Sarasota Chamber Looks Forward to Opportunities For All Program Growth with Continued Support from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
SARASOTA, Fla. (March 7, 2022) — As everyone returns to the new semblance of normal and what that means for all, some minority-owned businesses and individuals are still struggling to grow their workforce or find promising job opportunities. In 2020, long-time supporter of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation helped launch the Opportunities For All (OFA) program, and we are proud to announce the continuation of OFA through more funding provided by Barancik Foundation. The OFA program was designed to be a resource for small, minority-owned businesses, as well as assist with pairing interns with local companies and future job prospects.
In 2021, the inaugural year for the program, OFA successfully paired 21 interns with 17 local businesses ranging from healthcare facilities to law firms, with 90% of the participating interns being minorities. The second part of the program, which was providing grants to small, minority-owned businesses, had over 150 applicants for the first-ever grant process. Across 16 different industries, 38 grants totaling $100,000 were given to small, minority-owned businesses and non-profit organizations.
“The OFA program has been a relevant and impactful addition to the platform of programs that the Sarasota Chamber is offering to truly help all of the businesses in the Sarasota region,” states Heather Kasten, President/CEO of the Sarasota Chamber, “we cannot wait to see where it is headed next.”
OFA Manager, Kaveecia Moore, also conducted listening tours all throughout the Sarasota and Manatee communities to try and understand what businesses were asking for. The Sarasota Chamber wants to continue to be a resource and a help desk to any individual or organization that may not have the support from anywhere else. The Sarasota Chamber and OFA is thrilled to continue to grow with the renewed and unwavering support from Barancik Foundation.
For more information or to learn more about the Opportunities For All program, please reach out to Kaveecia Moore, kmoore.
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About the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that exists to maximize our members’ success, the community’s competitiveness, and the area’s economic strengths. For more information, call (941) 955-8187 or visit online at www.sarasotachamber.com.
About the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
The Charles and Margery Barancik family has long believed in the power of philanthropy to shape our world and enrich the lives of all people. It was the expression of this belief that led them in 2014 to establish Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation— a private, family foundation located in Sarasota, Florida. Barancik Foundation creates initiatives and awards grants in Sarasota and beyond in the areas of education, humanitarian causes, arts and culture, the environment, and medical research. For more information, visit www.barancikfoundation.org.
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2021 OFA Internship Program Participants
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2021 OFA Business Assistance Funds Program Awardees
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
1945 Fruitville Road. Sarasota, FL 34236
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