Family Promise of South Sarasota County (FPSSC) is excited to have received a generous $4,000 grant from Plantation Community Foundation. Plantation Community Foundation has been a strong supporter of FPSSC since its inception in 2015 with annual grants to assist with emergency funds for families. All grant funds will be used to provide for emergency funding as needed by client families, as needs are identified by FPSSCs staff. Examples of emergency funding use include the following: childcare expenses; car repairs and tires; driver’s license reinstatement and auto insurance; counseling; emergency shelter; clothing and shoes (kids - for school, adults - for interviews or job requirements); transportation (gas cards and bus passes); grocery gift cards; healthy snacks and drinks for children in the program while they are at the Agency’s Day Center; school supplies; storage unit costs; pet boarding; health care, dental, and optical services necessary for school and/or employment, including prescription medications; grooming and hygiene supplies; and diapers and baby wipes. There is no provision for direct cash payments to guest families. Funding these necessary expenses provides client families with items essential to their ability to achieve long-term financial and housing stability. Jennifer Fagenbaum, Executive Director of Family Promise of South Sarasota County stated, “Funding, such as this generous grant from Plantation Community Foundation, is paramount at this time as the number of families in Sarasota County spending more than 50% of their income on housing costs per month continues to increase. With the help of this grant, Family Promise will be able to offer additional assistance with unexpected expenses such as car repairs or medical expenses to keep our families employed and going to school and daycare.