- April 22, 2025
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Graci McGillicuddy's service didn't end with her time as a teacher.
On April 4, the Republican Party of Sarasota County honored the child welfare advocate with its Lifetime Achievement Award during a luncheon at Michael's on East.
McGillicuddy, 83, has been an advocate against child abuse and neglect since 1986. She is co-founder, and chair, of All Star Children’s Foundation, and a longtime supporter of the Republican Party.
Some of the many local and state officials in attendance were Florida State Senators Joe Gruters and Jim Boyd, and Florida House Representatives Will Robinson, James Buchanan and Fiona McFarland.
McGillicuddy's early work involved joining the Child Protection Center as a board member in 1987. In 2009, she led its $6 million capital campaign for the construction of its Child Advocacy Center.
She is known for her work with officials on the local, state and federal levels.
In 2022, she received the Spirit of Service Award, the highest honor possible from the Florida Senate, and in 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis chose her for the Florida Women's Hall of Fame.
Her dedication to her work has continued even after a diagnosis with pancreatic cancer in 2023, for which she has been undergoing chemotherapy for a recurrence.
"You never ran for office, but you've done more for this community and for the children of Florida than almost anybody that's ever been elected in Florida," said Sen. Joe Gruters.
"Gracie is more than an advocate," said Sandy Buchanan, the wife of Rep. Vern Buchanan, who attended on his behalf. "She is a champion for children's rights. With unwavering dedication, she has devoted her life to protecting and uplifting Florida's most valuable children."
Some services offered by All Star Children's Foundation include foster care placement, evidence-based mental health services, advanced training in trauma-informed foster parenting and the recording of data on interactions during a child's foster care experience.
In 2021, it opened its Campus of Hope and Healing, a 5-acre facility for children in foster care, with homes, outdoor spaces, tutoring programs and a library.
Stephen Fancher, chief advancement officer of All Star Children's Foundation, recently told the Observer that the foundation is consulting on similar services in Miami and California.
"Our model that's based here in little old Sarasota is now creating models and services that can be replicated around the country," he said.
Taking to the stage, McGillicuddy thanked everyone for their recognition, and also noted the contributions of others, including elected officials.
"I couldn't have done any of this without you all," she said. "One person can't do it by themselves."
She said she hopes the programs she has founded will leave a lasting impact as time goes on.
"When I started All Star, I wanted it to go way beyond my lifetime," she said. "The work that we're doing here is really transformative, because it's... transforming the foster care through innovation, science and compassion, and having an open architecture so that we can fix what needs to be fixed, and add things and improve and get better and better and better. I just feel blessed that I love what I do, and I've got this great community to help me preach my dreams."
