Pictured: Joyce Norris, executive director of Community Harvest SRQ at ribbon-cutting event for Resilience Incubator.

Community Harvest SRQ, a non-profit organization committed to reducing food waste, addressing food insecurity, and fostering a vision of a sustainable, just and thriving local food system, is proud to announce they are part of the new Resilience Incubator.  The Resilience Incubator, located at 1760 Mound Street in Sarasota, is a shared space where like-minded nonprofits can work collaboratively to improve environmental health and support human resilience. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation are generously supporting the collaboration and funding has been committed for the first 16 months of occupancy. This makes it affordable for small nonprofits. Incubator participants will be seeking funding for continued success of the project. This is huge for Community Harvest SRQ, as well as all organizations involved. The opportunities for collaboration on shared projects and fundraising efforts is exciting. With access to an office and meeting spaces, it means that participants can more easily get together with volunteers, members, and grantors. Although the eleven nonprofits involved may have different missions, they are all centered around environmental health and human resilience. The ability to easily share resources and collaborate on projects will open new pathways for growth.  The organizations have put in hard work to paint their own offices, which all needed some TLC. Volunteers with Veterans for Common Sense painted some of the common areas. Gilbane Building Company supplied volunteers and also gallons of paint for shared areas. The dedication of the participating nonprofits to get the project up and running has been amazing! Participating in the Resilience Incubator are: Community Harvest SRQ, Elizabeth Moore/ Suncoast Stargazers, Florida Veterans for Common Sense Inc, Minorities in Shark Sciences, Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay Watch, Southeast Sustainability Directors Network, Southface, Suncoast Waterkeepers, and The Recycling Partnership.

Pictured: Joyce Norris, executive director of Community Harvest SRQ at ribbon-cutting event for Resilience Incubator.