Leadership and innovation. Two words that can be overused and watered down in the nonprofit sector. But the massive challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have produced authentic, inspiring displays of both by our region’s nonprofit organizations. They deserve to be held up as examples worthy of following and of our gratitude.

Caring Decisively

Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County and SKY Family YMCA have remained on the front lines of our region’s response to COVID-19. Both agencies quickly innovated in the face of dire community need, providing safe childcare and meeting other essential needs for vulnerable families.

Boys and Girls Clubs CEO Bill Sadlo described his organization’s “extremely difficult” decision to reduce the number of children it could serve in its summer program in order to ensure that both children and staff remained safe and that care and enrichment was available to those who would benefit most—Title I students and children of first responders. Difficult decisions are the ones leaders must make, and hundreds of families are better off because Bill understands that.

Rising to the Challenge

All Faiths Food Bank has ramped up its food-distribution operations exponentially to meet ever-growing food insecurity in our region. It did so even as the pandemic hamstrung its ability to utilize three things it traditionally relied on—legions of volunteers, community-based food donations, and tried-and-true distribution models. By innovating quickly to meet increased need while mitigating increased risks, All Faiths reminded us why it’s the trusted hub of our community’s hunger-relief system.  

A key Food Bank partner, Meals on Wheels of Sarasota vastly increased its own output. MOW Sarasota kept just about all of its volunteers in action, with new safety protocols for both drivers’ and clients’ benefit. It increased delivery days and hours to meet growing need and expanded its service beyond warm meals to a range of other necessities. If a family needs diapers, for example, a note left on their door in the morning for a “first shift” volunteer to see results in a diaper delivery that afternoon by a second shift driver. The logistical innovations of these nonprofit agencies are impressive.

Evolving and Adapting

Others have flexed creativity while staying mission-focused to meet wholly new needs of those they serve. UnidosNow has experienced massive demand for help from families who had never sought social services before. To ensure culturally competent case management for Spanish-speaking families with no experience navigating the social-service system, UnidosNow added a case manager, who has become a trusted lifeline for many members of our Hispanic/Latino community.

Women’s Resource Center also adapted quickly but thoughtfully, transitioning early to remote programming for those it already served and the influx of new calls it correctly anticipated. But CEO Ashley Brown also saw an opportunity to expand WRC’s services through virtual technology, exploring new ways to connect with people who could never attend in person. A comment from an existing client upon learning of the virtual expansion confirmed Brown’s hunch: “I hope you keep this up, because sometimes I could not drive from North Port to Venice because I did not have gas or money for gas. You already do an amazing job for the community, and your help has been invaluable. With technology you can reach even more people in need!”

Leading Creatively

Our region’s arts organizations have been slammed as hard as any by this crisis. But many have refused to take it sitting down. While several deserve applause for their COVID-19 responses, I’ll spotlight the Sarasota Orchestra and Sarasota Opera. The Orchestra and Opera were among the first to view the pandemic as the existential threat it is, choosing proaction over reaction. Leaders Joe McKenna and Richard Russell and their respective back-office administrations showed creativity to rival that of the talented artists they support. In short order, each packaged unique and striking virtual performances that set the bar for others. It’s creative vision and skilled execution like that that inspired our Board at Gulf Coast to double down on our investments in the arts this year.

In the months ahead, our nonprofit partners will need to show continued creativity and leadership to sustain their operations and keep meeting their vital missions. Our community will increasingly rely on their programs and services for health, safety, and mental and spiritual well-being. If leaders like those I’ve mentioned inspire you too, please do what you can to support their work. They need us, because we need them.

Mark Pritchett is president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. 

Photo courtesy Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota County.

This is a very difficult time in our modern history. People are out of work, businesses are shut down, life savings are being wiped out. This has caused emotions to run high and people need outlets for their immediate and historical frustrations.

I’m frustrated too. It is hard to watch our government right now. We don’t necessarily understand everything happening behind the scenes. 

We are in a State of Emergency. Some things are being taken care of by the unelected government manager and administrators without votes by the elected commissions. Making matters worse, citizen participation is limited due to COVID-19 and we are dealing with very weighty issues.

Our elected officials can’t overcommunicate enough right now and they should make sure their administrators and manager are doing the same. Giving the public the ability to communicate back is immensely important. Citizens want to feel heard. Elected officials should acknowledge those communications with compassion and gratitude for whatever position they are listening to or reading.

Conversely, we as citizens need to remember, our elected officials are human beings. They live here with us. They are doing the best they can while getting heavily attacked from those who disagree with their decisions because emotions are so deep. 

The stakes are high and officials are hearing the “You will have blood on your hands” statement from both sides of various issues right now. It is easy to sit behind a keyboard and angrily send an email without having to look the elected official in the eye and hear other thoughts differing from yours. 

All of us, myself included, need to take a step back and remember that everyone is making the best decisions they are able. We need to try to be as respectful and equally compassionate for officials as they do their best to foresee the consequences of whatever decision they make. With the rules of the game changing daily, it is very difficult right now.

