The Watershed Hospitality Concepts (WHC) family of restaurants is excited to join Giving Kitchen’s Dining With Gratitude 2024, a nationwide initiative. This month-long campaign aims to support and celebrate food service workers in Florida and beyond. Giving Kitchen is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, recognized with a James Beard Foundation Award, dedicated to providing financial assistance and community resources to food service workers facing crises across all 50 states.

"We are excited to be part of this meaningful event," said Mike Quillen, President of WHC. "Our team is passionate about supporting each other and our fellow hospitality industry colleagues, and Dining With Gratitude gives us an opportunity to express our appreciation and give back to those who contribute so much to our community. An unexpected crisis can be tough on anyone financially. We are honored to support an organization that gives back and celebrates the amazing hospitality professionals we work alongside every day.”

As part of Watershed’s involvement, all WHC restaurants, Cask & Ale, Pie On Main, Blasé’ Martini Bar/3.14 Pi Pizza will donate a portion of every Espresso Martini enjoyed by guests to Giving Kitchen during the month of October. Said Quillen, “This Martini is among our most popular offerings; now this cocktail will also serve a philanthropic mission.” Watershed Hospitality Concepts Director of Communications and Business Development, Anne K. Rollings adds that because of the popularity of the Espresso Martini across all of the group’s restaurants, they are hoping to raise over $1500 during the month of October with this program.

“Dining With Gratitude is not just about raising critical funds for crisis grants; it's about celebrating the spirit of generosity essential to the heart of the food service industry,” says Giving Kitchen’s Founder, Jen Hidinger-Kendrick. "Every client Giving Kitchen serves reflects our industry’s commitment to building a food service community that meets each crisis with compassion and care."

Dining with Gratitude has helped a bartender named Mikele, who had to take time off from work when she sprained her ankle and found herself with reduced income and mounting medical bills. Grateful for the assistance from Giving Kitchen, Mikele says “It allowed me to fully heal and not have to worry about overworking on my foot and getting hurt even more which would lead to missing out on even more work.”

Nira has been in the restaurant industry for 18+ years and lives with her wife in Nashville, TN where she is a server at a popular Downtown Broadway Street bar. Faced with health concerns and financial instability, Nira has reached out and received help from Giving Kitchen three times since she first heard about it in 2020. "I can’t even believe something like this exists,” she says. “I feel so blessed that The Giving Kitchen always had/has my back, and the backs of all service industry workers."

The Watershed Hospitality Concepts family of restaurants serves hospitality. They are committed to creating welcoming experiences through quality, locally inspired fare, seasonal local crops from our farm partners & innovative cocktails. WHC employs around 100 hospitality-driven team members in their four restaurants. WHC offers our community casual, lively gathering places to savor craft cocktails and creative cuisine and enjoy the timeless ritual of sharing a meal. https://www.caskalesrq.com/ 

In response to Hurricane Milton’s potential impact on southwest Florida and the palpable angst shared across our region, The Patterson Foundation is contributing up to $3 million in new disaster relief and recovery funding to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The funding includes separate contributions to a pair of initiatives the Community Foundation manages that serve Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties: An immediate $1 million gift to Season of Sharing to help provide a financial bridge for those who could be displaced from their homes or face disruptions from work. This contribution comes in addition to The Patterson Foundation’s previously announced Season of Sharing challenge match, which donates $100,000 for every $500,000 raised by the community for the initiative. An immediate $1 million gift to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund to help support long-term recovery efforts led by local nonprofits in areas impacted by the storm. A $1 million match for additional donations to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund. The Patterson Foundation will match all donations up to $50,000, dollar for dollar.

“People throughout our region are anguished over what this potentially catastrophic storm will mean for their lives going forward,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “While we don’t have the answers for what lies ahead, we do know that we need to be here for each other right now. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County offers resources we can count on to restore our peace of mind in the short-term while strengthening community rebuilding efforts over the months and years that follow a major disaster. Everyone, regardless of their means or where they live, can support people and communities with confidence by donating to Season of Sharing and the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund.”

Season of Sharing, which typically kicks off annually at the beginning of November, is actively fundraising now to help ensure that impacts to those whose livelihoods are put on pause are as minimal as possible. A trusted, time-tested safety net for nearly 25 years, Season of Sharing covers expenses related to housing, utilities, transportation and childcare to help avoid compounding financial setbacks that can be the result of a missed payment. The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund is specifically focused on supporting vital community resources of those living here, including emphasis on mental and behavioral health, legal services, case management, children and youth services, as well as efforts identified by Long Term Recovery Groups within Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Such efforts include rebuilding and repairing homes, along with replacing damaged furniture and appliances, all of which makes homes safe and livable. The Fund directs contributions to local nonprofit organizations supporting long-term, long-range recovery programs to sustain human service agencies in our region.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on Florida’s west coast as a major hurricane this week. According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton is expected to bring a large area of destructive storm surge and devastating hurricane-force winds. The storm comes just weeks after Hurricane Helene battered coastal communities in Florida with record-breaking storm surge that many people are still recovering from. Donations to Season of Sharing or the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund can be made online at cfsarasota.org/donors/support-our-community#donate or by sending a check (payable to Community Foundation of Sarasota County) to Attn: Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund or Season of Sharing, 2635 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237. All donations are tax-deductible. Those in need of assistance from Season of Sharing can call 2-1-1 to be directed to support and other services.  

