Furnishing Hope at Nancy’s Village

Preparing Homes – and Futures – for Young Adults Aging out of Foster Care


To mark its 70th anniversary in 2027, the Junior League of Sarasota has launched its most ambitious Legacy Project to date: Furnishing Hope at Nancy’s Village.

In partnership with Community Assisted & Supported Living (CASL), this initiative will furnish five new residences at Nancy’s Village – a supportive housing community for young adults aging out of foster care. 

Nancy’s Village will provide safe, stable housing for young adults beginning independent life, right here in Sarasota. 

Our goal is simple yet powerful: to ensure that when the young adults arrive, they step into homes fully prepared for living, stability, and opportunity.

What is Nancy’s Village?

Nancy’s Village will offer supportive housing for 20 young adults aging out of foster care, helping them transition into independent adulthood with stability and dignity. 

Located near 47th Street and U.S. 41 in Sarasota, the community is named after the late Honorable Nancy Detert, a longtime advocate for foster youth and former Sarasota County Commissioner. 

Nancy’s Village will provide not just housing, but a supportive environment where young adults can build the foundation for their futures. 

Why It Matters

Furnishing Hope at Nancy’s Village helps change the trajectory for young adults aging out of foster care by:

  • Preventing homelessness
  • Supporting mental health and stability 
  • Ensuring that young adults do not face the transition to independent living alone. 

The Power of Community Generosity

In 2025, the Junior League of Sarasota launched a fundraising campaign to raise $210,750 to fully furnish each house with brand-new furniture, appliances, and home goods. 

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community, the full cost of the furniture and appliances has been funded. 

This milestone reflects the power of community generosity and a shared commitment to helping young adults aging out of foster care begin their independent lives with dignity and support. 

But our work is not finished. 

Planning the Homes with Care

We are now entering the preparation phase of the project while we anticipate the groundbreaking planned for the summer of 2026 and the construction that will follow.

During this phase, the Junior League of Sarasota will work closely with CASL to plan furnishings and home layouts that align with the architectural design of the five residences. Every purchase will be thoughtfully evaluated to ensure durability, long-term value, and longevity. 

Our goal is to create homes that will serve young adults aging out of foster care for many years to come. 

Creating Homes for Everyday Living

Help Turn a House into a Home. Furnishing a home involves more than furniture and appliances.

Young adults arriving at Nancy’s Village will need the everyday essentials that make independent living possible and help create a sense of comfort and belonging in their new homes. 

These include items many of us take for granted, such as:

  • cookware and kitchen tools
  • bedding and linens
  • towels and laundry supplies
  • cleaning items and household basics
  • dishes, utensils, and small appliances
  • storage and organizational items

These are practical items many of us accumulate gradually over time and may rarely think twice about, yet they are essential to creating both a functional and comfortable home.

For young adults aging out of foster care, many begin adulthood with very few personal belongings and limited financial resources to obtain these essentials.

With your help, we can ensure the difference between simply moving into a space and truly beginning life in a home that offers both comfort and stability.

Preparing Homes for the Future

As construction progresses and the homes near completion, the Junior League of Sarasota will coordinate the many steps required to fully prepare each residence for move-in. 

This includes:

  • sourcing and purchasing furnishings and everyday household essentials needed to prepare each home
  • coordinating community donations
  • storage and staging of items prior to installation
  • volunteer support for home setup
  • moving and installation logistics

With your support, we can complete the final preparations that will transform these residences into fully equipped homes ready to welcome the young adults who will begin their independent lives at Nancy’s Village. 

Be Part of the Legacy – A Giving Opportunity

Help us turn these houses into homes and create a ripple effect for generations to come. 

Your support today changes a life tomorrow. 

Furnishing Hope at Nancy’s Village is about making a long-term investment in the lives of young adults who deserve the opportunity to begin adulthood with stability and dignity. 

Many youth in foster care move between foster care homes carrying their few belongings in trash bags – the Junior League of Sarasota is working to provide young adults aging out of foster care with suitcases filled with everyday living essentials and to give them the ability to carry their belongings with pride. 

Each suitcase contains practical household necessities such as bedding, kitchen utensils, cookware, cleaning supplies, towels, and other household basics. 

A fully stocked suitcase costs more than $700, yet even a small gift can help provide items that many of us take for granted. 

How Your Gift Helps Prepare Each Home  

  $ 250 First Home Starter Kit –

Helps stock the essential household items that transform a furnished apartment into a comfortable, fully functioning home. 

$ 100 Fresh Start Package –

Provides a durable suitcase and may also help supply other essential items to prepare a home for everyday living.

Examples include: bedding and pillow, closet essentials, basic cleaning supplies, toolkit

$ 75 Comfort & Home Essentials –

Helps provide items that make a home comfortable and functional.

Examples include: towel sets, cozy throw blanket, bathroom accessories, laundry hamper

$ 50 Cooking & Meal Preparation –

Helps equip a kitchen with tools needed to cook meals home.

Examples include: cutting board, colander, mixing bowls, baking dish

$ 25 Kitchen Basics –

Helps provide essential tools used every day in a kitchen.

Examples include: Measuring cups and spoons, kitchen towels, can opener, vegetable peeler.

 

Donations will be applied to the Legacy Project: Furnishing Hope at Nancy’s Village and used where most needed to fully prepare the homes for the young adults who will soon call Nancy’s Village home.

Where possible, we are also seeking in-kind donations from local businesses so that your donor dollars will go further. Donate below or contact us at LegacyProject@jlsarasota.org

Other Ways to Contribute

In-kind Donations

Businesses are welcome to contribute new furnishings and home goods and will receive recognition for their generosity.

Sponsorships & P2P Fundraising

Corporations, foundations, individuals, and community groups – including League members- are invited to get involved through sponsorships or peer-to-peer fundraising. 

Contact us LegacyProject@jlsarasota.org

Donations of $1,000 or more include an exclusive invitation to a behind-the-scenes tour. Donors contributing $5,000 or more will be honored at the grand opening celebration.

Together, we are not simply furnishing efficiency apartments and shared living areas. 

We are helping launch futures. 

Junior League of Sarasota, Inc. (JLS) is a nonprofit organization under Federal Tax Code 501(C)(3).  The Federal Tax ID number is 59-6159037.  JLS is registered with the State of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs (registration number C5157). A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Florida Division of Consumer Services by calling toll free (800) 435-7352 within the State.  Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendations by the State.