Step Up Suncoast

09/02/2026

What a fun educational opportunity!

🚀🌱 WHAT DOES GROWING FOOD HAVE TO DO WITH SPACE?! 🛰️

Come find out at A NIGHT OUT WITH NASA! 🌎

The YMCA Beacons Program is bringing an exciting STEM experience to DeSoto County, and this is one night you’ll want the whole family to experience!

Imagine our young people sitting in the room with someone whose work has helped influence how we think about agriculture, science, innovation—and growing food beyond Earth! 🌱🚀

🧑‍🔬 Meet Dr. Ed Rosenthal — a visionary polymer chemist, biologist, and entrepreneur whose controlled-release fertilizer technologies have impacted traditional agriculture and NASA space-based food production.

This is the kind of exposure that can turn:

💡 Curiosity into a passion.
🌱 An idea into an invention.
🔬 A science lesson into a career.
🚀 And a DREAM into “Why not me?”

We want our youth to know that their future isn’t limited to what they see every day. There is an entire world—and universe—of possibilities waiting for them!

📅 September 10
⏰ 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Turner Agri-Civic Center | Arcadia

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families are encouraged to attend together!

🚨 Registration is open, but don’t wait! Grab your spot and give your family an opportunity to experience science, agriculture, entrepreneurship, innovation, and SPACE in a whole new way!

🚀DeSoto County, NASA is coming to OUR community—let’s fill the room!

Because sometimes you have to SEE what’s possible before you can DREAM bigger. 💙

08/28/2026

Sarasota County has two programs opening Sept. 1: Purchase Assistance and Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation.

For first-time, low-income homebuyers in Sarasota County, the Purchase Assistance program offers forgivable loans of up to $75,000 to help with down payment, closing costs and gap assistance. Homebuyers must be working with a mortgage lender to be eligible.

For low-income Sarasota County homeowners ready to make necessary repairs, maintenance and accessibility modifications, the Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation program offers forgivable loans of up to $100,000. Purely aesthetic renovations are not eligible for this program.

Awards are given on a first-come, first-approved basis, so make sure you mark your calendar!

Learn more and see if you qualify at www.herosrq.net.

07/20/2026

Are you joining us next week for Musical Motion? 🕺
On Wednesday, July 29 at 11am, Matters is hosting an hour-long activity session aimed at enhancing brain development and building preschoolers’ social skills, language skills, motor skills, and more. We hope to see you there!

05/01/2026

We're celebrating School Lunch Hero Appreciation Day and the nutrition managers, cooks, and transporters who keep our kitchens running and our students fueled for success! This dedicated team plans, cooks, and transports a wide variety of nutritious meals to over 600 students daily! 🧑‍🍳🍽️

Students at our Rise and Shine Early Learning centers receive breakfast, lunch, and snack every school day — that's over 1,800 dishes prepared and delivered daily!

We highlighted our appreciation for them in true Mario style because they are the real superstars of our food world! 🍄🍌⭐

05/01/2026

Did you know we have been nominated for "Best Nonprofit Organization" in ? We would love to have your support! Vote for us once daily at https://www.votebradenton.com/ through Friday, May 8. You can vote for nonprofit organizations running under the "Services" category.

There are so many reasons to vote for Step Up Suncoast--our amazing staff, our supportive services, and so much more! Let us know why you're voting for Step Up Suncoast in the comments.

04/24/2026

Congratulations to Step Up Suncoast staff member, Kari Senechal, who was just awarded 2026 Home Visitor of the Year for her work in our Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program by the Florida Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program! Congratulations, Kari! We are so proud of you and the work you do for children and families in Manatee County!

04/21/2026

We're celebrating Home Visiting Week! Thank you to Manatee County, Florida Government for recognizing the importance of home visiting!

So what is home visiting?

Home visiting connects pregnant individuals and families with young children to trained family support professionals who provide customized coaching and guidance through pregnancy and/or the early stages of a child’s development. Utilizing a variety of research-based models, home visiting supports healthy birth outcomes, increases family self-sufficiency, and helps children enter school fully prepared to succeed!

Step Up Suncoast, Inc. is proud to host four home visiting programs: Parents as Teachers, Healthy Families, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), and Healthy Start. There are a variety of other home visiting models across Manatee County, hosted by organizations like Parenting Matters, Safe Children Coalition, and Gulf Central Early Steps. With referral partners across our community, like Whole Child Manatee, it's never been easier to get connected with a home visiting program to help your family thrive!

04/17/2026

Take a look within and join us at our event this Saturday, April 18. From 10am to noon, children of all ages can participate in a number of activities that encourage self-reflection, including self-portrait painting and mirror play. We'll be at DeSoto County Library, located at 125 Hillsborough Ave, Arcadia, FL 34266.

04/17/2026

This year’s Giving Challenge was a powerful demonstration of what community can do. 72 donors supported our mission by donating $7,527 in just 24 hours. With the generous match from The Patterson Foundation, that brings the total to $13,380 raised!

Because of supporters like you:
• Children are receiving high-quality early education
• Parents are gaining tools to support their families
• Households are moving toward long-term self-sufficiency

From all of us at Step Up Suncoast, thank you for showing up for our community.

04/16/2026

Just 1 hour left to join in the fun and donate during the Giving Challenge! 🕺🪩
Over the past 23 hours, our community has united around causes that matter to them. We hope you choose to Step Up Suncoast's mission before it's too late to double your impact with the Patterson Foundation's generous 1:1 match on gifts of $25 to $100.

Make your gift at https://www.givingchallenge.org/organizations/step-up-suncoast-inc

The 2026 Giving Challenge is presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, with giving strengthened by The Patterson Foundation.