The Education Foundation of Sarasota County received grants from five organizations to support a second year of PLANit Sarasota’s initiative that addresses stop-outs (students who attended college but did not attain their degree and are no longer enrolled), and summer-melts (students who graduated high school and were accepted into college but never enrolled). PLANit Sarasota provides free coaching for Sarasota and Manatee students who just graduated high school wishing to pursue a postsecondary education. A completion coach is in place to reengage adult students with some college experience but no credentials and offer support with applications, college credit transfers, and financial aid. For students facing a roadblock in the journey to a college degree or high-value certification, the project helps them reach their goal. This project began with partner State College of Florida (SCF) as the primary higher education institution during its successful first year. Through generous contributions from Bank of America, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the James M. Maestranzi Charitable Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and Scheidel Foundation, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County and PLANit Sarasota will continue to serve students who are experiencing financial hardships, personal struggles, or difficulties navigating through the application paperwork and requirements for higher education. The Education Foundation is grateful to all five of its supporters for their contributions to this initiative and for their long-standing support for students, especially underserved students, to move forward and be better equipped to thrive. 

The Master’s in Applied Data Science program at New College announced today it has received nearly $98,000 in grant funding from the Agricultural Research Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This grant will fund paid internships for students in 2025, marking the third consecutive year the USDA has sponsored the work of New College data science students. The program leverages data science and AI to address pressing challenges in agriculture, sustainability, and environmental science, while equipping students with critical skills for high-demand careers. Second-year data science student April Ainsworth used last summer's USDA grant to research honeybee communication through audio data. As an experienced beekeeper herself, Ainsworth continues her research this fall with the goal of mitigating honeybee population declines. Another student, Matthew Wilcox, spent his USDA-funded summer internship researching sustainable packaging materials derived from milk proteins. His work focuses on finding eco-friendly alternatives to plastic, addressing the global environmental challenge of reducing plastic waste. Melvin Adkins, who graduated from the program in May, now works as an analyst for a financial consulting company. He completed a 14-week USDA internship last spring, analyzing over 1.6 million records on high-risk arthropods intercepted at U.S. ports of entry. His work aimed to assess the risk of a costly biological invasion that could cause damage to U.S. agricultural commodities. Now in its 10th year, the Master’s in Applied Data Science program at New College has a proven track record of preparing graduates for data science careers that tackle local and global challenges. The program emphasizes project-based learning and hands-on experience across industries, from agriculture to finance. Graduates are working in roles that apply data science and AI-driven solutions to critical issues such as sustainable agriculture and supply chain resilience. Taught by faculty with industry experience, the program ensures students are proficient in key technologies for data processing and predictive modeling, balancing theory with hands-on application. To learn more about the program, visit ncf.edu/grad-applied-data-science or follow it on LinkedIn. 

Sarasota Orchestra has received a $30,000 grant from The Exchange in support of the 2024-2025 Young Person’s Concerts (YPC). Sarasota Orchestra’s YPC are experienced by nearly 9,000 students annually and have been presented since 1953. This live orchestra concert experience for fourth and fifth grade students combines a year-long curriculum in schools with a field trip to see the professional Sarasota Orchestra in concert. The 2024-2025 Young Person’s Concerts will be held October 8-11, 2024 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, with seven daytime concerts over the four days. The curriculum guide was developed by a team of area music teachers and the Sarasota Orchestra Education Department; it includes detailed lesson plans with information on the featured composers, specific pieces, and general music vocabulary. The 2024-2025 YPC will feature conductor Rei Hotoda, along with the return of popular narrator Gregory Smith. There will also be a free family concert that is open to the public at 7:00 pm on Friday, October 11 at the Van Wezel. To learn more about Sarasota Orchestra’s 2024-2025 season and programs, visit www.SarasotaOrchestra.org. 

Manatee Community Foundation (MCF) is pleased to announce the addition of two distinguished individuals to its leadership team: Yolanda Mancha as Vice President of Development, and Mac Schmitz as Director of Development. Both bring extensive experience and a shared passion for philanthropy and community engagement, further strengthening MCF’s mission to support the people and organizations of Manatee County, and our region.Yolanda Mancha, with over 20 years of nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and donor development experience, steps into the role of Vice President of Development. Most recently serving as the Vice President for Advancement at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, Yolanda has successfully led campaigns that have significantly increased donor engagement and organizational impact. Her expertise in managing comprehensive campaigns, donor cultivation, and community partnerships will help drive MCF’s philanthropic efforts to new heights. Mac Schmitz joins the foundation as Director of Development, bringing a robust background in donor relations, project management, international event planning, and marketing. Prior to joining the foundation, Mac served as Executive Director of the National Monuments Foundation in Atlanta, where he oversaw multimillion-dollar campaigns and major peace and cultural initiatives. His leadership in fundraising and event production will play a key role in expanding the MCF’s reach and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Manatee Community Foundation looks forward to the positive impact that Yolanda and Mac will have on its initiatives, fostering lasting connections and creating opportunities for giving that will benefit the entire region. For information on ways to invest in our community, visit www.manateecf.org. 

Be transported to Clara’s enchanted dream world in The Nutcracker by the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School on December 6 at 6:00 pm at the Sarasota Opera House. The holiday favorite features the beloved classic choreography and the beauty of Tchaikovsky’s score, with scenery and costumes conceived exclusively for the school by a legendary theater designer. Don’t miss this magical evening! 

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David Crawford of Catalist Realty is an innovator who launched a real estate brokerage with a pioneering model that weaves a spirit of giving into every transaction, October 2024.

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