Family Promise of South Sarasota County (FPSSC) is pleased to announce details for the 7th Annual Dream Walk, a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser that provides an opportunity for the community to help support the FPSSC mission and advocate for those in need of services. The event will feature a choice of a short or long walking path, engaging activities at each stop along the way, and a pancake breakfast. Walkers and teams register to participate and are provided with an online page to help them garner support from their friends and family by making donations to them to walk.

Funds raised from Dream Walk support FPSSC’s four major comprehensive programs for families with minor children: The Bridge Housing Program is a 60–90-day shelter program that helps stabilize families who find themselves in a housing crisis; The Open Doors Program is a homeless prevention and diversion program that provides rent assistance and move-in assistance for qualified families; The Pathways Home Program is a one-year transitional shelter program that families from the Bridge Housing Program can qualify for if they cannot find housing they can afford at the end of the shelter program; The Home Goods Pantry provides toiletries, cleaning supplies and other household items to families in the other programs to help them cut down the cost of going to the store. All items in the Home Goods Pantry are donated from individuals and groups in the community. FPSSC also has a Sustainable Housing Project underway. In 2022, the FPSSC Board of Trustees saw that with the rising cost of housing, the families in their programs had no hope of finding affordable housing or achieving the stability they were working so hard for. The Board then created a three-year Strategic Plan to start purchasing and building housing that the workforce and the families they serve can afford. The housing units in the plan will be long-term rentals that have income qualifications and annual re verification of income eligibility.

The Dream Walk is FPSSC’s largest annual fundraiser, raising between $30,000 to $75,000 annually, depending on the year. “With housing and interest rates in Sarasota County at an all-time high and very little change in salaries, many families can no longer make ends meet. Every child deserves a home. Dream Walk brings the community together to be part of the solution. It is also a very fun event that we look forward to every year,” shares Jennifer Fagenbaum, FPSSC Executive Director.

“There are so many pieces involved in launching this event, but it is all worth it to see everyone out walking, smiling, and showing their love for the work we do,” adds Stacy Graison, FPSSC Development Associate. “We simply cannot help families without the support from our community. Adding a superhero theme and a pancake breakfast after the walk makes this year’s event even more fun and hopefully draws more families out.”

October 14, 2023, from 8 am to 10 am, Venice Presbyterian Church, 825 The Rialto, Venice.

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