Grant Success Stories

A 56-year-old man and his 84-year-old mother were facing a housing crisis after the son unexpectedly lost his job. Without steady income, they suddenly and rapidly fell behind on their bills until they were three months behind on their rent, accumulating $6,400 in arrears. Wanting to protect his mother from worry, the son kept their financial struggles to himself until they received an eviction notice. That was when his mother learned the full extent of their situation.

They reached out to Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice (CCDOV) for assistance. We were able to provide $2,000 in rental assistance, half of which was supported by the Heron Creek Community Foundation grant. Additionally, CCDOV collaborated with St. Vincent de Paul and Season of Sharing to cover most of the remaining balance. The clients were able to cover a small amount of the difference. These combined efforts prevented the family from being evicted and having to enter CCDOV’s emergency shelter.

Shortly afterward, the landlord emailed our team to express sincere gratitude, sharing that our combined support had made it possible for the family to remain in their home and stabilize their situation. The clients also sent a heartfelt thank-you card, expressing their appreciation for the compassion and assistance they received during such a difficult time. Their story is a meaningful reminder of the life-changing impact that community partnerships and timely support can have for families in crisis, and moreover, the impact that the Heron Creek Community Foundation has had on the lives of local families in need.

The graduation rate for North Port High School seniors enrolled in Resiliency Success Coaching has improved each year over the past three years, with the Class of 2026 achieving a 100% graduation rate. The impact also extends beyond the students directly served. Based on the two most recent years of published state graduation data, Resiliency Success Coaching is estimated to have contributed 7.4 percentage points (2023-2024) and 4.1 percentage points (2024-2025) to North Port High School’s overall graduation rate.

One family illustrates what this work looks like beyond the numbers. Three sisters participated in Education Foundation programs this year, spanning both Resiliency Success Coaching and the Future-Ready Scholars Program, with their mother actively engaged throughout their journey. For the oldest sister, Naomi, graduation was anything but certain. She entered her senior year with a GPA below graduation requirements and struggled to pass the English Language Arts assessment required for a standard diploma. As graduation approached, every assignment, every assessment, and every conversation mattered. She passed the required assessment the Friday before graduation. Days later, after completing her remaining coursework, she reached the 2.0 GPA needed to earn her diploma and walk across the stage with her classmates. “I felt completely relieved and full of joy to walk across the stage.”

Naomi’s story was not unique. She was one of five seniors who began the year below a 2.0 GPA and ultimately graduated after raising their GPA to meet graduation requirements. The impact reached beyond graduation day. During a home visit, the students’ grandmother, whom the coach had never met, recognized her immediately. “I know who you are, and thank you for your work with the girls.” Those simple words reflected something larger than academic success. They reflected the trust, hope, and relationships that make this work possible.

Every graduation represents a student whose future looks different because someone chose to invest in them. Your generosity made it possible for students facing significant barriers to receive the individualized support, encouragement, and accountability they needed to persevere through one of the most important years of their lives. The results are reflected not only in diplomas earned, but in the confidence students gained, the goals they established, and
the futures they are now prepared to pursue.

On behalf of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, North Port High School, and the students and families whose lives have been changed, thank you for your partnership, your generosity, and your belief in the potential of every student. We are honored to steward your investment and grateful that you have chosen to stand alongside us in helping North Port students build brighter futures.

2025-2026 By the Numbers

• 47 North Port High School students received individualized Resiliency Success Coaching.
• 722 documented coaching contacts provided sustained, one-on-one support throughout the school year.
• 100% of participating seniors graduated, the first time North Port High School has achieved this milestone in the
  program’s three-year history.
• Five seniors who began the year below a 2.0 GPA improved to graduation eligibility and earned their diplomas.
• Students graduated with plans aligned to their goals, including four-year universities, technical certification
  programs, military service, and workforce opportunities.

Resiliency Success Coaching is the Education Foundation’s highest-intensity student support program. Students are referred by school administrators and paired with our school-embedded coach who works alongside them throughout the school year, helping them navigate academic challenges, attendance concerns, family circumstances, and planning for life after graduation. The goal is not simply helping students graduate. It is helping them graduate prepared for what comes next.