We can agree that all of us love our community and are very passionate about it. We need to remember that when we meet those we disagree with. 

To our elected and appointed officials thank you for serving. To our candidates for election, thank you for being willing to serve. To my fellow citizens, continue to weigh in on your government. To all of you, show compassion and humanity to our neighbors no matter what role you serve in. We need that now more than ever.

Christine Robinson is executive director of The Argus Foundation. 

I am writing in response to the snarky article Jacob Ogles wrote dated July 11. It is clear by his words he has a total lack of knowledge of what the Sailor statue represents to many people, including myself. My father fought in WWII. He was one of the lucky ones that came home. My mother was there in Times Square with two of her girlfriends to greet the sailors and soldiers that did make it home. It was an extremely proud day for America and is remembered by those who were there with warmth and tears. The sacrifices made by that generation could never be understood by generations to follow. Young Jacob should not pretend to understand nor should he be so obviously disrespectful to those who will read his article. You know, those who served and fought for the very freedoms he obviously enjoys, including freedom of speech. It is a shame that he uses that privilege to make fun of a representation of an era that so many people lived through and some gave their lives for.

And, to be clear, my mother is in possession of a photo, the original of which is in the National Archives, taken on V J Day, by Navy Lieutenant Victor Jorgensen (no relation) which is the photo of the young Sailor and Nurse. He also took a photo of my mother and her girlfriends which appeared in the NY paper of that time. Both are dated August 15, 1945. The name “Unconditional Surrender” was given because that was what the Japanese stated when they did indeed surrender to the United States. Unlike young Jacob, I am privy to a first hand account of that day and in no way was that nurse forced to do anything she did not want to. So let’s not go down that broken road.  As we have found out, the #MeToo movement only speaks out and supports woman who accuse Republicans of sexual assault.  Remember Tara Reade?

Just a note on the placement of the statue. I don’t believe for one second that it has anything to do with irresponsible driving. I am sure that young Jacob has had the opportunity to experience the no blinker, me first phenomena that we all experience now that our Downtown is so over crowded it takes hours to get around and God help you, get a parking space. I am sure the accident that he may be referring to had nothing to do with the fact that the person driving the white Mercedes lost control of the car after running the red light. Hmm, right. And to make matters worse, we are now confronted with another circle to be built at one of the busiest intersections in Sarasota. Genius!

I have lived here for over 25 years, migrating from New York. My Grandparents were immigrants that settled in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn. They never received a penny in aide and built a business that one could be proud of. That is what this statue also represents, being a proud American! It is obvious to the reader that young Jacob holds complete disdain for the piece and his arrogance knows no bounds while insulting the Veterans of our shared community. Certainly, this will be a topic of discussion and those who honor this Country and what it truly stands for will fight to keep the statue. It would do young Jacob some good to appreciate the Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook crowd as well, they are a big boom to our suffering economy. Last time I looked, we were and remain a tourist destination.

While I am aware that this letter may get lost in the mailbag, I hope that the wonderful founders of SRQ Media, Lisl Liang and Wes Roberts, who I once knew personally through business here in Sarasota, will pass this on to their contributing senior editor. This is just my opinion and the opinion of those who I spoke to before penning my response. Unfortunately, the voice of young Jacob will be heard but mine may not so I will be sharing it along with the article on my many social media platforms. As the famous author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford once phrased, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” meaning beauty is subjective, as is art. I support all the artwork and sculptures throughout our city, I even know some of the artists and will not use this platform to offer my opinion. Perhaps, a little more accurate history and a little less opinion will serve the author well in his next editorial.

Jody Jorgensen is a resident of Sarasota.         

Photo courtesy Visit Sarasota County

Tim Jaeger revisits memories captured in humble swatches of mail. 

Click here to read the full article from SRQ's Summer 2020 edition.

The Sarasota Farmers Market is proud to announce the reopening of the market on Saturday, August 1st. Hours will remain the same as always, 7am-1pm, rain or shine. We understand the severity of COVID-19; therefore, we are instituting some guidelines for both vendors and customers to follow as you join us downtown.

CUSTOMER CODE OF CONDUCT

Stay home if you are sick or have been in contact with someone who is sick.
Make a shopping list before coming.
Pre-order and prepay vendors online if possible.
Designate one shopper per household.
Leave pets at home unless it is a service animal.
Wear a mask. Masks keep all of us safe!
Look with your eyes. Only touch what you will buy.
Maintain 6 feet of space between you and any others.
Shop quickly and get everything to go.
No gathering. Keep walkways clear.
Hand sanitizer available at vendor booths and sanitizing stations.

*Please remember masks are mandatory in the city of Sarasota.

The community has always embraced our vendors, even through rainstorms and temporary moves due to construction. We are asking that you continue to support our vendors and our community as we all get used to these new guidelines. Follow us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts for more reopening information to come.

“We know this is an unprecedented time, and we know the market has always been a special tradition in the history of downtown Sarasota. We are excited to get back to serving our community, who has supported the farmers market for many years," said Chairman, Travis Kinsey. 

Click for more info.