Compeer Sarasota has been awarded $95,000 from Compeer Inc. to serve children 5 to 17 years old with mental health disorders in Sarasota and Manatee County. Disbursed over a three-year period, the stipulation for these funds is to meet 100 children service goals by the end of 2021, which will make this program sustainable going forward. The grant calls for plans to reach into cities with high growth population where children currently remain on a waiting list, such as in areas like North Port and Venice. There are also plans to target high-need areas in North Sarasota County and Manatee County. Additionally in reviewing the suicide incidences among teens in Florida, it is of note that over a three-year period from 2015–17, 3,187 teens chose to end their lives, including 275 in Sarasota County. The Compeer Youth Mentoring Program encourages youth with mental health disorders to build self-confidence, self-reliance, and healthy relationships. This is achieved by involving them in one-to-one mentorships, with volunteer adults in regular positive social contact.

Compeer Sarasota