VERO BEACH — New Horizons of the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee, The Learning Alliance, United Against Poverty of Indian River County and Indian River Habitat for Humanity are the four latest recipients of $100,000 transformational grants from the philanthropic ladies of Indian River Impact 100.
The four were selected by the 421 Impact 100 members at its Eighth Annual Meeting last Wednesday afternoon at the Oak Harbor Club from the seven finalists who had made it through the extensive grant process. The remaining three finalists — the Environmental Learning Center, the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County and the Pelican Island Audubon Society — will receive merit grants of $7,000 each.
Impact 100 was founded as a philanthropic initiative to pool resources and gift significant, transformational grants, with each member donating $1,000 and having a say in determining which organizations receive the funding. With this year’s grants, Impact 100 will have awarded a total of $2.946 million in grants to Indian River County nonprofits.
New Horizons will use the grant to open an Indian River Learning Center which will use evidence-based best practices to help individuals with mental health illnesses to learn or relearn the skills necessary to live meaningful, productive lives.
The Learning Alliance will continue its Moonshot Moment goal of achieving 90 percent literacy by third grade through a year-long Moonshot Institute Learning Lab for Educators, giving them the tools and strategies necessary for their students to achieve academic success.
United Against Poverty’s Jump Start Job Opportunities program will enable them to take their existing educational STEP initiative (Success for Employment Program) that much further by expanding enrollment, purchasing computers and other learning materials and creating a simulated workplace environment.
Habitat for Humanity will enter into a partnership with the City of Fellsmere to create Meadows Field, a 25-acre recreational area with soccer and baseball fields, a walking trail and picnic facilities for hundreds of underserved families and children in that area.
A new Impact 100 board was also installed at the annual meeting, with Rebecca Emmons handing over the presidency to Suzanne Bertmann; Suzanne Carter is president-elect.
