Fall for Sarasota kicks off with a 500-hour volunteer goal

Organized by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and presented by the Baltimore Orioles, Fall for Sarasota is a two-day push connecting local businesses with nonprofits that need extra hands but don't have the staff to spare. This year's projects include packing and distributing meals with Meals on Wheels, helping with outdoor work at The Bay, reorganizing costumes for The Sarasota Players, and packing holiday items for foster children and families. Organizers have set an ambitious goal of 500 total volunteer hours across the two days, September 17 and 18. According to Chamber events manager Celeste Lloyd-Jones, the event exists precisely because so many local nonprofits are stretched too thin during normal business hours to tackle projects like these on their own.