2020 has been isolating, exhausting, overwhelming; it is a year that has brought forward challenges professionally and personally for many of us. The pandemic has significantly impacted families, pushing even more into material hardships and widening the gap of the already large structural inequities in our community. It has shined light on the need for access to high quality child care, expansion of free or low-cost mental health support, affordable housing, equitable healthcare, etc. However, it has also shown us how resilient professionals and families are in the community and how valuable our initiative is now more than ever.

While we continue to identify and address system barriers, we should also take time to reflect on and celebrate the improvements that have already been made as a community. This unprecedented time has shown us how strong, innovative, compassionate, and resilient the professionals and families are in Sarasota County. Organizations have re-invented ways to connect with families, programs have expanded to offer additional supportive services, many of you have worked over time or volunteered your time to help families who are struggling, on the fly diaper drives and supply drop-offs were built, parents have increased involvement in the initiative, the list could go on and on.

As we wrap up 2020, the First 1000 Days Sarasota invites you to join our full partner meeting to reflect on community accomplishments. We also have a few requests from you below to close out the year.