All 67 counties in Florida take part in this great program. Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County, Inc. began in 1996 under the wing of a local non-profit and on July 1, 2002, became an independent non-profit when we obtained our own 501(c)(3). The program currently serves over 220 middle and high school students in 19 schools in Sarasota County and 125 local youth have graduated high school and attended post-secondary education. Our program is based on the principal that given extensive support, motivation and accountability, children will work hard to ensure that they graduate from high school and attain a college degree. We fund our college scholarships and student services through a unique public-private fund raising model, and our mentors generously volunteer their mentoring services to our children.