Sarasota Livin'

For Immediate Release – February 1, 2006

Contact: Jake Hartvigsen, Director of Public Affairs
New College of Florida
T: 941-359-4312 C: 941-650-6043

NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA PLANS SERIES ON HOMELESSNESS

Three community events taking place on Feb 10, 13 and 14

(Sarasota) -- New College of Florida is teaming with the Sarasota Herald Tribune, as well as the Education Channel and Sunburnt Studios, to present three community events focusing on the issue of homelessness in Southwest Florida on February 10, 13 and14, 2006. All of these events are free and open to the public, and each is intended to create a meaningful and productive community-based dialogue on this important social issue.

Friday, February 10, 8:00-10:00 p.m.

Soo Bong Chae Auditorium, New College of Florida
Film viewing of the documentary series “A Tale of Two Cities: Homeless in Sarasota”

Filmed by Sunburnt Studios for the Education Channel in 2004-2005, this three-part documentary series explores the issue of homelessness in our community through an assortment of different viewpoints, including City and County government, local businesses, advocacy groups, service providers, and individuals who are homeless. Join filmmaker Anne Derwent for a viewing and discussion of the film in the Soo Bong Chae Auditorium on the New College of Florida campus.

Monday, February 13, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Sudakoff Center, New College of Florida
"Homelessness from the National Perspective"

In January 2006, the National Coalition for the Homeless named Sarasota the nation’s “meanest city” when it comes to dealing with homelessness. Join National Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Michael Stoops and Civil Rights Attorney Tulin Ozdeger of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty for a discussion of their organizations efforts to combat homelessness across the country. Among the items to be discussed is what the National Coalition calls “the growing effort to criminalize homelessness on our streets,” of which the organization includes Sarasota’s no camping ordinance.

Tuesday, February 14, 3:00-5:00 p.m.

Sainer Auditorium, New College of Florida
"Homelessness in Southwest Florida – A Community Panel Discussion"

Join Sarasota Herald Tribune editorial page editor Tom Tryon and New College of Florida for a moderated panel discussion with key players on the local and national level addressing the issue of homelessness in our community. Tryon will moderate this discussion, which will feature Sarasota City Manager Mike McNess, National Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Michael Stoops, former Sarasota mayor and current chair of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness Richard Martin, Executive Director of the Sarasota Salvation Army Major Burt Tanner, and Executive Director/CEO of Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. Dr. Jerry Thompson. The purpose of this panel discussion is to get beyond the rhetoric that too often dominates discussions of homelessness and to instead explore current ways in which our community is responding to the issue of homelessness, as well as opportunities for the future.

For more information on any of these events, please contact the New College Office of Public Affairs at (941) 359-4312 or email publicaffairs@ncf.edu.