A foundation can talk about dollars, grants and projects all day. But that’s not really the point. The point is what happens when those dollars are put to work.

In our first year, we’ve stood alongside organizations doing important work across Manatee and Sarasota counties. Each has a different mission, a different approach and a different group of people counting on them. Here are a few of the stories we’re proud to be part of.

The project has broken ground and is expected to open in the first half of 2027. It brings together a church, local contractors, private donors, foundations and Manatee County.

Hope & Hunger funded the vertical construction of the youth village. We also helped shape the housing model and strengthen Harbor58’s online presence with a website audit, CRM recommendations and web analytics.

A safe place to live matters. But pairing that housing with the relationships, skills and support to build a future is where the real opportunity lies.

Sometimes the most valuable thing a foundation can do isn’t fund something new. It’s helping a good organization keep doing something important, especially when the need grows.

In Tampa, The Portico, a ministry of Hyde Park United Methodist Church, is turning Branscomb Hall into transitional housing for men experiencing homelessness. The second floor will hold 12 dorm-style rooms. The first floor will offer a common area, dining space, a kitchenette and a multipurpose room.

Residents won’t just get a bed. They’ll receive one-on-one mentoring, financial literacy education and support toward self-sufficiency, with an experienced nonprofit housing partner running the residential program.

The project is now in the bidding phase. Construction is expected to take 18 to 24 months once permits are approved.

Hope & Hunger provided a $1 million grant for Branscomb Hall and is providing project management on site as the work moves forward.

We’re excited about this one because it pairs a place to live with the mentoring and practical skills that help someone stay housed.

At Manatee Children’s Services, we’re supporting the expansion of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, or PCIT.

PCIT works differently from traditional therapy. Parents and children take part together while a therapist coaches the parent in real time. Families build stronger relationships, better communication and calmer, healthier homes.

The new PCIT facility on the MCS campus adds room to serve more families in our community.

Helping a child often starts with helping the family around that child.

Dignity on wheels

For someone experiencing homelessness, something as basic as a shower or clean clothes can be hard to come by.

Bring on the Ministry meets people where they are, with meals, mobile showers and laundry, while connecting clients to the resources they need to move forward.

This year brought a new laundry truck, a new building and expanded client navigation. Hope & Hunger funded the laundry truck and new staff positions that help the ministry reach more people.

There’s something powerful about meeting a person where they are, treating them with dignity and helping them take the next step.

The work behind the work

Not every important part of nonprofit growth is visible. We also worked alongside organizations like Avenue941, Hand Up to Victory and Prodigal Daughters Journey Home on planning, budgets, reporting and growth.

It’s not glamorous. But strong nonprofits need more than good programs. They need sound financial planning, sustainable operations, clear goals and the capacity to grow responsibly.

For us, that’s what year one has been about: finding good people doing important work, and helping them do more of it.

Know an organization doing work like this? Tell us about a nonprofit making a difference in one of our cause areas: https://hopeandhunger.org/nonprofit-referral/