At a time when Manatee County has seen a record number of drug overdose deaths, US Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, says resources are needed more than ever to fight a heroin epidemic. On that front, he applauded President Barack Obama for signing a bill directing $500 million to anti-drug program grants within the Department of Homeland Security. “Unfortunately, we will probably need more resources,” Buchanan says, “but let’s invest these and take a look at this fight.”

Buchanan, co-chair of Florida’s Congressional Delegation, has devoted much of his time in Washington over the past year toward the fight against heroin. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that heroin-related deaths quadrupled between 2012 and 2013. And in 2014, more such deaths per capita were reported in Manatee County than in any other county in Florida, experiencing a 900 percent spike in deaths. “I hate to say it but the bodies are just stacked up,” he says. “They don’t have the capacity for this.” 

It’s a personal issue for Buchanan, who has a nephew who has battled with prescription pill abuse. But he says the greatest reason he has made this a priority as a congressman has been the increased frequency of parents who lost children or who have seen them become addicted. Buchanan notes that while the state has done a good job in recent years shutting down so-called pill mills, painkiller-dispensing businesses that empowered prescription drug abuse, many of the individuals suffering from addiction have turned to illegal, cheaper options like heroin.

In September, Buchanan urged both chambers of Congress to approve funding to deal with heroin and chaired a Congressional hearing specifically examining the impact of addiction on children—he notes births of drug-dependent infants are also on the rise. In May, he hosted a roundtable with law enforcement, medical professionals and social agencies to discuss the needs in the Sarasota-Bradenton area. He has also supported legislation that combats the import of carfentanil and fentanyl, synthetic drugs similar to heroin but 50 times more powerful, that have started flowing to the US from China. Fentanyl-related deaths in 2015 were up 77.6 statewide when compared to 2014, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Medical Examiners Commission. 

The legislation signed by Obama had bipartisan support. As the nation sees a transition to Republican leadership under President-elect Donald Trump, Buchanan believes support for battling the heroin epidemic will remain consistent. “This is not just a Manatee or Sarasota problem. It’s the whole state of Florida,” he says. “And it’s also in New Hampshire, Kentucky and Tennessee. Drugs are coming up from Central and South America and through Mexico. And we’re also hearing about things coming here from China through UPS and FedEx. There’s a lot more work that needs to be done.” 

Let's face it—salads can get preeetty boring if you're on a health kick, especially when that little voice in the back of your head starts screaming: "BREAD!" Indulge the devil on your shoulder without falling off the deep carb end and go for the middle ground between plain salad and hearty sandwich with a wrap from Fast n Fresh. Take any one of their salads and have the nimble-handed makers behind the counter wrap it up tight—the spicy Thai kale salad curls up perfectly into a whole wheat wrap, the peanut dressing providing a needed kick to your lunch hour. Green and crunchy, the romaine lettuce finds its crispy soul mate in the ample helping of chopped wontons (think those irresistible baggied crackers that come with every order of Chinese food) while the healthy orange and purples of sliced carrots and cabbage add the veggie dose needed to satisfy your diet dreams.  

Fast n Fresh, 32 South Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 941-702-2900; 8138 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch, 941-462-2650.

Did you know there are children right here in our community who need a place to call home? The Sarasota YMCA Safe Children Coalition (SCC) is looking for foster parents. When a child is temporarily unable to live at home due to abuse or neglect, a foster parent welcomes them into their home. Children of all ages, from birth through young adulthood, need foster homes until they can safely reunite with their family or transition to adulthood. SCC provides training, licensing and financial assistance.

"They stay until their parents are stable," says Jackie, a foster parent through SCC. "My job is to keep them safe until they can return home."

The Sarasota YMCA Safe Children Coalition is a collaboration between several local community partners who, together, provide a range of child welfare services to abused, neglected or abandoned children in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties.

Services include case management, foster care placements, adoptions and independent living. In addition, a clothes closet is maintained through the generosity of our community which provides children’s clothing and items when an urgent need arises.

Last year the SCC helped 2,266 children through its services. For more information on becoming a foster parent, adoption or volunteering/donating visit safechildrencoalition.org or call 1-866-661-5656.  

Safe Children Coalition

National Endowment for the Arts has just approved more than $30 million in grants as part of the NEA’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2017, including an Art Works Grant of $20,000 to the Hermitage Artist Retreat for artist sponsorship. These funds will help to support twelve artist residencies scheduled to arrive at the Hermitage during the first six months of 2017. The Art Works category focuses on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. 

Hermitage Artist Retreat

Richard Miller of executive search firm Brooke Chase Associates has announced the successful placement of Mark Frederico as Sourcing and Materials Manager with Eemax, Inc., where he will be responsible for the negotiation and maintaining purchasing agreements with key suppliers and maintaining relationships with the suppliers. Frederico will work closely with engineers, analyze market trends and lead Eemax’s understanding of international trading with regards to importing, freight forwarding and legal compliance. Frederico brings extensive sourcing and supply experience with Stanley Black & Decker.  Mark oversaw global matrix organization structure with focus on procured categories/commodities and divisional alignment. 

Eemax, Inc.

Pines of Sarasota Foundation President Estelle Crawford has announced the hiring of Janet K. Ginn as director of development. With more than 30 years assisting individuals in meeting their charitable desires, Ginn brings to Pines of Sarasota Foundation a professional history of building relationships and meeting the family, financial and social needs of donors while building organizational sustainability. She has served as trustee for more than 1600 charitable instruments and 800 named funds, and was awarded the prestigious Arkansas Traveler designation by then-Governor Mike Huckabee, signifying her as an international ambassador for the state of Arkansas. She is a certified fund raising executive, rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow, and a graduate of the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management course at Harvard Business School. 

Pines of Sarasota

Take a dive into philanthropic giving this month alongside Susie Bowie of the Manatee Community Foundation in Native Habitat. Here, we engage the newly appointed executive director on the various facets of her life that impact her work. From her deep love of creative expression through painting to the meditative quality of amateur photography and her love of restoring natural habitats, find out what molds her perspective. 

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