Embracing Our Differences Receives Strategic Partnership Grant from Community Foundation of Sarasota County

Last year, Embracing Our Differences’ (EOD) Bucket Fillers Reading Day put nearly 12,000 books into the hands of young readers in 611 classrooms and early learning centers throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties. But demand exceeded available resources, leaving more than 1,000 students without books of their own. A new $33,000 Strategic Partnership Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County will help EOD continue expanding the reach of programs that use education to foster kindness, empathy and respect. Funding for this grant was made possible by the Community Foundation’s Allen Wirtz Nobbe and Jo Bowen Nobbe Fund, Libby Yungblut FOI Charitable Fund and Robert and Willa Bernhard Fund for Books and Literacy.

The grant includes $20,000 to support EOD’s Unity Day initiative in Sarasota County and $13,000 for Bucket Fillers Reading Day, including $5,000 to provide books to Sarasota County students.

“Every child we reach represents an opportunity to build a kinder, more compassionate community,” says Sarah Wertheimer, EOD’s president and CEO.

Read more here.