Manatee Community Foundation Announces Spirit of Manatee 2026 Honorees
Manatee Community Foundation (MCF) has announced the honorees for Spirit of Manatee 2026. This year’s event will be MCF’s 20th annual Celebration of Philanthropy, recognizing individuals whose service and generosity continue to impact Manatee County. Members of the community are invited to attend this milestone event on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. at the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa.
The 2026 honorees are:
Ron Allen, Community Spirit Award
This award recognizes leadership that has strengthened local philanthropy through sustained support and encouragement of giving.
Ashley Brown, Charles Clapsaddle Community Spotlight Award
This award celebrates a nonprofit professional whose work has elevated community voices and strengthened local initiatives.
Mary Glass, Leadership Spirit Award
This award honors generosity and involvement that have made a meaningful, lasting difference for charitable organizations in Manatee County.
Barbara Jennings, Mary E. Parker Lifetime Spirit Award
This award recognizes a lifetime of civic leadership and philanthropy that has strengthened multiple charitable institutions across the county.
Zoe Lander, Young Spirit Award
This award honors an individual under 21 whose commitment to volunteerism and charitable giving has inspired others to get involved.
“Spirit of Manatee has always been about the people who strengthen our region,” said Veronica Thames, CEO of MCF. “As we mark the 20th year of this event, it’s incredibly meaningful to honor individuals whose care for this community continues to make a real difference.”
The 2026 event will feature keynote remarks from Walt Piatt, Chief Executive Officer of Wounded Warrior Project and retired Lt. General US Army Chief of Staff. In a year celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary, MCF welcomes the opportunity to hear from a leader whose work reflects long-standing service to others as a veteran, and nonprofit leader. MCF is also grateful to Milestone Financial Group at Morgan Stanley for serving as the premier sponsor of Spirit of Manatee for all twenty years of this celebration’s history.
Individual and Table tickets may be purchased at:
https://manateecf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=1231
For information on ways to invest in our community, visit www.manateecf.org.
About Manatee Community Foundation (MCF): Manatee Community Foundation (MCF) is a charitable organization founded in 1998. MCF partners with our citizens to strengthen and enhance our community through philanthropy, education, and service – now and forever. MCF is the bridge between generous donors, business leaders, our government, and nonprofit partners, who work together so that everyone can thrive because we believe that together, we can do greater things. MCF has invested over $70 million in the areas of health and human services, education, arts and culture, the environment, and animal welfare and is committed to its diversity, equity, inclusion and access work. As the only community foundation in Manatee County, MCF is your partner in philanthropy, a trusted steward of charitable legacies and the guide for current giving through donor-advised funds and beyond. For more information about Manatee Community Foundation and how you can support its mission, visit www.manateecf.org.
