United Way Suncoast Expands Summer Care Program to All Five Counties
Program now offers affordable summer learning and care across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties
TAMPA BAY, Fla. (June 9, 2025) — United Way Suncoast is expanding its Summer Care program to Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties, marking the first time the initiative will serve all five counties in its regional footprint. This expansion coincides with the program's 20th anniversary, having launched in 2005 to combat summer learning loss and support working families in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
Summer Care provides low- or no-cost summer programming for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, focusing on academic enrichment, literacy support, and safe, engaging activities. The expansion to all five counties extends the program’s reach from 634 scholarships across 27 sites to 891 scholarships across 41 sites.
The primary focus of the program is to reverse what education experts have termed the Summer Slide, a trend that can result in students suffering significant declines: 17 to 28 percent in reading and 25 to 34 percent in math.
“We need parents and caregivers to know the Summer Slide is not a ride at Adventure Island,” said United Way Suncoast CEO Jessica Muroff.
Each Summer Care site will offer a combination of academic instruction, enrichment activities and meals, with many providing extended hours to accommodate working parents and caregivers. At the same time, UWS provides financial resources to those parents and caregivers.
“That component is so important to creating an interconnected path that can move families closer to financial security,” Muroff said. “By providing accessible, enriching summer programs, we're supporting families who are striving to maintain financial stability while ensuring their children continue to learn and grow during the summer months.”
To celebrate the expansion, United Way Suncoast is partnering with the Florida Center For Early Learning for a special kickoff celebration from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Thursday June 12 at the center, 4620 17th St. in Sarasota.
For more information about United Way Suncoast’s Summer Care program, including site locations and enrollment details, visit unitedwaysuncoast.org/summer-care.
About United Way Suncoast
United Way Suncoast mobilizes communities to action for all. We give families and community members across our five-county footprint the “Freedom To Rise.” Founded in 1924, we enter our second century of service with a decided focus on uniting the region to generate support for hard-working families that stand one unexpected expense away from dire circumstance. We elevate early learning, energize middle school and high school youths and empower community members through financial security. We proudly serve Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties by investing in services and programs that help people create the lives they imagine for themselves. We enhance the community by addressing emerging needs such as natural disasters, and we expand the capacity of our nonprofits to help our impact ripple through the region. Along the way, we lead, convene and collaborate with corporate supporters, individual donors, nonprofit partners and valued volunteers because we know – United We Rise, United We Win.
