February 17, 2020: Groundbreaking: Transformative Gifts from Palm Garden Healthcare, Congressman Buchanan to Help Children and Strengthen Families at One More Child campus in Sarasota
WHAT:
One More Child is celebrating the groundbreaking of its Sarasota campus, which will include villas for single moms and children, Foster Family Homes and a family children’s center.
Palm Garden Healthcare provided a generous lead gift that serves as a catalyst to make incredible long-term impacts in the lives of local children and families in need through this campus.
“Thanks to a transformative gift from our friends at Palm Garden, we are undertaking the building of an entire campus that is going to create a generational impact of changed lives,” said Dr. Jerry Haag, president/CEO of One More Child.
In addition, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL, 16th District) and his wife Sandy made a $1 million gift to One More Child to build the Buchanan Family Children’s Center on the campus, which is located in the district where Rep. Buchanan is currently serving a seventh term.
Recent data shows 32 percent of children in Sarasota County live in single-parent households and 25 percent of children in Sarasota go to bed hungry.
This campus will offer brave single moms the support and resources needed to become self-sufficient and excel, and it will bring the community together to meet the needs of children who have experienced trauma and separation from their families. (See renderings of the campus here)
Conservative estimates project that within the first three years of the campus opening, nearly 230 single moms and children will be served in the homes and 189,000 meals will be provided to hungry children.
The total project cost is estimated at $6 million, including $1.95 million remaining to still be raised have the campus fully funded.
WHEN:
4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 17
There will be a prayer walk beginning at 4:30 p.m., followed by remarks from Dr. Jerry Haag, president/CEO of One More Child, Rob Greene, CEO of Palm Garden Healthcare, and Rep. Vern Buchanan and his wife, Sandy Buchanan.
The groundbreaking will follow. The entire event is scheduled to run 1 hour.
WHERE:
Southeast corner of Tatum Road and Pledger Lane
