In honor of this month’s philanthropy issue, we invited readers to share photos of Good Deeds, Local Heroes, and Community Involvement. Welcome to a treasure trove of positivity!
This holiday season, All Faiths Food Bank is working toward a goal of distributing 9,000 turkeys and 4 million meals for children, families, veterans and seniors. At the kick-off event with The Bay Park Conservancy and Van Wezel, demand was so high that the truck made a second trip. Here, volunteer Ellie Wilson loads food and flowers into a community member’s trunk. Board members Jack Higgins, Patricia Courtois, Ben Hanan, Terri Vitale, Tommy Bernstein, and Nelle Miller take a break from helping distribute over 700 turkeys, along with sides and bouquets of flowers.To help kids and staff get back to Sarasota Military Academy, Dr. Alissa Shulman launched a mask-making assembly line with her two daughters and friend Susan Woodworth. The adults sewed, daughter Ayla Edwards assembled, and daughter Mallory Edwards ironed. The team delivered bags containing 1,700 masks. Plus, when Sarasota Memorial Hospital asked young volunteers to cover for older, at-risk volunteers, Ayla stepped up. Mom says, “She absolutely loves it!”At age 4, Ian Harris jumps right in to help his grandparents, Anna and Robert Haynes, install their driveway.When a Brown Pelican was discovered tangled in fishing line in the mangroves on Siesta Key, David Turner of Save Our Seabirds made the rescue.
PGT Innovations volunteers Errol Sackett, Christy Sackett, Casey Pope, Stephanie Chen and Hong Chen rehab the playground at the Sunshine Education Academy, operated by Sky Family YMCA.
The Fischer family sports masks that help reduce risk during Covid-19 and flu season, courtesy of JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation.
An online costume contest during NAMI of Sarasota’s virtual “Out of the Blue” event featured Gana Gilkey, “The Jellyfish Whisperer,” and others.To help as many people as possible impacted at the height of the pandemic, Brian Loebker and Brandy Coffey hatched a plan: feed frontline workers with meals from struggling restaurants, delivered by local realtors. Thanks to an outpouring of donations, the initiative delivered over 950 individual meals to local doctors, nurses, paramedics, and firefighters.Stacey Carlin, Emily Levin, David Baldwin, and friends enjoy guffaws via Zoom in “Laughter is Good Medicine,” a program offered by Laugh to Feel Good and Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s.Principal Dr. Rachel Shelley sent students from Booker High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Program to assist with the relaunch of Overture Cuba restaurant in the Art Ovation Hotel. They designed and painted the steps for a refreshing new look!At the Tom & Debbie Shapiro Career Resource Center of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Jordan, Zeke, Madison, and Shade, age 14 to 18, team up to build a carpentry project.
Damien gets a temperature check from Venesha Graham as he enters the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club.
Heightened safety efforts during Covid-19 enable the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County to continue providing academic programs that help local youth stay on track.
During Covid-19, Natalie Tilton has been focusing on fostering for the Humane Society of Sarasota County. From September to November, she welcomed a family of 9 lab mix puppies and their mother into her home (and car!). After weaning, all the puppies were adopted out from HSSC, while their mother received treatment for heartworms.
\Student volunteers Claire Wang, Lucas Rodgers, and Bari Namgoong pose after donating blood at the SunCoast Blood Center’s blood drive hosted at Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab.Students in the Suncoast Science Center Student Community Innovation Program meet to discuss potential enhancements to COVIDucation.net—a website built in just eight short weeks by student volunteers working directly with Sarasota County Schools administrators to educate elementary students about COVID-19 and safety during school reopenings.\U.S. Army veteran Todd Hughes, manager of the Goodwill Manasota Veterans Services Program, is joined by family members Xavier, Bailey, Jessica, and service dog Ghost, as he receives the honor of “Veteran of the Year” from Christopher Kielty and Carlos Moreira of the Sarasota County Veterans Commission.Staley and Heather Gardner award colleague Danielle Hughes CPC’s “Child Advocate of the Year” award for her outstanding accomplishments, including founding PAWS (Pet Advocates Working in the Suncoast)—a program that features certified therapy dogs like superhero Brooke.
With help from Doug Staley, Executive Director of the Child Protection Center, Karen and Michael Valentino deliver a donation of child-sized weighted blankets that will be used to soothe and comfort kids traumatized by child abuse.
Susan Saulnier, coordinator of student volunteerism and service-learning for Ringling College of Art and Design, with students Sara Giovanello, Chloe Abate, Jared Lewis, and Matthew Morgan as they drop off cards the students designed for Goodwill’s Veterans Day celebration.Brian Preston, a new Tidewell employee, receives recognition from fellow veteran Tom Smith for his military service.
Tidewell Volunteer Coordinator Marion Stenz helps with childcare so a nurse colleague can go to work.
Music Therapist Michael Russo — safely distanced outside the window — plays music for residents at an assisted living facility.
Want to be in on the fun? Next month’s theme is: Weddings, Milestones, And Celebrations
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