Vanessa Alcantara and I were given the opportunity to participate in the financial sustainability workshop with our following colleagues, Andy Houltberg with the Breakthrough Episcopal Services out of Kansas, Brett Buell with the Gainesville Opportunity Center in North Florida, Lauren Walker with Hope Clubhouse in South Florida, and Richard Lane with Alliance House in Utah. We were able to share the history, governance, current strategies, successes, and challenges related to our community’s financial sustainability.  According to the United Nations, sustainability is defined “as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Therefore, lasting Academy financial sustainability is a team effort involving members, staff, board members, ambassadors, families, community partners, and volunteers. Members and staff contribute through luncheons, telethons, Academy tours, and in-house produced marketing materials. The Board of Directors, Ambassadors, and family members partake in awareness building within their respective communities by sharing their Academy experiences and inviting guests for member tours, demonstrating our open-door policy.  Community partners and volunteers offer their time and expertise enriching the lives of members in any number of our 8 Dimensions of Wellness.       

We were honored to have the following guest speakers Joan Geyer, President of the Academy Board; Stewie Bitterman founding Academy Ambassador; Matt Sauer, Collaboration and Impact Officer of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation; Jeff Steinwachs CEO of the Steinwachs Family Foundation; Robyn Faucy Co-Founder of Results 1^st; and Al and Polly Guiffrida Academy Family Ambassadors, who shared their roles and experience of nonprofit sustainability.  

We would like to share several quotes from participating colleagues:

This was an eye-opening experience for both Vanessa and me, revealing that financial sustainability is a collective effort and the responsibility does not solely rest with any one person or group. 

As we prepared for our recent “Journey to Wellness” Luncheon, we were tasked with choosing a recipient for the highly coveted Academy Award. This time around, selecting a winner was a no-brainer. Given the wellness theme, and the focus on our newly implemented FIT Initiative (an acronym for Fully in Transformation), the winner of the award was none other than the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. The Barancik Foundation has been instrumental in our pursuit of holistic health, based on the eight dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, environmental, social, occupational, spiritual, intellectual and financial) by funding a comprehensive program that allows us to tailor activities to our members’ needs, and includes a research component in collaboration with an assistant research professor at the University of South Florida, Dr. Roxann Taormina. 

This is not the first time that the Barancik Foundation has been a transformational influence on the Academy. Back in 2018, they funded an initiative that facilitated the growth of a burgeoning young adult population. The impact was profound as our community was invigorated by the ideas and creative input from our newest members ages 18-29. They continue to keep us on our toes!

The FIT Initiative has been similarly transformative. With members engaged in wellness-based activities every day, the results have been exciting. Through attending financial workshops with our colleagues at Truist Bank, some members have shared that they are able to maintain a budget for the first time in their lives. Those who are joining us at the gym twice a week report better sleep and eating habits, increased mobility and lower blood pressure. A weekly wellness-themed book club has members branching out to explore new health topics that weren’t previously on their radar. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the Barancik Foundation.

And so, with all the fanfare of that other Academy Award program, member Ian Churchill welcomed an unsuspecting guest to the stage, Barancik Foundation’s Collaboration and Impact Officer, Matt Sauer. He, along with Ev Bosque, Greg Luberecki, and Daqone Tirene were presented with the golden trophy inscribed with our message of deep gratitude. Matt accepted the award on behalf of the foundation and spoke enthusiastically about the longstanding relationship between our organizations, and the satisfaction of seeing us grow and thrive since our inception. As a rule, we are thoughtful to align ourselves with community partners who share our ideals and values, and when it comes to the Barancik Foundation, we’ve found a perfect FIT.

Coordinating efforts with SRQ Strong’s Founding Member and Board Chair, Andrea Blanch, PhD, and Administrative Director Annelise Adams, Academy members and staff welcomed guests and provided light hors d’oeuvres and technical support before and during the event in which Master Attorney Mediator Hesha Abrams discussed her book, Holding the Calm: The Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension. The presentation, delivered to a full house and on Zoom, was equal parts inspiring and informative. 

