The Here4YOUth Initiative of Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation has awarded Wingspan Productions, Inc. a $25,000 grant from the Here4YOUth Mental Health Initiative. Wingspan Productions, Inc. is a nonprofit educational film company based in Sarasota, Florida that addresses vital issues of our time. The grant will fund various aspects of Wingspan’s year-round educational initiative, including community screenings, discussions, and talkbacks, partnerships with community organizations, social media, and resource materials to accompany the new film about mental health, Bridge to the Other Side.

“Since the pandemic, mental health concerns of children and families in this community have increased 200%,” said KT Curran, Executive Director of Wingspan Productions." Bridge to the Other Side is a powerful story about first responders as they work to address the rising crisis of mental health. We are so grateful for this generous grant that will help us share not only the film, but valuable mental health resources locally, statewide, and around the world,” continued Curran. Bridge to the Other Side, a powerful film about resilience, mental health, and finding strength in dark times, was created out of 150 interviews in the community with youth, parents, teachers, police officers, nurses, therapists, firefighters, and agency leaders. Filmed in Sarasota and Cape Coral, the movie features numerous professional and volunteer actors, and was created by a crew of 55 film professionals, interns, and volunteers. The film will have its international premiere in Toronto at Commffest Global Film Festival and its national premiere in Los Angeles at Lady Filmmaker's Film Festival in Beverly Hills. It will go on to screen nationally with Reel Recovery Film Festival, a national festival that focuses on mental health and addiction, and will premiere in Florida at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival in November. Many local screenings are planned in Sarasota and across Florida in the coming months. 

Pictured: Bridge to the Other Side poster, courtesy of Wingspan Productions.

It’s time to register for the upcoming workshop Building Better Bylaws with Whitney Crettol on Friday, September 30. The workshop is for nonprofit board officers, members of governance or board development committees, or directors of organizations that have not updated their bylaws in three years. Registration is available online at www.gulfcoastcf.org/events.The workshop is intended to help nonprofits set themselves up for success when building their bylaws and policies. Participants will learn about the relationship between state law, Articles of Incorporation, and bylaws; discuss the most recent leading practices; and explore specific examples to assist in developing relevant and understandable governing rules. Topics include, yet are not limited to, board size, officer positions, term limits, meetings, committees, amendments, and change of control, among others. The morning-long workshop (8:30 a.m. breakfast; 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. presentation) costs $35, which includes breakfast, and will take place at Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s new Sarasota Philanthropy Center, 1549 State Street, Sarasota. Reservations are required to attend. Invest in Incredible is Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s nonprofit capacity-building initiative. Through free online resources, group training workshops, and customized consulting engagements, Invest in Incredible helps nonprofit organizations across the Gulf Coast region improve their board governance and operational effectiveness. 

To learn more click here.

Resilient Retreat, a new local non-profit that serves abuse survivors and those who experience trauma in the workplace, proudly announces that the organization is now less than $300,000 away from completing its Road to Resilience Capital Campaign goal. Once reached, the non-profit will receive a $1M match from a local anonymous donor. The match is made in honor of the late Jim Roque, a longtime supporter of the organization, and will help establish a general endowment fund. The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Board has also approved $600,000 in grant funding for Resilient Retreat to expand its mental health programs. The grant additionally features its own match opportunity so that every dollar given to the organization will be matched up to $200,000. Free and open to the public, Resilient Retreat’s Campus Building Dedication and Open House will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, October 18. Inspired by the Danish design concept of hygge, reflecting coziness and self-care, the Retreat’s new facilities will be available for small group, guided tours. Attendees will also experience program samplings, a sage ceremony and the placement of a time capsule to help commemorate this important milestone for the local community. The official Grand Opening Celebration Luncheon with Keynote Speaker Ashley Judd will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, November 3. This ticketed event will feature a ceremonial ribbon cutting, a sponsor reception and book signing and a tented luncheon on the retreat’s magnificent 84 acres of conservation land. Individual seats start at $250 per person. 

To learn more click here.

CenterPlace Health, a provider of primary care health services for children and adults and Sarasota County’s only Federally Qualified Health Center, welcomes a new CEO. The Board of Directors selected Kari Ellingstad, MPH to the position of Chief Executive Officer. She started in the position on September 2nd. Involved in community health initiatives in Sarasota County for more than 20 years, Kari was formerly the Director of the Community Health Improvement Partnership. In that role she supported the coordination of citizen-led initiatives to address community health interests of local concern, facilitated a four-County healthcare leadership collaborative, and oversaw CHIP’s research activities, including the design and implementation of regular, large-scale community health surveys. Kari also has experience in the corporate world, having served most recently as the Vice-President of I-Net Consulting, a local firm providing managed IT services. A native of Wisconsin, Kari initially moved to Florida to attend New College in Sarasota. She earned her BA at New College and later went on to receive her Master’s in Public Health from the University of South Florida. 

To learn more click here.

Jordan Chancey, a Broker-Associate with RE/MAX Alliance Group, has received the RE/MAX Hall of Fame Award, which recognizes high-achieving real estate professionals for their service to buyers and sellers during their career. Chancey joined RE/MAX Alliance Group in 2017 in the Bradenton office and quickly earned the Rising Star Award. As a sixth generation Florida Gulf Coast resident and 15-year real estate professional, he brings extensive market knowledge and real estate expertise, specializing in residential, commercial and land. He has been named a “Realtor to Watch Under 40” by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee and its Young Professional Network (YPN). Chancey’s commitment to professionalism is reflected in his numerous past designations, including Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS), Certified Waterfront Specialist (CWS), Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), Accredited Commercial Professional (ACP), Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and Certified Professional Property Manager (CPPM). He is president of the Palmetto Historical Commission and supports All Children’s Hospital, Children’s Dream Fund, American Heart Association and Downtown Ministries Bradenton. The RE/MAX Alliance Group Bradenton office is located at 3007 Manatee Avenue West. Chancey can be reached at (941) 545-8816. 

On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, Jimmy John’s opened a new location at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), bringing to busy jet-setters its signature fresh-baked French bread, all-natural hand-sliced meat and cheese, hand-sliced fresh veggies and more.
Located post-security on the second floor of the Main Terminal on Concourse B, the new restaurant will provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner options to all travelers, airport staff, and airline personnel. The new Jimmy John’s at SRQ will mark the brand’s second-ever airport location in the country. Travelers can enjoy Freaky Fast sandwiches when it’s convenient for them, including before the first flight of the day departs, and after the last flight arrives. Multi-franchisee Mark Mitchell is the owner of the new SRQ Jimmy John’s. Jimmy John’s has more than 2,600 restaurants in 43 states. As part of the Inspire Brands family, Jimmy John’s franchisees have access to best-in-class franchise support, including restaurant development planning, design and construction, operations, training and marketing. To learn more about franchising opportunities with Jimmy John’s, please visit jimmyjohnsfranchising.com.