The Patterson Foundation in the Collaboration Space

I am in a new space.  For the past 20+ years, I was an urban planner, having my own shop for the last 10. I loved it. I believed that the urban planning field would make a difference in Florida, the state I love.  (Whether this is true or not will not be the topic of this blog!)

Doing anything for a long time can be wearing, and I have a personality that wanders. I was delighted when an opportunity arose to work with The Patterson Foundation in Sarasota, Fla.  Oh, you don’t know about The Patterson Foundation (TPF)?  I encourage blog readers to take a trip on TPF’s website and read the Patterson family history, but briefly….

TPF, was born out of the generosity of Jim and Dorothy Patterson, who retired to Longboat Key, FL in 1979.  The Patterson’s maintained a quiet lifestyle, yet were generous with their resources.  Mr. Patterson passed away in 1992.  In 1997, Mrs. Patterson created a private charitable foundation. Mrs. Patterson passed away in 2007.

TPF is ‘different’.  How?

TPF is a New Realities Foundation.  So, your next question is going to be…what the heck is a New Realities Foundation? Well, go to the website and read, but while you are navigating away, remember this:  the ultimate TPF work is two-fold:  transforming communities, resulting in new realities; and, relieving the impact of crisis on individuals’ lives.  I am in the transforming communities space. Future blogs will be focused on the Collaborative Restructuring Initiative….stay tuned!