• Volunteer with TPF

    VOLUNTEER WITH THE PATTERSON FOUNDATION

Overview

At The Patterson Foundation (TPF), we believe that meaningful change begins with people who care. The Foundation recognizes that volunteers play a meaningful role in strengthening its impact. Across TPF’s many initiatives, there are opportunities to support efforts that connect and create meaningful change in our region.

Whether you're drawn to supporting education, expanding digital access, fostering community engagement, or beyond, your time and talents can help create meaningful impact in ways that match your interests and availability.

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering with TPF means joining a team that:

  • Collaborates with care and purpose
  • Embraces new ideas and fosters joyful stewardship
  • Focuses on shared aspirations to uplift our four-county region

Who Can Volunteer?

We welcome individuals who:

  • Reside in or who are visiting Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, or Sarasota counties
  • Are available for one-time events, ongoing support, or initiative-specific projects
  • Review Volunteer Orientation materials

Whether you can give a few hours a month or support a specific event, we’ll match you with opportunities that align with your interests, skills, and availability. You decide how and when you’d like to engage — from lending a hand at an event to supporting behind-the-scenes efforts.

Ready to Get Involved?

Click here to complete our Inquiry Form to request additional information.

Click here to complete our TPF Volunteer Registration Form to share more about you and to get started.

Together, we can strengthen the impact of people, organizations, and communities across the Suncoast.

Note: If you have difficulty completing any of the Forms above, please contact Donna Puhalovich, TPF Consultant and Volunteer Lead, at dpuhalovichtpf@gmail.com.

FAQS

What is The Patterson Foundation?

The Patterson Foundation is a fully endowed charitable entity strengthening people, organizations, and communities in ways that foster wide participation around shared quality-of-life aspirations.

What are The Patterson Foundation values?

The Patterson Foundation’s values guide our approach to philanthropy, demonstrating our collaborative philosophy and tenets of change.

We work with others to strengthen their impact by:

  • Understanding that resources and expertise beyond the check provide value
  • Being accessible and engaged with others
  • Striving to learn as we collaborate and share successes and challenges

We believe meaningful change requires commitment and persistence and encourage this by:

  • Embracing new ideas that address a constantly changing world
  • Undertaking philanthropic work in ways others are not doing, cannot do, or will not do
  • Demonstrating integrity blended with joyful stewardship

We invest for lasting impact by:

  • Managing assets responsibly
  • Realizing real change requires depth of resources
  • Focusing on shared aspirations while leveraging resources

What are The Patterson Foundation’s initiatives?

The Patterson Foundation strengthens people, organizations, and communities through more than 20 active philanthropic initiatives. While each initiative is unique in nature, scope, and endeavors, they are all guided by a commitment to fostering wide participation among people, businesses, nonprofits, government, and the media around shared aspirations.

Collectively, The Patterson Foundation’s initiatives interweave to strengthen a greater ecosystem — creating meaningful impact around key factors that are universal determinants of a community’s quality of life. Click here to see a list of current initiatives.

Who is the “Patterson” of The Patterson Foundation?

The source of The Patterson Foundation’s funds can be traced back through four generations of the Patterson family to Joseph Medill, who became the owner of the Chicago Tribune in 1855. The Foundation’s benefactor is Dorothy Clarke Patterson, the wife of Medill’s great-grandson James J. Patterson.

How does The Patterson Foundation approach its work?

The Patterson Foundation believes that philanthropy strengthens the efforts of people, organizations, and communities. Strong communities thrive in the face of adversity and work together to achieve shared aspirations. That is why we focus on helping people engage with each other, providing expertise, encouraging learning, and sharing promising practices.

We encourage you to find out more about our approach.

Where is The Patterson Foundation located?

The Foundation is based in Sarasota, Florida:

2 N. Tamiami Trail
Suite 206
Sarasota, Florida 34236

How can I work directly with students?

For those interested in working directly with students.

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