SARASOTA – The two Save Our Y locations in Sarasota could potentially be up for sale by the end of March. Members of the former YMCA rallied to save the Frank Berlin and Evalyn Sadlier Jones branches last year from shutting down. Now the non-profit is asking for help from the public again.
According to Save Our Y officials they were told the Safe Children Coalition would not extend the lease giving the non-profit only weeks to raise enough money to keep providing their services to its members.
Interim CEO Jim Purdy tells the Herald-Tribune Save Our Y was hoping to receive a three month extension on their lease to raise enough funds to pay off the $4.4 million debt the Y accumulated. Now they have until March 31st to raise $1.6 million dollars to not risk the locations going up for sale.
Purdy tells the Herald-Tribune he was shocked when he learned the news as Save Our y has been successful in recent months bringing in more members, balancing the budget, and providing crucial services to its members.
The non-profit has around $500,000 in the bank, but that’s set aside for operating expenses…so for now Save Our Y is under the gun again. With the deadline quickly approaching officials are hoping Suncoast residents will step up and save their Y once more.
Before the March 31st deadline Save Our Y need to make an earnest payment of $500,000 by February 19th.