We are proud to partner with agencies that are doing such challenging and important work in our community. Like the old saying goes, “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”  Thanks to partnerships such as ours, we are, in fact, SRQ Stronger together.

This past week, Academy member Alyssa Montans and director, William McKeever, were presented with a check totaling $11,871. Over the last 15 years, through the Subaru “Share the Love” event, Subaru of America, Inc., and participating retailers have donated more than $256 million to charity, with customers choosing between four national charities and over 2,100 hometown charities.

Sarasota Subaru’s Shenna Lula, shared their focus on philanthropy in the support the Academy’s mission, “It is an absolute pleasure to be partnered with an organization that is making a positive impact in the community but more importantly in individuals families and lives. The Academy at Glengary is an asset to our community and we are honored to be a part of that!” Subaru’s donation to the Academy will be instrumental in ensuring the expansion of our services to every corner of Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Thanks to Sarasota Subaru for driving us onward and upward.

(left to right) William McKeever, Tim Reeher, Rick Smith, Shenna Lula, and Alyssa Montans

This past week we welcomed colleagues from California, Oklahoma, Washington, Massachusetts, and Miami (Florida) for a 2-day training on “Sustainability for Clubhouse Programs.” This was the first time we opened our doors for this type of training experience. It was exciting to engage our colleagues on roundtable discussions of best practices, challenges, solutions, and innovations. 

We were joined by amazing local guest speakers: Stewie Bitterman shared his thoughts and suggestions on Ambassador programs; John Annis of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation presented on relationship building with charitable foundations; Jeff Steinwachs (after dropping off some delicious, fresh caught grouper and snapper) stopped in to share strategies on mission, sustainable growth, and outcomes; and Robyn Faucy presented on Results 1^st. It was truly an all-star cast of guest speakers.

Our guests included Linn Blohm and Melanie Reese of Thunderbird Clubhouse (OK), Rachel Riani and Luke Knowles of Genesis Club (MA), Bernadette Jacobs of Hero House NW (WA), Tamara Hunter and Lisa Breton of Mental Health Connections (CA), and Debra Webb, Amy McClellan, and Lalita Airan of Key Clubhouse (Miami). 

Academy members and staff enjoyed the experience of hosting our colleagues. Member and Academy board member Paul Hennekes joined William McKeever as co-facilitator of the workshop. Maureen Flaig provided our guests with a thorough tour, and our Culinary Team served a delicious breakfast and lunch each day. Several Academy board members and Ambassadors joined colleagues for an amazing BBQ on Tuesday night, all prepared by our Culinary Team. We had so much fun hosting this smart, fun, and engaging group of colleagues! This collaborative workshop provided as much benefit to our Academy community as it did to our guests. We look forward to more opportunities like this in the future.

The Pines took a chance on us when we were an unknown entity with no track record. Their trust in us enabled some of our members to take their very first steps into paid employment while others returned to work after lengthy absences. Both scenarios can be anxiety-producing, but the Pines nurtured our members´ talents and set the stage for them to become at ease in the workplace. They are, in fact, star-makers! Among those who formerly worked a TE at the Pines, eight are currently working in competitive employment. One member has gone off government benefits and is working full time. 

This is the power of Transitional Employment. While the Pines were the first to partner with us, they are not our last. Thus far, six renowned local businesses- Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sunset Cadillac, Gettel Automotive, the Public Defender´s Office and Doctors´ Hospital- have followed suit, and that number is growing. These opportunities are major turning points in our members´ lives. Even better than a shiny trophy, Transitional Employment has the potential to launch members into productive, fulfilling careers. In this sense, everyone is a winner.

(left to right) Eric Broderick, Greg Agnacian, Ian Churchill, Chantel Gingrich, Stewie Bitterman, Aaron Collmer, Anna Cerniga and Helen Kuenzner.