The nonprofit starts annual fundraising drive with sobering statistics

SARASOTA — Citing a series of sobering statistics on the economic struggles many Sarasota County residents face, community leaders kicked off the the local United Way's annual fundraising drive Thursday with a plea to help increase the aide directed toward low income families.

One in three Sarasota County households — 59,332 total — cannot afford to pay for basic living expenses, according to United Way data that looks beyond federal poverty statistics and attempts to encapsulate the struggles of low wage workers.

The United Way's ALICE index — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — calculates what households need to be able to afford necessities such as food, housing, childcare and transportation.

In Sarasota County, a family of four would have to earn $56,520 annually, while an individual would need at least $20,184. One in four Sarasota County households live above poverty but do not meet the ALICE thresholds for financial stability.

"It is one of those systemic issues that unless this community comes to grips with it and invests in both the housing and the early care education, the costs down the road are going to continue to mount," said Jon Thaxton, the senior vice president for community investment at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Thaxton's remarks, delivered during a panel discussion with other community leaders, drew applause from the crowd gathered at Michael's on East to launch the fundraising drive.

The United Way Suncoast — an umbrella group that includes Sarasota County, Manatee County and three other counties in the Tampa Bay region — has established a number of local programs to help people who are struggling financially, including career training efforts and a free tax preparation service. The organization also funnels money to a variety of groups with overlapping missions.

The goal for this year's fundraising drive in Sarasota County is $2.5 million, up from $2.1 million last year.

Thaxton, who has worked extensively on efforts to help the homeless, was joined on the panel Thursday by Sarasota County Superintendent of Schools Todd Bowden and Mireya Eavey, the Sarasota Area president for the United Way.

"The economic conditions of our students limit their ability" to perform in school, Bowden said.

Eavey talked about trying to dispel the belief that low income workers aren't doing enough to help themselves. She said many people are the victims of larger economic trends that have reshaped workforce needs.

"They didn't do anything wrong," she said. "The economy's changing."

Thaxton drew a second round of applause when he told the audience that there are reasons to help the economically disadvantaged beyond altruism.

"We're all in this because of our hearts, we believe it's the right thing to do," Thaxton said.

But helping those who are struggling financially also helps preserve the region's economic viability overall, Thaxton said.

"Our entire economic system in Sarasota County is dependent upon having a reliable service workforce and we are providing no housing for those families and those households," Thaxton said. "If we do not fix that all of the other economic development things we are doing are going to be for naught."