Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund

Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund is sponsored by Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund supports long-term disaster recovery efforts in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, aiming to improve individual, family, and community resilience.

**Every One Can Make a Difference** * Create a Charitable Fund * Join the Legacy Society * Establish or Participate in a Giving Circle * Consult With Your Professional Advisor * Find Inspiration Through Donor Stories * Donate Through Your Private Foundation * Research Nonprofits and Volunteer Opportunities * Understand Community Needs and Data **Our Services for Professional Advisors** * Charitable Giving Options * Financial Advisor Program * Distinguished Speaker Series **Our Support for Nonprofits** * Workshops and Trainings * Research Community Needs and Data **Scholarship Opportunities** * Scholarships for Students Under 24 Years of Age * Scholarships for Students 24 Years of Age or Older * Tools and Resources for Scholarship Planning * Become a Scholarship Committee Volunteer * Community Knowledge and Impact _Community Knowledge and Impact Overview:_ Community Tools and Reports Community Indicators Dashboard * Emergency Needs & Disaster Relief * Scholarship Opportunities * Cultural Development & The Arts * Building Support & Capacity * 2Gen (two-generational) Approach * “EdExploreSRQ” Student Learning * Education and Career Scholarships * Season of Sharing Donation Campaign * Strauss Literacy Initiative * Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund * Campaign for Grade-Level Reading * History of Community Impact * Our Strategic Framework * Audited Financials and Tax Returns * Our Benefits and Culture # Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund * **Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund** * **What Is Disaster Recovery?

** * **Response to Immediate Needs** # Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund[](https://www. cfsarasota. org/Suncoast-Disaster-Recovery-Fund-SDRF) ##### _Helping our community rebound from natural disasters with resilience.

_ ## A Vital Community Resource A peninsula located in the semi-tropical Atlantic Basin, Florida's geography and climate increase the state's susceptibility to natural storms, yet for many years, the Suncoast remained resilient to such storms compared to other coastal regions around the state. But as natural hazards have become more prevalent and intense, so, too, has our region's vulnerability to weather-related risks.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issuesenvironmental hazard risk data, which analyzes social factors, infrastructure, economic components, and environmental characteristics to measure community resilience. Overall, our region scores relatively high for risk and relatively low for resilience.

Activated in the days before Hurricane Ian made landfall in 2022, the**Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund**is a local resource for long-term recovery and resilience efforts, which are identified in the months and years following an event such as a hurricane. This work moves beyond immediate relief to address deep-rooted challenges that lead to stronger, more resilient communities. ##### _Long-Term Disaster Recovery[](https://www.

cfsarasota. org/Suncoast-Disaster-Recovery-Fund-SDRF)_ The purpose of the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund is to support Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties in disaster recovery to improve individual, family, and community resilience,helping people rebuild their lives beyond the initial rebuilding of structures.

Complete recovery—restoring our community to its full potential, while also creating processes to better protect us from future catastrophes—takes a strategic, collaborative effort over time. Successful recovery supports individuals and families as they rebound from losses, with an emphasis on sustaining their physical, social, economic, mental, and emotional well-being.

Long-term recovery restores structures, systems, and services, addressing sources of inequitable outcomes. Recovery involves listening to those most affected by losses,understanding community needs, and assessing community damage. It is achieved through collaboration with government and school officials, funders,community leaders, and nonprofit partners.

##### _Successful recovery supports individuals and families as they rebound from losses, with an emphasis on sustaining their physical, social, economic, mental, and emotional well-being.

_ # Stories of Impact: Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund Since 2022, the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund has become a vital ongoing resource for nonprofits and the people they serve who have been affected by the hurricanes that have struck Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. Overall, more than $10.

7 million has been donated to the fund, which supports long-term recovery needs that often emerge well after immediate disaster relief efforts have concluded. Those needs include home repairs and rebuilding, mental and behavioral health support, legal case management, youth and children’s services, environmental resilience, and more.

#### Investing in Resilience: How the Community Foundation Is Working to Protect and Restore Our Natural Environment Making a commitment to become a better steward of our natural environment often starts with a simple realization: There’s no other Earth out there, so all of us are charged with caring f… #### Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards More Than $1 Million for Hurricane Recovery The Community Foundation of Sarasota County recently awarded $1,050,046 through its Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund to 17 nonprofits that support individuals who have faced hardship in the wak… #### Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards $650,000 for Hurricane Recovery FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has awarded $650,000 through its Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund to 21 human services organizations serving Sarasota, Ma… After the first grant cycle went out in 2023 to organizations affected by Hurricane Ian, we reached out to some nonprofit leaders to learn how the funding restored their ability to achieve their missions.

