Sarasota nonprofit helps city’s mentally ill homeless population get off the street and back on their feet
SARASOTA, Fla., May 20, 2021 – County Judge Erika Nikla Quartermaine has joined Second Heart Home Inc.’s board of directors.
The announcement was made by board Chairman David Welle. Quartermaine, a Sarasota native who has helped create local court programs aimed at reducing homelessness, will serve on a board that includes Welle, Kurt Bonner, Jim Doyle and Leslie Travis.
Second Heart Homes Inc. is a fast-growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps homeless adults with mental illnesses secure housing and obtain self-sufficiency in Sarasota. Unlike many other organizations, Second Heart Homes provides permanent and transitional homes, daily supportive services and skill-building workshops tailored to clients’ individual needs.
“We are honored to welcome Judge Quartermaine to the Second Heart Homes board,” said Welle. “Over the years, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to helping the community, especially with mental illness and how it is handled in the judicial system. We are excited that she chose Second Heart Homes to help us improve quality of life for our clients while reducing homelessness and its impacts on community resources.”
“As a judge, I have come to recognize that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to helping homeless people with mental-health issues,” Quartermaine stated. “Second Heart Homes has an innovative, individualized approach to addressing the complex needs of this vulnerable population. As a board member, I would like to help the organization replicate its model on a larger scale.”
Megan Howell, founder and executive director of Second Heart Homes, stated: “Judge Quartermaine joins the Second Heart Homes board at a critical time as we work to expand the number of adults we serve – including women – through more staffing, housing, workshops and volunteers. She brings a wealth of leadership, expertise and connections in helping to address Sarasota’s chronic homelessness problem. And as much as she brings game, she also brings heart.”
About Board Director Erika Quartermaine, JD
Sarasota County Court Judge Erika Quartermaine is a Sarasota native and serves in Florida’s 12th Judicial Circuit. She is passionate about the use of problem-solving court programs in appropriate circumstances – with the goal of increasing public safety and improving lives by treating the underlying causes of criminality. She was instrumental in creating the Comprehensive Treatment Court, a mental-health court for non-violent offenders who are seriously mentally ill and unable to meet their basic needs. She also helped establish the Turn Your Life Around Court, a diversion program for individuals charged with prostitution-related crimes and who are victims of human trafficking.
About Second Heart Homes
Second Heart Homes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides housing and tailored support services to adult Sarasota homeless residents with mental illness. Unlike other models serving the homeless, Second Heart Homes takes this challenging, complex population off the streets and puts them back on their feet by providing long-term solutions that revive dignity, establish stability and enhance quality of life. Clients come to the organization based on their commitment to address their mental health, remain sober and healthy and achieve personal goals toward self-sufficiency. Second Heart Homes was founded in 2019 and is based in Sarasota, Fla. For information and to donate, visit secondhearthomes.org.