All Heron Creek Community Foundation grant funds ($10,000) were expended in accordance with the approved project application and supported speech-language and occupational therapy services for vulnerable young children. Funds supported approximately 66 hours of direct developmental therapy services during the grant period.

For example, a four-year-old child, “Sara,” entered the developmental therapy program with significant speech delays that made it difficult for her to express basic wants and needs, often leading to frustration and behavioral difficulties both at home and in preschool settings. Sara’s caregivers recognized how her
communication challenges affected her behavior, but they also shared that family stress had increased due to recent changes at home and the demands of caring for multiple young children.

Sara had previously participated in early intervention services to support her speech and language development; however, after aging out of those services, gaps in insurance coverage created interruptions in therapy. As a result, her family observed setbacks in her communication progress and increased frustration in daily routines.

Through support provided by the Heron Creek Community Foundation grant, Sara was able to access ongoing speech-language therapy services without interruption. Over the course of treatment, she demonstrated meaningful progress in expressive communication, advancing from primarily single-word
responses to using short phrases and initiating more interaction with caregivers and peers. As her communication skills improved, caregivers reported fewer frustration-related behaviors and more positive interactions both at home and in social settings. Sara’s family also shared that they experienced less stress as she became more capable of expressing her needs independently. Her teachers noted increased participation in classroom activities, stronger emotional regulation, and improved readiness to engage successfully in a structured learning environment.

I am writing once again to thank you for awarding Loveland Center North Port a Heron Creek Community Foundation Grant. We sincerely appreciate
your continued support and understanding of our program. Your generosity helps us continue providing meaningful services and opportunities to the individuals we serve.

This grant has provided our participants with the opportunity to achieve greater success in leading healthier lifestyles. Not only did it allow us to implement Bloom Fitness, a specialized exercise program designed specifically for adults with disabilities, but it also enabled us to purchase fitness equipment that can be used throughout the week. These resources help our participants continue their fitness journeys, build healthy habits, and achieve lasting success.

When we started this program, many of our participants did not want to participate in exercising. We have since grown the group to 20 individuals who now enjoy exercising and have shown progress in endurance and strength. They also earn incentives for completing a set amount of classes. They are able to track on a chart when they complete a class. One participant has lost over 20 lbs and can often be found using the equipment throughout the day.

This opportunity has opened up the mindset that even though you have a disability, you can still exercise and feel good about yourself.

During the grant period, support from the Heron Creek Community Foundation enabled Neuro Challenge Foundation to provide free, comprehensive Parkinson’s disease services to 143 North Port residents. Grant funding supported individualized Care Advising, educational programs, therapeutic exercise classes, support groups, and the distribution of trusted Parkinson’s resources.

Because every Neuro Challenge Foundation service is offered at no cost, North Port residents living with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners were able to access ongoing support without adding to the already significant financial burden of managing the disease. Pete and Donna, longtime North Port residents who lived just around the corner from Heron Creek, are among the many individuals whose lives were enriched through these services. Over
the years, they became active members of the Neuro Challenge Foundation community, attending eight Parkinson’s Expos, participating in Symposiums whenever possible, joining North Port support groups, and relying on the guidance of Care Advisor Diane Conti for many years. They also participated in Big & Loud classes, and worked with Medical Advisory member Mary Spremulli. Throughout her life, Donna remained engaged in Neuro Challenge Foundation
programming, and support from this grant helped ensure those meaningful opportunities remained available to her and so many others living with Parkinson’s disease.

Exercise programs became an especially important part of Pete and Donna’s journey. They loved participating in our classes, particularly Rock Steady Boxing, and Pete continues to attend classes twice each week. The relationships they built through support groups, Care Advising, educational events, and exercise programs helped foster connection, encouragement, and a sense of community close to home. Reflecting on the impact Neuro Challenge Foundation has had on his and Donna’s life, Pete shared, “Keep up the great work because it is a great thing you are doing for the Parkinson’s community.”

