Season of Sharing: A Vital Resource for Every Season for 25 Years

Spring, 2025

Much has changed in the past 25 years, as Sarasota has transformed from a sleepy retirement haven to a vibrant and growing destination for families young and old. While skylines and streets become more crowded and the demographic of the community changes at a rapid pace, one thing has remained the same: Season of Sharing is a resource for community members facing economic crisis.

This year’s 25th anniversary campaign brought in a record-breaking $7,197,345.22 from 2,743 gifts. As with every dollar contributed to Season of Sharing, 100 percent of this total will be distributed to cover essential expenses for people in hardship, with no administrative fees taken and no red tape.

A heroic mission curtailing homelessness

Season of Sharing was conceived in 2000 in partnerships between the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. With a finger on the pulse of the community, leadership at the newspaper and foundation noticed a disturbing trend: even in affluent Sarasota, many households were on the economic brink.

Fully supported through philanthropic contributions of the community, over time Season of Sharing has raised more than $50 million to assist some 55,000 individuals and families recovering from rippling calamities. In Sarasota County, 41 percent of households live at or below the ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Working) threshold, meaning that although they have jobs, they struggle to make ends meet.

A means of providing quick, one-time payments that would cover rent, utilities, childcare, or auto repair to allow families to rebound from emergencies, Season of Sharing has helped families avoid eviction and heartbreaking decisions like whether to pay the utility bill or buy groceries.

Strength in numbers

At its core, Season of Sharing is a grassroots initiative that empowers neighbors to help neighbors. Through the years, more than 60,000 gifts have been received, each a gesture of kindness and support for our community and people experiencing need.

On the heels of three back-to-back hurricanes that upended the lives of many, this year’s campaign kicked off early, and with an auspicious outpouring of major gifts, including a $1 million outright gift from The Patterson Foundation, a $500,000 matching gift from the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation, a $500,000 outright gift from Eliza and Hugh Culverhouse, Jr., a $250,000 matching gift from the Baltimore Orioles, along with a $250,000 outright gift, and a $100,000 gift from Bishop-Parker Foundation. The community also responded in solidarity, helping those facing displacement or disruptions from work.

Since 2010, The Patterson Foundation has partnered with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to provide key support, contributing $10.6 million overall to Season of Sharing through matching incentives and outright gifts.

Partnerships

As a partnership between the Community Foundation and the Herald-Tribune from the start, the community has learned about the lives helped through Season of Sharing through stories in the newspaper.

These stories play an essential role in Season of Sharing, connecting those who give with the stories of people whose lives their gifts touched.

The Community Foundation also partners with a network of human services agencies who connect those in need with resources, including Season of Sharing assistance, to help them rebound.

Season of Sharing is essentially a broker of many partnerships—between residents and their neighbors, those in need and those who can help. As an initiative, it serves to remind us of the great good we can achieve when we work together.