About the Foundation

The YMCA Foundation of Sarasota is a 501 c3 non-profit direct service organization (DSO) that supports the Sarasota Family YMCA. Governed by a 23-member Board of Trustees and headed by President/CEO Karin E. Gustafson, CFRE, the organization promotes friendships and solicits gifts to benefit the numerous programs and services of the Sarasota Family YMCA.

Foundation fund raising initiatives revolve around endowment; capital campaigns; major gifts; annual gifts; and scholarship support. Each May the Foundation conducts Going for the Gold - Element Au, a black tie dinner and auction that is one of Sarasota's most profitable and fun one night events. The Foundation also raises funds via Premium Estate Liquidators, an all-volunteer estate liquidation sales entity that is some 42 members strong.

The Community Coalition for Children facilitates partnerships between members of the business community; religious organizations and individuals who wish to become mentors and provide discretionary financial support to help the children in programs such as our runaway shelter for youth, alternative school for expelled students, and our minority programs such as Hispanic/Black Achievers; HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters); YReads! and Operation Graduation.

The Sarasota Family YMCA and YMCA Foundation of Sarasota have achieved a harmonious balance that benefits the men, women and children of Sarasota allowing us all to live up to our motto: We build strong kids, strong families and strong communities.

Gifts to the YMCA Foundation empower individuals and our community to reach higher and become better. Gifts provide scholarships for deserving youngsters, program funds with wonderful outcomes and endowment funds that provide for facilities and programs in the future. ...read more

We invite you to join a mission-driven organization whose internal and external mantra is "health mind, body and spirit". Please contact us to see how we can work together to create opportunities for individuals and enhance our beautiful community today and in the future. ...read more

Thanks to the support of Mr. Welch and others the Welch Family Teen Center recently opened. The Teen Center offers kids a new place to “hang out” while offering the latest in technologies and games while promoting movement and encouraging character values of respect, t ...read more