When most people think of laundromats, they generally think of bleak, dreary places filled with people who would rather be anywhere else, doing anything but laundry. This was not the case when on the morning of Monday, December 16 at the SuperMatt Laundromat in Port Charlotte. The laundromat filled with families and buzzed with excitement. Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (SCGLR) and the United Way of Charlotte County teamed up to host a ‘Pop-Up Neighbor’ event for the holiday season. Pop-Up Neighbor events provide a unique opportunity for volunteers of nonprofits to make connections directly with individuals of the community in an unexpected locale. Customers came in unknowingly to do laundry, and were pleasantly surprised to find their cost of laundry was alleviated. For three hours, everyone who walked into the laundromat had his or her laundry fees paid for thanks to the generosity of Sarasota nonprofit, The Patterson Foundation. 

Meanwhile, volunteers set up a bookshelf and tables stocked with a bundle of books to create a reading area for the kids to be read to by “celebrity readers” and were able to take the books home with them after. As the adults socialized and turned a mundane chore into a cheerful affair, a buffet of donuts, coffee, chips and sandwiches were provided to munch on while clothing tumble dried. In addition, laundry detergent, stain removers, bleach, and fabric softeners of every brand imaginable were provided for people to utilize. 

“When The Patterson Foundation says laundry is free, they mean free,” quips Stacy Sternberg of the Patterson Foundation who was tasked with holding one of the laundry cards to swipe customers’ payments as they started a load. By the end of the event, SCGLR and The Patterson Foundation paid for 287 loads of laundry and impacted 33 families—not only surprised, but incredibly thankful. 

“I was struck by what a financial burden laundry could be for some,” Sternberg says, “One woman teared up as I swiped her final load of laundry. She planned on spending at least $60 cleaning her family's clothes and didn't know how she was going to pay for next week's groceries, but now that stress was gone.” The more she swiped, the more she heard how this relatively small gesture of kindness was making a significant impact on people's lives. 

“Though it looked and smelled like every other laundromat in the world, the contagious generosity that filled the SuperMatt was unique,” Sternberg says. “I witnessed something I'd never seen at a laundromat before—people helping each other, sharing their stories, and learning about the importance of reading for young children. Patrons of all ages assisted in unloading dryers and delivering clean laundry out to cars. People were chatting, eating sandwiches, perusing books, and surpassing all of my laundromat expectations.”  

Photo courtesy of SCGLR and The Patterson Foundation.

Your zip code could be a more reliable predictor of your health than your genetic code. To better understand how the cultural aspects of our lives effect our physical health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation created the Systems for Action grant. 

In 2017, The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center was selected as a research site for a study funded by the grant. The study’s aim was to help inform policies from a big-picture perspective with a focus on measuring the community’s capacity to absorb hospital and clinical referrals. 

All to answer the greater question: How can we connect our nation’s fragmented systems to build a Culture of Health?

Of the 31 local organizations responding, the study found a well-connected network with high levels of mutual trust and value, ready to move toward greater efficiency. The Center’s position as a connector and hub for human services enabled the study to reach into our local network, paving the way for system-wide improvement and making real change possible.

As Founder Dr. Kay Glasser was known to say, “The quality of life in any community depends upon the quality of life of its people.” The Center has been committed to a better quality of life for all since opening its doors 30 years ago.

To mark the 30th anniversary, Glasser/Schoenbaum is hosting BELIEVE. The fundraiser gala will feature guest speaker and author of the study, Dr. Danielle Varda, who will discuss her findings and uncover the ways in which our local network is built on trust and value. 

Click here for more information

The Education Foundation of Sarasota County (EFSC) announced the hire of the first Local College Access Network (LCAN) Director Thomas Williams, who went through an arduous interview process with LCAN steering committee members and EFSC colleagues. As the LCAN Director, Williams will facilitate overall strategic planning, lead fiscal management and data analysis, provide organizational development, leverage community engagement, and provide administrative duties required to successfully execute the collective impact model. Williams is a member of the EFSC senior leadership team and will work closely with EFSC President Jennifer Vigne and special consultant David Moore as he acclimates into his role.  A great deal of gratitude goes to the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation for the funding support they provided to allow the EFSC to make this critical hire. 

Cadets and staff at Sarasota Military Academy, a local, public charter school, recently hosted the annual Marine Toys for Tots donation drive at both the high school campus, located at 801 North Orange Ave and Prep middle school campus, located at 3101 Bethel Lane in Sarasota. Donations were accepted until December 19, 2019 and included new, unwrapped toys and bikes from staff and cadets. This year, in addition to 13 large boxes filled, 23 new bikes were collected - a record for Sarasota Military Academy cadets and staff.

With a mission to collect new, unwrapped toys for distribution as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community, the primary goal of Marine Toys for Tots, according to the Toys for Tots website, is to deliver a message of hope to youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.

“The goal is to teach our cadets about the impact of giving. How it impacts them and those in our community who are in need, and that no matter how great or how small the donation is, it’s always important to give. This particular program is my passion, and our staff, cadets and families are so incredibly giving. It’s such an important, and overwhelmingly positive, part of the holiday season at SMA,” said SMA-COL Christina Bowman, Executive Director of Schools for Sarasota Military Academy. 

Bowman and her family have a personal connection to the organization. Bowman and her husband began giving to Toys for Tots as a young married couple and after his unexpected passing in 2006, Bowman continued to give and support the organization in his memory. 

Throughout Asolo Rep's run of  The Sound of Music, the theatre has provided free and discounted tickets for more than 1,200 area youth and families. This initiative supports the institution's belief that it is crucial for the next generation to experience the magic of live theatre at a young age. As part of the program, Asolo Rep Education & Engagement department provided educational materials (curriculum, interactive activities, and discussion questions) to connect the show onstage to the lives and learning of students. The theatre also provided an additional 200 discounted tickets for students from other schools for performances throughout the run. More than 100 families (500+ patrons) attended Family Day on Saturday, December 14. Attendees received discounted tickets and also engaged in pre-show interactive activities, hosted by arts partners Embracing Our Differences, The Ringling and The Sarasota Opera, including an opera singing lesson, a paper collage craft, an inside look at the real von Trapp family and more.

“Seeing and hearing the incredibly honest reactions of young people as they experience theatre is magic,” said Muriel O’Neil Education & Engagement Director Sara Brunow. “Theatre is for everybody and through our programming, we’re working to actively connect with our community and the next generation by exploring the stories we tell onstage. We can’t wait to do more.” Asolo Rep's Education & Engagement department is in the process of expanding its offerings. Visit asolorep.org/engage-learn to stay up to date. The Sound of Music runs through December 28. For tickets and information, visit asolorep.org.