See the video series below to learn more about the ways the grant supported our community on its path to long-term recovery. ##### Child Protection Center A vital resource to families living in crisis from the experience of abuse, the Child Protection Center sustained damage to its North Port location.

Learn how the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund helped the Child Protection Center restore its services to families served in the hard-hit area. ##### Lighthouse Vision Loss Education Center Hurricane Ian ripped through the Lighthouse headquarters, resulting in damages so severe the organization had to move operations elsewhere temporarily. Funding from the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund helped the organization open its doors again.

##### United Way Charlotte County Charlotte County endured enormous damage from Hurricane Ian, leaving many with unanticipated expenses that made them vulnerable to losing everything. United Way was there to connect these people with resources that keeps them sheltered, secure, and healthy.

##### Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast Trauma from catastrophic events like Hurricane Ian can take months to surface and years to heal. Grants to Samaritan helped the organization offer affordable services to more people in the throes of a mental health crisis.

Flood waters from Hurricane Helene inundated Kim Hinkle's cars, setting off a series of crises as she was forced to rent a car to get to work, which put her behind on her bills. Season of Sharing provided a bridge to solid ground. _Photo: Saundra Amrhein,_ Sarasota Herald-Tribune ##### _Response to Immediate Need: Season of Sharing[](https://www.

cfsarasota. org/Suncoast-Disaster-Recovery-Fund-SDRF)_ Disasters can upend lives in ways that require immediate response. For many, damage to homes and vehicles or disruptions from work force them to navigate the double crisis of unanticipated expenses coupled with diminished income.

Our recent historic hurricane seasons have sparked a seismic uptick in those needing help with basic living expenses, such as rent or mortgage, utilities, transportation, and child care. For these acute needs,Season of Sharing has been a reliable source of relief for more than 25 years, helping people overcome immediate setbacks to regain stability.

The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund was created in partnership with The Patterson Foundation, which seeded the fund with $500,000 and offered matching gifts up to $750,000, which was quickly fulfilled and inspired other matching gifts for a total of $1. 25 million. Learn more about The Patterson Foundation.

### _The Patterson Foundation strengthens the impact through seed money and matching funds. _ ## [](https://www. cfsarasota.

org/Suncoast-Disaster-Recovery-Fund-SDRF)How to Donate If you'd like to support either the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund or Season of Sharing, there are many ways to do it. Donate online here.

Mail your check payable to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (please indicate county designation on memo line): Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund c/o Community Foundation of Sarasota County ##### **Donate by Phone** **Vice President, Community Impact** [](https://www. cfsarasota. org/Suncoast-Disaster-Recovery-Fund-SDRF)[](https://www.

cfsarasota. org/Suncoast-Disaster-Recovery-Fund-SDRF)[](https://www. cfsarasota.

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youtube. com/@communityfoundation) THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY, INC. IS A REGISTERED 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT CORPORATION (EIN 59-1956886). A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 (OR 1-800-352-9832 EN ESPAÑOL) OR GOING ON THE DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE WWW.

FDACS. GOV/CONSUMERSERVICES. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

One hundred percent (100%) of the donation is received by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, registration #CH2471.

**Every One Can Make a Difference** * Create a Charitable Fund * Join the Legacy Society * Establish or Participate in a Giving Circle * Consult With Your Professional Advisor * Find Inspiration Through Donor Stories * Donate Through Your Private Foundation * Research Nonprofits and Volunteer Opportunities * Understand Community Needs and Data **Our Services for Professional Advisors** * Charitable Giving Options * Financial Advisor Program * Distinguished Speaker Series **Our Support for Nonprofits** * Workshops and Trainings * Research Community Needs and Data **Scholarship Opportunities** * Scholarships for Students Under 24 Years of Age * Scholarships for Students 24 Years of Age or Older * Tools and Resources for Scholarship Planning * Become a Scholarship Committee Volunteer * Community Knowledge and Impact _Community Knowledge and Impact Overview:_ Community Tools and Reports Community Indicators Dashboard * Emergency Needs & Disaster Relief * Scholarship Opportunities * Cultural Development & The Arts * Building Support & Capacity * 2Gen (two-generational) Approach * “EdExploreSRQ” Student Learning * Education and Career Scholarships * Season of Sharing Donation Campaign * Strauss Literacy Initiative * Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund * Campaign for Grade-Level Reading * History of Community Impact * Our Strategic Framework * Audited Financials and Tax Returns * Our Benefits and Culture