The Barancik Foundation believes that no child should sleep in a car or live in a motel. A shift in the economy or a financial emergency can push almost any family to the brink of homelessness. With state funding for affordable housing cut, the need for a safety net for these families is greater than ever.
With the vision that all people deserve safe, stable housing, Pastors Jim and Peggy Minor founded Harvest House in 1992 with just six beds for people trying to get off the street. The couple has grown the organization to support nine separate housing campuses and 30 affordable rentals encompassing more than 400 beds. Annually, the organization now serves more than 900 homeless individuals, families, veterans, and youth ages 16 to 24,
Harvest House is one of the few, trusted nonprofit organizations in Sarasota to work towards the development and management of affordable, service-enriched housing. The Barancik Foundation set out in 2018 to strengthen Harvest House’s work with $240,000 in support for three key programs that provide services to the most vulnerable people in our community.
The Family Haven: Emergency shelter for homeless families
Harvest House’s Family Haven provides immediate shelter and emergency services to families who have no other safety net to turn to. Case managers at the facilities help connect families with child care, medical care, counseling, and other services that will stabilize families and help them find a permanent solution to housing.
New Heights: Housing and support for homeless youth
There are an estimated 400 to 600 unaccompanied youth (ages 16-24) living in Sarasota County. Most of these homeless teens have a history of insufficient support systems, domestic abuse, episodes in and out of the foster care system or parental neglect. New Heights provides homeless youth with wrap around care in an effort to get them stabilized and off the path of chronic homelessness.
Home Again Program: Affordable and supportive housing for the working poor
The Home Again program is for the most vulnerable families who have multiple barriers keeping them from sustainability. Home Again provides safe, clean, and affordable housing for families who are considered working poor—that dangerous gap between financial stability and qualifying for government support.
