Pictured: (l-r) Ethan Ruben with Executive Publisher of SRQ Magazine, Wes Roberts. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

Each year, SRQ Media invites the community to nominate individuals with hearts of giving who have made a significant impact with local nonprofit organizations — from volunteers and board members to individual staff members and donors. This year, attendees were thrilled to be together as we recognized these individuals at our annual Giving Coast and Good Hero Awards luncheon and panel discussion on Tuesday, January 28 at Michael’s on East in Sarasota. In the coming weeks, we are happy to feature each of the ten honorees in our Wednesday Philanthropic edition of SRQ Daily.

Today, we celebrate a young philanthropic leader, Ethan Ruben, along with his parents, Aaron and Leslie, and his brother, Tyler. Together, they have been pivotal in organizing the Classrooms Without Borders "Walk a Teacher to Poland" fundraiser, which plays a vital role in supporting the Open Minds and Open Hearts program. This program sends middle and high school teachers to Poland to immerse themselves in the history of anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, Israel and Jewish history. Upon returning, these educators share their firsthand knowledge, teaching their students how they can actively combat hate and prejudice. Ethan's efforts have been particularly inspiring. Through his hard work organizing a walk-a-thon with Cardinal Mooney High School, he raised enough funds to send not one, but two teachers from Cardinal Mooney, along with four other Sarasota educators and one student, to Poland. His dedication extended beyond fundraising—Ethan secured donations from the entire community, sent personalized thank-you notes, and kept donors informed with updates via email. Ethan and his family are now planning for the 2025 Walk a Teacher to Poland event on March 2, 2025. As Stefan Gates, one of the Cardinal Mooney teachers who participated in this year’s trip, shared, “As an educator of the Holocaust, it is my duty and responsibility to understand the magnitude of what happened and to be the voice for the victims who can no longer speak.” Congratulations to Ethan and his family for their extraordinary commitment to education, empathy, and making a tangible difference in our world!

Pictured: (l-r) Ethan Ruben with Executive Publisher of SRQ Magazine, Wes Roberts. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.