A Sarasota nonprofit that houses homeless adults with mental illness opened its 14th home in early August and is now pushing to add three new houses every year.

Second Heart Homes, which serves 86 residents across Sarasota and Manatee counties, celebrated the milestone at the new house. Executive Director and founder Megan Howell sat at the dining room table with three current residents to write welcome cards for incoming housemates. Then each of them made a bed, corners tucked in tight, for the new residents' first night.

The organization provides permanent housing and year-round support to single adults experiencing homelessness and mental illness. It does not accept government funding, relying entirely on private donations.

Sarasota and Manatee counties had a combined estimated homeless population of 965 in 2025, according to state data cited by Your Observer from the Florida Department of Children and Families.

$2.2 million fundraising push follows $400,000 gift, funded 15th home

To fuel the expansion, Second Heart Homes is working to raise $2.2 million in unrestricted funds. The organization recently received a $400,000 donation and is seeking a matching gift. Separately, the Flanzer Trust is matching individual donations up to $500 per household per month, with a maximum of $3,000 annually, according to the nonprofit's website.

The next home, No. 15, has already been funded by a gift from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, a Sarasota-based philanthropy.

"If somebody needs a plane ticket to go see their father and reunite with them, we can do that," Howell told Your Observer. "We make sure every single resident gets a cake on their birthday. So by having funding, we can make sure we're paying for it, whether it's buying a new home or it's hiring the team."

Unrestricted dollars cover salaries, furniture, supplies, storm disaster relief and quality-of-life touches like birthday cakes and Christmas gifts.

Five new board members join as staff roster grows

Second Heart Homes recently hired annual fund and growth manager Brianne Schuler, two property management staffers and a case management team member. Five new board members also joined, including Paul Zak, who brings experience in homelessness nonprofits, engineering and finance, and Matthew Straeb, who also works with Heart Gallery of America and Heart Gallery of Sarasota.

Board member Straeb said the expansion plan includes documenting all organizational processes so the model can eventually scale to other communities.

Howell's waitressing job at Patrick's 1481 led to 2019 founding

Howell founded Second Heart Homes in 2019. She was a college student working as a waitress at Sarasota's Patrick's 1481 when she met and helped a homeless man off the street. She had planned to become a therapist. The encounter changed her path.

Chief Operating Officer Pearl DeBrular said the daily, goal-oriented support sets Second Heart Homes apart from programs that only provide a bed. Residents are in a "much different place" within three months, DeBrular told Your Observer, crediting the structure of working toward recovery and mental health stability every day.

Those interested in donating or volunteering can visit SecondHeartHomes.org.