The seven finalists for 2014-2015 Impact 100 grants include two previous recipients and two prior finalists.
“It’s such an exciting day for all of us,” said Judy Peschio, Indian River Impact 100 president at a press conference to announce the finalists. Impact 100 reached a milestone 450 members this year, meaning that at the April 16 Annual Meeting at Oak Harbor Club, four projects will be selected to receive $100,000 transformational grants, and three others will split the remaining $50,000.
Membership in Impact 100 is simple – one woman, one $1,000 check, one vote. The grant selection process is anything but. Volunteer panelists and financial experts extensively vet projects to ensure they are visionary, transformational, impactful, measurable and sustainable.
“More than 80 member volunteers were involved in the vetting process,” said Peschio. “And none of it is taken lightly.”
This year, finalists represent each of the four Impact 100 focus areas – Family, Education, Health & Wellness, and Enrichment & Environment.
Family
The Literacy Services of Indian River County program, Engaging Parents Now for Student Success, would purchase and train staff in a PASE (Parents Advocating for Student Excellence) program, to help parents navigate the school system, become better role models for their children and create supportive home environments for struggling students. “It will help parents make their children more successful in school,” explained board president, Don Mann.
Education
The Education Foundation of Indian River County, a 2012 Impact recipient, seeks to fund Student Success – Content Knowledge for Teaching, the professional development of math teachers to combat the issue of students dropping out of school because they cannot pass Algebra 1, which is required to graduate. Board president Gail Kinney explained, “We’re trying to improve the graduation rate. With all the focus on reading, we thought we’d take a different approach.”
Enrichment & Environment
The Pelican Island Audubon Society, a 2014 finalist, hopes to fund Life-Changing, Lagoon-Changing, providing after-school conservation science projects and activities at its new Audubon Center to students, particularly girls, in Title 1 schools. “To save the lagoon we need to start with children,” said board president Richard Baker.
The Vero Beach Theatre Guild, a 2013 finalist, would expand Project Guild on the Go, providing free musical theater programs for the elderly at retirement homes, and free musical theatre, jazz, opera, choral and band concerts in county parks. “Impact 100 is a great organization; the process helps you think bigger and longer range,” said Larry Strauss. “Because we didn’t win two years ago, we now have a bigger project with more potential impact.”
Health & Wellness
The Indian River County Medical Society Foundation is renovating donated space at the Gifford Health Clinic into exam rooms for an independent We Care Clinic, where volunteer physicians and healthcare professionals can donate their time, providing medical care to un-and under-insured individuals. “We are thrilled that we’re a finalist,” said executive director Shelley Stuven. “We very much appreciate Impact 100 and the women who contribute to the betterment of the community.”
The Senior Resource Association wants to transform its Sebastian Adult Day Care Center in the same manner as it did its Vero Beach Center after receiving a 2013 Impact grant, equipping it to better handle the needs of seniors with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. “This is going to transform the center to have the same quality of building as our services,” said Karen Diegl, SRA president/CEO.
The VNA and Hospice Foundation program, Music Therapy for Hospice and Bereavement, would introduce music therapy to hospice patients and in-home Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients. “Our music therapist is trained to assess patients and their state of mind, and develop a care plan to draw them out and help them reconnect,” said executive director, Mary Linn Hamilton.
Rebecca Emmons, Impact 100 president-elect and an attorney with the event’s sponsor, Stewart, Evans, Stewart, Emmons, congratulated the finalists and noted that with this year’s grants, Impact 100 will have awarded more than $2.5 million in grants.
