- April 25, 2024
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On the patio of the North Sarasota Public Library Wednesday, All Faiths Food Bank CEO Sandra Frank announced that more than 21,000 students in Sarasota County will be fed throughout the summer thanks to the more than 935,000 pounds of food and $1.2 million in contributions the Campaign Against Summer Hunger raised.
The month-long campaign wrapped up May 9. This year’s goal was to exceed last year’s numbers (more than $1 million and 800,000 pounds of food collected) to be able to feed more children, more often. Gulf Coast Community Foundation partnered with All Faiths to bring in as many donors as possible.
“It tells us how much this community cares about kids and cares about their nutrition, cares about learning and cares about literacy,” Frank said. ”Last year we were able to feed more than 15,000 kids. This year we know we’ll hit that and more children and more often.”
Part of reaching out to those children comes through a partnership with the Sarasota County libraries for additional venues to distribute meals. Director of Sarasota County Libraries & Historical Resources Sarabeth Kalajian feels that the partnership is a natural one to help students maintain their learning skills all year-round.
“We talk about feeding kids’ minds and the learning that can go on in a little bit more informal setting,” Kalajian said. “Already we’re incredible partners with the school system. It’s not a very big leap to understand that during the summer months, especially those kids who are just learning to read can really experience a decline in their skills.”
With help from the Sarasota County School District, All Faiths Food Bank will expand the breakfast and lunch programs “BreakSpots” to 40 locations. All Faiths Food Bank is also scheduling new mobile pantry stops, continuing its summer BackPack Kids and pantry programs at summer schools and increasing capacity at established food distribution sites and at its Sprout Mobile Farm Market.
Participating Sarasota County public libraries include: Fruitville, Gulf Gate, North Sarasota, Selby Public Library, Elsie Quirk Library in Englewood, North Port Public Library in North Port and the Jacaranda and Venice Public Library in Venice.
Sarasota city officials touted some bright economic news during a Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations meeting Saturday, as Finance Director John Lege discussed the budget.
As Sarasota city officials and the owner of the Ringling Shopping Center reignite conversations about how to revitalize the derelict property, residents throughout the city have voiced their opinion.
We surveyed readers through Facebook and Google to find out what you would like to see in the former Publix space, and received dozens of responses.
“Anything owned locally as opposed to a national chain store. Perhaps urban farming with hydroponic vertical growing to maximize the space.”
— Michael Lunn
“Give the property owner the latitude to move forward to bring business and jobs back to the neighborhood! Anything is better than what is there now — a Walmart would have been fine!”
— Ruth Brown
“I’d have the city incentivize its redevelopment as part of a five-year effort mandated to yield at least 2,000 to 2,500 units of apartments and 250,000 to 500,000 square feet of walkable retail, incorporating vertical gardens, lots of bicycle parking and making transit, walking and biking the most convenient
means of getting to and fro.”
— Casey Colburn
“A Walgreens or CVS pharmacy. A restaurant ... perhaps Peaches and a UPS store. And, a liquor store to replace the one that was across the street.”
— Mary Ann Cross
