– Liv Wright, New College of Florida Barancik Scholar
Unkind as 2020 has been, we see it as a year filled with opportunity, lessons, and hope.
Overlapping crises have provided our community an occasion to reimagine itself. We have rallied to tighten our social safety net and, without hesitation, forged towards building the future we need, not the past we had. Valuable lessons have been learned, and relationships have strengthened.
We are thankful to our healthcare system, school district, teachers, and nonprofit partners who have acted boldly on behalf of our community. We know Chuck and Margie would be proud of you. Please enjoy a glimpse of what together we were able to achieve in 2020.
Grants Awarded
Million Awarded
Nonprofit Partners
Initiatives
At the close of 2019, our work changed forever. We have since had the privilege to continue Chuck and Margie’s commitment to go places others can’t or won’t. Our initiatives are not just designed to change lives today, but to address the systemic issues and injustices that impact generations.
The following pages describe how we made significant strides in education, early childhood development, mental health, and conserving our planet—in honor of them.
Bharat Chandra, Principal, Sarasota Orchestra
When Margie was young, she watched public service announcements aimed at recruiting educators, often portraying teachers as heroes with capes and superpowers. These moved her to become a teacher herself.
Margie's love for teaching inspires Barancik Foundation to heavily invest in our school district. This year has shown just how crucial our classroom heroes are, and no amount of thanks will be enough. These are some ways we are acting as their sidekick.
Swipe and click each photo to learn more.
This year, Here4YOUth partners commissioned a national consulting firm to conduct a System of Care Financial Analysis of mental health funding sources in Sarasota County. With data in hand, this report will pave the way to create a dedicated funding stream for mental health services in our region.
During Mental Health Awareness month, Here4YOUth participated in a national outreach campaign known as #SeizeTheAwkard to help break the stigma around mental health. We also held a community-wide screening of the Angst documentary before students returned to campus over the summer.
Watch Seize the Awkward
In 2018, First 1,000 Days Sarasota set out to ensure every family in our community has access to resources they need for their children to flourish. This year, the initiative delivered on its promise to launch a public parent portal to promote the benefits of helping to boost a baby’s brain. The portal allows families to sign up for weekly, age-appropriate tips and activities to help their child learn and develop.
Families can also enter themselves into a referral system if they need parenting assistance or help getting basic needs. Powered by Unite Us, a nationally recognized coordinated care technology, the system allows local doctors, healthcare agencies, social services and mental health organizations to promptly connect families to resources as challenges arise. Nonprofits are also using Unite Us to send and receive referrals and improve care coordination, leading to better outcomes and accountability.
Shutdowns brought clearer skylines and cleaner beaches for a time, but we cannot be shortsighted. Our climate is still in danger. Barancik Foundation supports programs that protect the environment and encourage people who might not otherwise experience nature to go beyond their neighborhood and learn more about their world. Here are just a few programs that have been making headway.
Dolphins are our water-based ecosystem sentinels, breathing the same air, swimming in the same waters, and eating the same fish we do. Barancik Foundation committed $1 million over five years to the Chicago Zoological Society to continue its Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. This year, 11 new dolphin calves were birthed in our waters! Swim with them here.
Barancik Foundation provided funding to purchase a million clams–yes, a million clams–to jumpstart bivalve restoration efforts in Sarasota Bay. Clams and other bivalves can filter almost 40 gallons of water a day, leading to a clearer and healthier bayfront. Work has begun to develop our own oyster breeding grounds in Sarasota Bay. Dive in to learn more.
We partnered with The Bay Park Conservancy to restore critical mangrove bayous and provide educational signs to not only ensure a healthier bay but also bring potential to create future generations of conservationists. This year, The Bay broke ground on the new mangrove nature walk. Explore the mangroves.
Last year, we activated the single largest private solar array on the roof of Girls Inc. Sarasota. We are now partnering with Community Foundation of Sarasota County and Gulf Coast Community Foundation on a Solar Loan Impact Fund, which will allow five other nonprofits the opportunity to make the flip to renewable energy this year. See how bright they shine.
Worms and grubs are gross, but they are vital to the health and effectiveness of our soil. This past year we partnered with Sunshine Community Compost to create a sustainable composting program, which will work with nonprofits, businesses, and private residents to reduce their waste and recycle valuable nutrients back into the earth. Get your hands dirty by learning more.
This cross sector partnership provides evaluation of efforts to implement water and energy efficiency improvements at local nonprofits. After completing three pilot projects with partner organizations, work is underway at 10 new sites selected to receive energy and water enhancements.Partner with us here.
We’ve partnered with the Sarasota Housing Authority and Sarasota County’s Sustainability Department to help decrease utility bills and increase air quality and economic self-sufficiency for low-income residents through energy improvements. Learn more about our county’s work.
We have not seen the full power of relationships until now. When the pandemic struck, our nonprofits acted boldly on behalf of the community. At the first sign of a threat, our community embraced collaboration and partnership to address the immediate and emerging issues. These are some of the things our friends and partners did.
We are not through these crises yet, and we don’t know what waits for us on the other side, but what we do know is that we are all in this together. Just as our partners have unified to carry our community through this, we have unified to support them. We are providing flexible grants and partnered with Gulf Coast Community Foundation on a joint philanthropic initiative to ensure the well-being and flexibility of our vital nonprofits. Together with our partners, we also are keeping our pulse on emerging needs and holding regular convenings to ensure there’s a better future for all. Swipe below to learn more.
Chuck and Margie believed that a child’s skin color or zip code should not have more influence on their success than the dreams they have in their hearts. This year proved that America has yet to reconcile its injustices. Recognizing the urgency for action, we have doubled down our work in equity and inclusion.
It is our priority to be a champion for organizations that are minority led as well as support cultural and educational experiences that promote diversity and inclusion.
Social determinants have a lot to do with how healthy we are. We are working with Sarasota Memorial Hospital and the Florida Department of Health to address health disparities in our most at-risk communities. Stay tuned for more updates on this work.
Throughout our work we make a conscious effort to listen to the voices of families we serve and represent them with dignity and respect.
A rising tide does not lift all boats if they are anchored by systemic barriers. We continue to bridge gaps, create pathways, and identify opportunities to overcome historic and structural inequities.
In 2020 we said farewell to norms. From transforming the way we deliver education and human services to rethinking policies that created barriers, the year has changed us forever. The troubled waters we are passing through have taken its toll, but there is much to celebrate. Together we have been dreaming of the future we need, not the past we had.
El Sueño American, Clifford McDonald – 2020 Embracing Our Differences Exhibit
Let's be real. This year could be described in a few different four-letter words, but there have been bright points despite it. We asked our partners what highlights and lessons they would carry into the future. To lighten the mood further, we turned them into haikus. Swipe through for some Zen-like reflection.
Chuck and Margie wanted to ensure that everyone had the opportunity for success through education. We have partnered with a number of organizations to develop Barancik Scholars programs to build future leaders for our community. These are their faces and some highlights of their year.
Background video designed by Matt Lupo, Barancik Masterpiece Scholar, Ringling College of Art & Design.
– Margie Barancik
We are grateful for our partners who have made this work possible. The way forward will not be easy, but this year has demonstrated that we have the capacity for hope and the ability to make a difference. Together, we can forge towards building the future we need, not the past that we had.
Liberty Enlightening the World, Arya Badiyan – 2021 Embracing Our Differences Exhibit
