After more than three decades as The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, the Sarasota-based nonprofit partnered with Round Square to undergo a full brand transformation — one that honors its legacy while aligning its identity with its expanding mission.
Now known as the Caring Collective, the organization’s new name and visual identity reflect both who they are and how they work: a collaborative force of nonprofits committed to achieving better lives and livelihoods for all their neighbors.
The Opportunity
Dr. Kay Glasser recognized that when a person or family has one need, they typically have multiple needs. With her vision and the generosity of philanthropist Betty Schoenbaum, The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center was born in 1990. Rather than working as a single organization on a single issue, the organization houses 16 nonprofits that work side-by-side, sharing resources and responsibilities to help more neighbors in need.
Despite its innovative model, the organization wanted its collaborative approach to extend beyond just its campus. The organization engaged Round Square to understand its challenges and turn them into opportunities for continued growth and impact.
The Research
Round Square conducted extensive research, including a communications audit, an assessment of 25 peers, and qualitative interviews with community partners, donors and organizational stakeholders.
Audience interviews revealed confusion about the organization’s purpose, audience and impact.
Research also revealed challenges with the organization’s name (The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center). Although intended to honor the organization’s visionary founders, its partners and donors found the name:
- Too difficult to say and spell
- Not suggestive of its actual mission
- Lacking relevance among new and younger audiences moving to the area
Finally, research suggested that the term human services often evoked a bureaucratic or punitive feel, at odds with the organization’s welcoming, supportive culture.
Our Approach
Over 18 months, Round Square led The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center through a comprehensive brand strategy process that included:
- Stakeholder interviews, a peer assessment and communications audit
- Brand strategy and messaging guide refresh that clarifies who they are and what they do and equips staff to clearly articulate it
- Name development
- Visual identity, including new logo design and brand architecture
- Comprehensive brand guidelines and staff training
This intentional process grounded every decision in research and strategic alignment — anchoring the brand in clarity, authenticity and relevancy.
From Strategy to Identity: The Birth of Caring Collective
The new name, Caring Collective, builds on the equity of the organization’s most recognizable asset: its Campus of Caring. While aligned with its campus, the new name suggests that collaboration extends beyond a physical space to true partnerships that positively impact the community.
The word “Caring” evokes the organization’s most deeply held value — compassion, while subtly alluding to the nonprofit sector as organizations that care deeply about the community. “Collective” underscores the collaborative way the organization works: bringing together nonprofits to do more, together. The simple alliteration increases memorability and differentiates the brand from the overuse of terms like “center” or “alliance,” common in their space.
Finally, to continue to honor the organization’s founders, we renamed its campus the Glasser/Schoenbaum Campus of Caring.
The Logo: A Story in a Single Letter
At the heart of the visual identity is a thoughtful design choice: a distinctive, contrasting “C” in the word “Collective.” This custom character is more than a visual flourish — it is a powerful symbol representing the diverse people, organizations, and ideas necessary to create community change. The “C” literally connects the word ‘Collective’ together while portraying forward movement.
The C icon can be used dynamically to feature imagery and focus on important elements in communications. In multi-media applications, it can shift and rotate through an approved selection of varying Cs in the logo to literally convey the strength of and need for different nonprofits coming together to solve our most pressing problems.
The typeface selection balances strength and warmth, using architectural lines with rounded corners to embody both stability and approachability. Paired with a coastal color palette of sun-warmed yellows, ocean blues and seafoam greens inspired by the region’s environment, the brand visually connects to the organization’s Sarasota roots while maintaining a tone of optimism and professionalism.
The result? A modern, mission-forward brand that positions the Caring Collective as a trusted convener, advocate and changemaker — one that reflects the organization’s essential role in building a better community for everyone.
Sample Brand Messaging
Every person in our community deserves a safe place to live, daily meals to eat, and quality care for their children. But today across our region, nearly half of families don’t earn enough to afford life’s most essential necessities, such as food, housing, health care, transportation and childcare.
As our community’s needs outpace nonprofits’ capacity to meet them, the Caring Collective is on a mission to achieve better lives and livelihoods for all our neighbors by strengthening and supporting our local nonprofit sector.
As a nonprofit organization ourselves, we do this by:
- Breaking down barriers that make it easier for all nonprofits to operate, including housing 16 nonprofits on our Campus of Caring to share resources and responsibilities that make their collective missions go further.
- Bringing changemakers together across organizations to collaborate
- Being a trusted voice and nonprofit advocate
Because It Takes All of Us
Alongside generous partners who know we can do more together, we’ll create a future where nonprofits work collectively to solve our community’s urgent problems and unmet needs — ensuring everyone can thrive.
The Impact
Caring Collective is currently in the process of rolling out its new brand, including bringing its new identity to life on its campus. We look forward to seeing their impact in action.
