Season of Sharing: I want to hear from you

Categories: COMMUNITY CARE: Preventing Homelessness, Season of Sharing, Response and Recovery,

When people think of Sarasota, they are likely to think of the beach, the expensive homes, the wealth.

But what drew me to Sarasota wasn’t those things. It was the idea that I could share stories of people who often feel unheard.

That is why I moved here almost six months ago. I am now halfway through my contract, covering the Season of Sharing campaign and the region’s nonprofits’ response to COVID-19.

Each day, I see the opposite of what Sarasota seems to be on the surface. I see people struggling to find work. I see people who have never-ending anxiety about how to pay next month’s bills. I see people who want to escape the gripping cycle of poverty but feel it’s impossible.

I have become the very first dedicated reporter to cover the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Season of Sharing campaign, which was started with the Herald-Tribune 20 years ago....