Newtown Connection, a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, has received a $30,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support equity and access. The grant is intended to provide greater inclusion to underrepresented populations in the Sarasota County area. Newtown Connection will use the funding to support its baseball and health and nutrition programming in the community of Newtown.

Newtown Connection was founded in 2020 by former MLB star Ian Desmond and Vince Northfield. It engages underserved youth through a sports-based curriculum to provide them with tools and resources to be the next leaders of their communities. The program operates at the Newtown Estates Park Boys & Girls Club in order to directly target youth who would otherwise not have the means, access or ability to participate in a baseball program.