Two-Generation Approach
Sarasota, FL – The Community Foundation of Sarasota County granted Harvest House $120,000 to provide equipment to outfit classrooms for Harvest House’s Life Enrichment Campus, to support 2Gen programs offered by Harvest House, and to sponsor the Home Again luncheon each year during the three-year term. The grant is funded over three years.
Harvest House’s Home Again program was born to provide supportive housing for families experiencing homelessness. As housing costs continue to rise, more families need supportive housing services. Home Again serves 108 parents and children with multiple barriers to sustainability across three campuses. In 2022, 70% of clients served came from homelessness or institutional settings, and 86% exited to stable housing. 63% of adults entered Harvest House with no income, and 81% exited with income.
“We are excited about formalizing our partnership with Harvest House for many reasons, but especially because of their commitment to a two-generation approach,” said Kirsten Russell, Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “Erin Minor leads a team that intentionally meets people exactly where they are, with love rather than judgment. This approach builds accountability and unlocks potential by coordinating equitable access to housing, education, and mental health supports that are necessary to thrive economically and socially. Their mission transforms lives.”
2-Gen, or the two-generation approach, focuses on building family well-being by emphasizing holistic strategies combining parent and child interventions to break the cycle of poverty. 2Gen programs at Harvest House intentionally serve the whole family, creating opportunities to achieve better outcomes and develop sustainability.
“There’s no better investment than investing in the whole family. This funding aligns perfectly with our goal in providing holistic care,” says Harvest House CEO Erin Minor.
About Harvest House: Harvest House is a local supportive housing and hunger relief provider with 380 beds and multiple programs throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Harvest House became a pioneer in the local supportive and affordable housing movement in 1992. They serve members of our community who are working to rebuild their lives, including families and youth experiencing homelessness, and adults with a history of addiction and incarceration. Their programs improve the economic status of residents and stabilizes lives for generations to come. For more information, visit harvesthousecenters.org or call (941) 953-3154.
About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County: The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $520 million in more than 1,570 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $27.5 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare, and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $350 million to area nonprofit organizations to our community, thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.
