Sarasota’s rock royalty donated a property that sold for $335,000 to
support this non-profit organization dedicated to transforming foster care
through innovation, science, and compassion.

(SARASOTA,
FL) Brenda and Brian Johnson have a celebrated place in rock’s pantheon. Their philanthropy
is also well known. Case in point? The Johnsons recently donated a property to All
Star Children’s Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming
foster care through innovation, science, and compassion. According to Stephen
Fancher, All Star’s chief development officer, the organization sold the
property for net proceeds of $335,000.

“Over the past two years, All Star has received a
remarkable outpouring of support from Brenda and Brian Johnson, and other committed,
caring people,” says Fancher. “Their extraordinary gifts have made a world of
difference.”

The Johnsons’ personal commitment to All Star began
with Graci McGillicuddy, All Star’s co-founder and board chair. Two years ago,
McGillicuddy and her husband, Dennis, shared All Star’s mission with the couple.
They dreamed of creating a safe place for children who’ve suffered abuse and
neglect. These children would find a nurturing environment—and a haven for
healing, offering the latest trauma-focused therapies. The Johnsons were
touched and vowed to make that dream come true. In the years that followed,
many others joined the fight.

Thanks to this overwhelming community support, All
Star has nearly completed its Sarasota-based “Campus of Caring,” which includes
a state-of-the-art center for trauma-focused clinical services. The campus also
features six foster family homes that provides children who have experienced
abuse or neglect, ages 0-18, with a nurturing, family-style home environment
and comprehensive, trauma-sensitive treatment. Siblings will be kept together,
and parents and caregivers will also be offered a range of innovative services.
All Star also serves children in the region’s child welfare system and their families
on an outpatient basis.

“Dennis and Graci will make these children believe in
angels—because that’s what they are,” says Brenda Johnson.

“They have brought a community together in a common
cause to help children who have grown up in unpredictable households where
violence and neglect may have occurred,” adds Brian Johnson. “There is no
greater good than what they have achieved in building the All-Star Children’s
Foundation campus, and Brenda and I are honored to be a part of it.”

“We are so grateful to Brenda and Brian,” says Graci McGillicuddy.
“We’re preparing to open our campus to children very soon. Raising funds is so
important in this crucial time—and they’ve taken us leagues closer to making
this dream a reality.”

About All Star Children’s Foundation

All Star Children’s
Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to healing the effects of
trauma suffered by children who have been abused and transforming foster care
through innovation, science, and compassion. All Star’s campus, located at 3300
17th St, in Sarasota, is a nurturing community consisting of a clinical
treatment center; six family foster homes and inspirational green space
featuring a playground, gardens and a clubhouse. Working with research experts
from Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, this innovative approach will be
researched and evaluated in order to develop models that can be adopted by
foster care systems around the state and country. This project has been
partially funded under an agreement with the State of Florida, Department of
Children and Families. Visit www.allstarchildrensfoundation.org.

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