Grant from United Way Suncoast Boosts The Florida Center’s Summer Camp Scholarships

The $17,280 grant ensures that children of all abilities can access high-quality summer care, learning, and therapeutic support at Starfish Academy in Sarasota County.

(June 25, 2025) – Summer can be a vulnerable time for families with young children—especially when resources are limited. But thanks to a $17,280 grant from United Way Suncoast, eight children will enjoy a season of growth, stability, and support at The Florida Center for Early Childhood’s Starfish Academy. The grant provides full scholarships for children enrolled in summer programs at the Sarasota campus, ensuring continued access to high-quality early education, inclusive classrooms, and on-site therapeutic services.

“Every child deserves a summer filled with joy, learning, and connection—and every working parent deserves the peace of mind that comes from knowing their child is safe, supported, and thriving,” said Dr. Kristie Skoglund, CEO of The Florida Center. “This grant from United Way Suncoast allows us to remove financial barriers and open our doors to families who need us most.”

The grant also aligns with United Way Suncoast’s mission to support ALICE families—households that are asset limited, income constrained yet employed—who are often living paycheck to paycheck.

“The expansion allows more children from ALICE households, those families living paycheck to paycheck, to access enriching summer camp experiences while receiving reading support,” says United Way Suncoast education manager Bonnie Cothern. “At the same time, we’re able to provide financial resources to the parents and caregivers. With nearly half of all households in our region living below the ALICE threshold, the added financial component has never been more important.”

Starfish Academy is Sarasota County’s leading inclusive preschool, blending early education with on-site speech, occupational, and mental health support. The summer session includes weekly water play, hands-on exploration, and curriculum designed to spark curiosity and build school-readiness skills. Classrooms are sensory-sensitive and structured to meet the needs of both typically developing children and those with special needs.

“We’re grateful to United Way Suncoast for helping us remove financial barriers to high-quality care,” Skoglund added. “Opportunities like this can change the trajectory of a child’s life—and that’s what makes this grant so meaningful.”

About The Florida Center for Early Childhood

For more than 40 years, The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been the leading provider of therapeutic services, early education, and healthy development for young children in southwest Florida, offering a seamless delivery of services for the whole child and their family. Today, the agency is nationally recognized for its early childhood expertise in various specialties. The Florida Center provides developmental therapies, mental health counseling, Starfish Academy preschool, the Healthy Families home-visiting program, and the state’s only Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Clinic, with locations in Sarasota and Orlando.