University Communications and Marketing
As residents, businesses and other members of the Sarasota-Manatee community focus on recovering, rebuilding and reopening after Hurricane Milton, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee has postponed the 30th Brunch on the Bay. Originally planned for Nov. 3, the event has been rescheduled for March 2.
“Our campus did not suffer significant damage from the storm, but we recognize many in our community were not as fortunate,” said Karen Holbrook, campus regional chancellor at USF Sarasota-Manatee. “We are heartbroken by the losses suffered by residents and businesses in Sarasota, Manatee and elsewhere in the region, and extend to them our sympathies and support.”
Holbrook said the campus’s focus right now is on the safety of the USF community and getting the campus back to normal operations.
“We also recognize that students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of USF Sarasota-Manatee — all of whom are key to the success of Brunch on the Bay — face many challenges as we recover from recent hurricanes," Holbrook said. “Rescheduling Brunch on the Bay will allow us to celebrate this important event for our campus at a more appropriate time.”
Brunch on the Bay is the signature fundraising event for USF Sarasota-Manatee. In almost 30 years, Brunch on the Bay has raised more than $6.5 million in scholarships for 2,000 students.
Holbrook said that aid will be even more vital as some students experience new financial hardships because of recent storms.
“The community’s support of events like Brunch on the Bay directly helps fund these scholarships, providing essential relief and enabling students to continue their education despite the challenges they may be facing,” she said.
For those who wish to support students struggling after Hurricane Milton, the USF Foundation offers the USF United Support Fund, which helps students who encounter unexpected financial hardships stay in school and keep on their path to graduation. Click here for more information.