probably sleep for about three months. People ask me: When I awake from my slumber, what am I going to do? Mike and I are big cyclists, and we’ll be able to go on bike rides at two in the afternoon. We’re going to do some traveling, and we want to welcome family and friends to enjoy longer stays with us — particularly during the season when they want to come, which was when I have had the least amount of time to be a good host.”

As the Foundation prepares to name a new president and CEO in the spring, what does Jerde think about her legacy as a leader? 

“Well, it’s really not Roxie Jerde’s legacy,” she insists, “I’ve had the opportunity to lead this organization with the support of a fabulous board and team. I’m hopeful that the next leader of the Foundation will build on our success with new ideas that will advance our organization and our community in exciting ways.” 

Then, right on cue, her face lights up with her signature smile. 

To learn more about the Community Foundation of Sarasota County or to contribute to Season of Sharing, visit cfsarasota.org.