Good Beginnings That Last A Lifetime
Latest Happenings at Forty Carrots
Tickets for Wine Women & Shoes Now Available
Back for its 19th dazzling year, Wine, Women & Shoes returns to The RitzCarlton, Sarasota on Friday, November 14, 2025, for an unforgettable afternoon of fashion, philanthropy, and fine wine — all benefiting Forty Carrots Family Center.
A Fence for Safer Play, A Future for Growing Minds
A recent grant of $30,000 from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation allowed Forty Carrots to replace the fence and ensure long-term safety and endless educational opportunities for its Preschool students.
A Win for Youth Mental Health Prevention and Early Intervention Investment in Manatee County
Bishop-Parker Foundation recently awarded Forty Carrots a $75,000 grant to address the rising mental health needs of children and families in Manatee County.
FORTY CARROTS FAMILY CENTER ELECTS NEW TRUSTEES
Forty Carrots Family Center welcomes new Board of Trustee members Puja Dhanraj and Anthony Glover. Puja and Anthony will serve a three-year term supporting Forty Carrots’ mission.
The Importance of Unrestricted Funding and its Impact
Since 2021, Forty Carrots Family Center increased the number of clients served by 65%, expanding its mission of high-quality parenting education, mental health, and early childhood education services for all families regardless of their ability to pay.
FORTY CARROTS’ JEWELS
Donors $10,000 and up
Support a Sarasota Non-Profit with Lasting Impact
A trusted and effective Sarasota nonprofit strengthening families for 30 years
Founded in 1993, Forty Carrots Family Center delivers high-impact programs—preschool, parenting education, and child & family therapy—to more than 5,000 local clients each year. Ninety-two percent receive services free or on a sliding scale, thanks to generous donors, event sponsors, and volunteers. When you give time, talent, or treasure, you help every family—regardless of income—lay the groundwork for children to thrive today and for generations.
Donate & Start Making a Difference For Sarasota Families Today
Child & Family Therapy
Licensed, child-centered therapy serving Sarasota-area families
Life’s challenges—from toddler tantrums to teen anxiety—don’t have to be faced alone. Forty Carrots’ child-centered, family-focused mental-health team offers evidence-based counseling for children, adolescents, and their caregivers across Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Our degreed, licensed therapists tailor sessions to each family’s needs—whether that’s play therapy for behavior issues, postpartum support for new parents, trauma and grief counseling, or guidance through divorce and co-parenting transitions. With sliding-scale fees and community-partner locations, compassionate care is always within reach.
Parent Education & Support
Supportive parenting classes and coaching, led by caring specialists who understand.
Every caregiver deserves reliable tools and a supportive community. That’s why Forty Carrots’ Parenting Education program meets families wherever they are—from public libraries in North Port to schools on Longboat Key—offering research-based classes, play-groups, and one-on-one consultations. Professionally trained Parenting Educators and licensed therapists help parents decode behavior, practice positive discipline, strengthen emotional bonds, and build networks that ease isolation. In 2023-24 alone, we hosted nearly 2,000 groups and served more than 4,800 clients, empowering families of every background to thrive together.
Preschool / Early Education
An NAEYC-accredited preschool where play sparks higher-level learning
At The Preschool at Forty Carrots, children ages 2–5 thrive in a warm, creativity-rich environment led by degreed teachers and low student-teacher ratios. Our play-based, “minds-on” curriculum blends The Creative Curriculum®, Teaching Strategies GOLD® assessment, Handwriting Without Tears®, enhanced science projects, and The Kindness Curriculum to ignite critical thinking and social-emotional growth. Each day, educators tailor hands-on experiences to every child’s interests and developmental stage—honoring family culture, encouraging free choice, and ensuring active gross-motor time—so students leave confident, curious, and ready for kindergarten and life.