On May 1 and 2, START will participate for the first time in the on-line 2018 “Giving Challenge” presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County with giving strengthened by the Patterson Foundation. Designed to help the many local non-profit organizations that support needed community activities, this unique program will be the cornerstone of START’s fundraising for the year.
Being part of the “Giving Challenge” means that every donation to START in an amount from $25 up to $100 during the twenty-four hours on-line giving period will be matched in an equal amount by the Patterson Foundation. This is an unparalleled opportunity for our donors to expand START’s funding base to help us preserve our coastal waters.
Beginning exactly at noon on May 1, 2018, donors will visit and search for Solutions to Avoid Red Tide Inc. A more direct link will be emailed to those of you on START’s email list moments before noon on May 1.
This year’s theme is “Be the One” to help support your local charitable institutions. For START, you can “Be the One” to enable us to fund:
1. New expanded water measurements for nutrients for more reliable forecasting of red tide
2. Communications program for governments, businesses and the general public on ways to control nutrients in our waterways
3. Our Gulf Coast Oyster Recycling and Renewal (GCORR) program that keeps used shells from restaurants out of our landfills and uses them to build new oyster reefs that filter nutrients in seawater
4. Our support for the ongoing clam seeding program in Sarasota Bay
5. Red Tide updates on our website at start1.org.
6. Our monthly E-Newsletter highlighting marine environmental news
7. Our Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on local TV stations alerting the public to impending red tide blooms
Between noon on May 1st and noon on May 2nd, please make your donation to START at www.GivingPartnerChallenge.Org. In so doing, you will double the amount of your gift to help START preserve our coastal waters. Today, to see START’s current Giving Partner profile, visit https://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/nonprofit.aspx?orgId=1118593
