VERO BEACH – Representatives and supporters of two Indian River County non-profit organizations have something to celebrate tonight. Pam King, Executive Director of Childcare Resources and Austin Hunt, Founder and Executive Director of the Harvest Food and Outreach Center left the Impact 100 Second Annual Grant Meeting with transformational grants of $116,000 each.
Childcare Resources will apply the funds to its Education Center Infant Suite and the Harvest Food and Outreach Center to its Hunger Relief and Cost Share Food programs.
Indian River Impact 100 was founded in 2009 as a philanthropic initiative with the concept being that women could pool their resources and give one significant, transformational grant to a non-profit organization. Their initial goal was to recruit 100 members, have them each donate $1,000 and give them a say in determining which organization would receive the funding. The group was so successful in their recruitment efforts, 205 members joined, allowing them to award grants of $102,500 each to CASTLE’s Indian River County Family Service Center and to the Treasure Coast Food Bank for its Back Pack Buddies program.
This year, saw an increase in membership to 232 women, and a corresponding contribution amount of $232,000. Wilmington Trust has supported Impact 100 from the beginning as the sole sponsor for its membership and annual meetings.
The granting process is arduous and all those involved, serving on the executive committee, board of directors and committees, volunteer their time, insuring that 100% of member contributions may be granted out. The grant committee, chaired by Jayne Coyle included five panel chairs and 47 committee members who reviewed the 27 grant applications submitted for consideration. Through on-site visits and application reviews the list was whittled down to a final eight and was then handed off to the executive committee, Sherry Brown, Susan Hopkins, Nancy Lynch, Jennifer Malone, Laura McDermott and Sandy Rolf, who determined the four finalists.
The other two finalists who presented their cases to the membership this afternoon were Dennis Bartholomew from the Sun-Up Center for its Adult Day Training Organic Farm, and Erin Grall representing the Junior League of Indian River County and its Whole Child Connection of Indian River.
Impact 100 has already begun work on its 2011 campaign; information and membership applications can be downloaded from their website www.impact100ir.com. {igallery 183}