Your support made it possible for 143 North Port residents to receive compassionate support, evidence-based programs, and opportunities to connect with others facing similar challenges. Pete and Donna’s story reflects the lasting impact of this support: providing not only resources and education, but also community, hope, and the ability for people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners to live with greater confidence and connection. We are deeply grateful to Heron Creek Community Foundation for investing in our mission and helping ensure that North Port families affected by Parkinson’s disease continue to receive these life-changing services free of charge.

One family currently participating in The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope program faced significant transportation barriers that prevented them from accessing food distribution sites and other essential community resources. The household consists of two parents in lone-term recovery who are working diligently to build a future for themselves and their three-year-old Ohild.

Because the family lacked reliable transportation they were unable to visit local food pantries and community support programs regularly. Recognizing this challenge, the family’s Case Manager partnered closely with the Venice Food pantry staff to coordinate assistance and ensure the family had consistent access to food. Through ongoing communication and collaboration, food resources were identified and delivered directly to the family’s residence when transportation barriers preventee them from traveling to the pantry.

This support helped to reduce focd insecurity during a challenging period and allowed the family to focus on employment, parenting, and long-term stability. The family’s progress demonstrates how access to basic necessities, combined with supportive services, can remove barriers and create opportunities for lasting self-sufficiency.

Just one example of the SPARCC Shelter’s impact can be seen through a young woman who came through SPARCC’s shelter doors in February this year. She came with her young daughter, seeking safety and a new beginning. She had spent years enduring abuse, watching her abuser use control and threats to isolate her, drain her sense of self, and ultimately cost her the job she had held for years. When she finally found the strength to leave, she did so with almost nothing, just the clothing she was wearing and a quiet determination that things were going to be different.

From the moment they arrived, SPARCC’s shelter team went to work alongside her. Staff provided her with a Treasure Chest voucher so she and her daughter could get clothing and the basic essentials they had fled without. Comfort foods that her abuser had withheld were waiting for them at the shelter, and watching her daughter’s face light up over something so simple was a moment staff will not forget. Safety planning touched every part of her life: her commute to work, her finances, the threatening messages that still came through, and eventually the day she would go back to retrieve her beloved pet from her former home. Staff helped her think through every detail of that retrieval (including law enforcement accompaniment), because for many survivors, a pet is not just a comfort, it is family.

She had managed to set aside some savings before leaving, and staff helped her protect and stretch those funds strategically. Together they used a budgeting template to map out her expenses, compare apartments by price, location, and safety features, and begin looking into the Address Confidentiality
Program so that when she did move into her own place, her abuser would not be able to find her there. A bus pass helped her stay connected to her job while she worked toward longer term stability, and employment and childcare resources helped her begin planning for her daughter’s needs as well.
What struck staff most was not any single task or resource, but watching this woman slowly remember who she was. She had quietly planned her way out of an impossible situation. She had protected her daughter. She had walked through those shelter doors even when every instinct told her to turn back. SPARCC simply helped clear the path forward.

On behalf of everyone at The Twig Cares, thank you for your generous 2025 grant of $2,500 to support the purchase of new pajamas for children in foster care.

Your funding has allowed us to strategically purchase pajamas throughout the year as inventory needs arise in our boutique. We are fortunate to receive many donated items from our community, but there are certain sizes and categories that are consistently in short supply. Youth boys’ sizes, in particular, are often difficult to keep stocked due to high demand and fewer donations. Because of your grant, we have been able to fill those gaps and ensure children continue receiving new pajamas when they need them most.

To date, approximately half of the grant funds have been used to purchase pajamas in the sizes most urgently needed, and the remaining funds are being carefully reserved to continue meeting inventory shortages as they occur. This flexibility has been incredibly valuable in helping us respond to the real-time
needs of the children and families we serve.

Pajamas remain one of the most requested and meaningful items in our boutique. Many children enter foster care with very few belongings, and receiving something brand new that is their own provides comfort, dignity, and a sense of security during a difficult transition. One foster caregiver recently shared how meaningful it was for a child placed in her home to receive new pajamas after arriving with only the clothes they were wearing. She explained that such a simple item helped the child feel safe, cared for, and welcomed during an uncertain time. Thank you again for partnering with The Twig Cares and for helping provide comfort and hope to children in foster care throughout our community.