Masala Giving Circle Grants Funds to Improve the Quality of Life for African-Americans in Sarasota and Manatee counties
SARASOTA, FL – The Masala Giving Circle, a philanthropic organization of African-American women, announced the recipients of this year’s Grant Awardees at a Ceremony at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
This year the group granted $23,000 to benefit four organizations that work to improve the quality of life for African-Americans in Sarasota and Manatee counties. The grantees are as follows:
- Visible Men Academy – $7900
- Truly Valued – $5000
- Newtown Nation – $1400
- Manatee County 4H Foundation – $8862
The Masala Giving Circle was formed five years ago through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County by a diverse group of professional African-American women with a common passion for giving back, helping others, and creating positive change in the African-American community of Sarasota and Manatee counties. The group awards grants each year to one or more local non-profit organizations for initiatives to improve the quality of life for African-Americans in Sarasota and/or Manatee counties. Since their founding, the Masala Giving Circle has awarded more than $40,000 back into the community.
“Masala Giving Circle is more than your traditional giving circle, it is a thread from the echoes of African ancestry, says Shelia Baynes, Founder and President of the Masala Giving Circle. “Our giving, from its inception in 2013, has been to carry that tradition and do our part to make the African-American communities stronger and more self-sustainable. It’s been my honor to serve.”
About Masala Giving Circle
Masala Giving Circle is a non-profit affinity group operating under the 501 (c)(3) umbrella of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Through engaged and collective philanthropy, Masala Giving Circle’s mission is to promote economic and personal empowerment through financial support for programs and initiatives that benefit African-American communities in Sarasota and Manatee counties. We believe this mission will lead to culturally-vibrant, thriving African-American communities that inspire and prosper. For more information about Masala Giving Circle, visit our website at www.MasalaGiving.com
About the Community Foundation
The Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of over $333 million in more than 1,400 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $33 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. For more information about the Community Foundation, visit our website at www.CFSarasota.org.
###
