The Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation has donated $1 million to hurricane relief efforts.

The Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation is providing two matching gifts totaling $1 million to address immediate and long-term community needs following the devastation of Hurricanes Debbie, Helen and Milton, the organization announced.

“These storms have brought unimaginable challenges to our community, and we feel a deep responsibility to support both immediate recovery efforts and long-term recovery,” said Christy Jellison Mucha. “By uniting, we can help victims regain stability and rebuild their lives. We hope these matching gifts will inspire others to join and make meaningful change for those in need.”

The effects of gifts include:

· $500,000 matching gift Exchange season to provide immediate assistance to residents of Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. The gift, if matched, could generate $1.2 million for Season of Sharing, which also features a match from the Patterson Foundation, which contributes $100,000 for every $500,000 raised.

· $500,000 matching gift Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund to support long-term recovery throughout the region after relief efforts have ended.

The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund was activated days before Hurricane Ian’s historic landfall on the Gulf Coast in September 2022. Focused on long-term, just and inclusive recovery, the foundation prioritizes support for social services such as child care and youth programs. It also targets underserved and vulnerable populations – people living in poverty, people with disabilities and people living with mental illness. Investments through this fund typically begin several months after a disaster, when immediate recovery efforts are complete and service gaps and unmet needs can be identified.

The Jellison Family Foundation played a critical role in fundraising in the early days of the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, providing US$500,000 for a match that was quickly decided, helping to raise US$5 million within weeks of Ian’s landfall.

25^th annual exchange season

25^th This year’s annual Season of Sharing fundraising campaign was activated in the wake of Hurricane Helen, more than a month earlier than typically occurs each year, to help thousands of lives devastated by the damage caused by this unprecedented storm surge in coastal communities. Hurricane Milton, with wider impacts, added to the needs of communities.

“These significant gifts will go a long way in helping our community recover,” said Roxy Gerd, CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “We are grateful to the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation for their inspiring support. This generosity and trust in our Community Foundation’s stewardship of these funds provides a much-needed boost to our community, allowing us to rebuild with resilience.”

Exchange Season covers expenses such as housing, utilities, child care and transportation for people facing unexpected expenses or loss of income. While this is not explicitly a disaster fund, many of those whose jobs have been suspended may find themselves without the resources to pay their monthly bills. Others faced with unexpected payments to repair damage may also be struggling financially.

Donations to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund and Season of Sharing can be made at: cfsarasota.org/donors/support-our-community#donate or by sending a check (payable to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County) to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, 2635 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237. All donations are tax deductible.

Submitted by Rebecca Abrahamson

This article originally appeared in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Jellison Family Foundation pledges $1 million to help hurricane victims