Mission & Vision
Mission
To help those living in poverty with transformative educational opportunities that are measurable and sustainable.
Vision
Although Sarasota, FL., consistently ranks in the top places to live or retire in the U.S., it is home to a disproportionate number of citizens and children living at the poverty level or below.
According to the Sarasota County School District, almost 50% of Sarasota students qualify for county, state, or federal aid. According to welfareinfo.org, using 2021 Census Data, Sarasota has a poverty rate of 15.6%, which is 19% higher than the poverty rate in Florida state.
The Henson Fund envisions a world in which everyone has the same opportunities as his or her neighbor, for education, healthcare, career, and affordable housing – everything that is required to thrive in today’s economic and social climate.
But tackling all these economic disparities is a herculean task, so we have chosen to focus our time and resources on education and enrichment.
Both of us are first-generation college graduates. We grew up with parents who continually emphasized that with a good education, we could go anywhere and do anything. We want to give this same opportunity to as many children as possible.
We share the joy of helping children living in poverty grow and thrive through education and enrichment.
We’ve worked with The Henson Fund for over 10 years now, since 2012, across a broad range of areas, from summer solutions for reducing “summer slide” to building academic Pre-K programs, and to middle school reading initiatives, all designed for our Title 1 students and schools. The fund’s approach to building pilots that yield measurable results has positively impacted the lives of hundreds and possibly thousands of students all-the-while improving learning in many grades.
— Chris Renouf, Chief of Staff, Sarasota County School District
Methodology
Our formula features five dynamics:
- Partnership
- Pilots
- Measurement
- Multi-year duration
- Host Sustainability
Creating and funding pilot programs is the core of our approach, with the understanding that host entities will assume support for those programs that produce positive results, thus ensuring program sustainability.
The Henson Fund also supports Mini-Pilots of one-to-two weeks to test the viability of ideas.
Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift. — Kate DiCamillo
