Meet Impact 100 Jersey Coast Member Eileen Higgins
By Janet Mazur Cavano
For the last three years, you’ve served as Executive Director of the Girls Scouts of the Jersey Shore. Before that, you were the Executive Director of the Monmouth County Workforce Development Board.
Surely, you learned of Impact 100 Jersey Coast through your community involvement? Actually, no, I did not! Claire Knopf (an inaugural member) invited me to an Impact event and how do you say no to her? I’ve been a member since 2017.
What inspires you about the organization?
I’ve been involved in the non-profit world, and we’re always scrambling to get little gifts. But to receive a “gift” or grant as large as what Impact gives can make a significant difference! I also like that Impact works at giving a voice to some organizations we’d never ordinarily hear about.
There are so many organizations out there with great missions and to even apply for a grant, they have to step up. Even if they’re not selected to be one of the finalists, a huge number of influential women at Impact have been exposed to them. For the organizations, it’s about much more than the grant. It’s an awesome opportunity and non-profits should not lose sight of that.
Do you have a favorite Impact success story or memory?
After the annual meeting a few years ago, I went up to a finalist that did not win a grant, The American Littoral Society, and told them, “You need to stay with this because you have a great story to tell – you can’t give up!” It was nice because Girl Scouts later connected with them.
Speaking of Girl Scouts, please tell us more about this venerable 108-year-old institution and your role on the local level.
We serve 10,000 girls in Monmouth and Ocean counties and have 4,000 adult volunteers – that’s the cookie moms, the dads, the troop leaders and more. We actually have a troop that’s run by an engineering group who’re looking to get girls interested in engineering and STEM. People think you have to be a leader to be involved and that is not the case. You can come in and do a one-time event. We are open to anything and everything. It’s a great opportunity for our girls to sample so many new things – we’re much more than the cookies!
And right now (February) is the most important time of year for you — Girl Scout Cookie season, no?
That’s right! It’s important to note that the cookie sales are a program, not a fund-raiser. It teaches girls entrepreneurial skills and goal-setting. It is the largest girl-led program of its kind. Our girls have run a robotics team, traveled to Peru and tried a lot of new things, all funded by the cookies. Also, last year, through the pandemic, the girls learned how to be resilient and how to pivot.
So, how are YOU are you keeping sane during the pandemic and lockdown?
My family has been awesome! My husband has worked out of the house for years, I work out of the house more than not. We go for walks, and I read. I try not to watch TV because I’m so tired of hearing the vitriol, I stay off social media too. We play golf, but not often; we also turned our basement into a gym. Like everyone else, I’m just treading water.
You’re a native of Monmouth County?
Since the age of 6, I grew up in Brielle. I went to St. Rose High School (in Belmar) and then the University of Richmond. My husband and I moved to Fair Haven when our children were small. I sat on the Rumson/Fair Haven school board for seven years
How about a fun fact about you? Something we don’t know
I used to water ski competitively. My mother didn’t like salt water, so we spent our summers on a lake in Connecticut where there was nothing to do but swim and water ski!
The most recent book you’ve read?
“The 10,000 doors of January,” by Alix E. Harrow. It’s a very unusual story and it took me a while to get into it, yet something about it is so interesting. It’s very different than what I normally read.
Bottom line. What would you tell a woman considering joining Impact?
I would tell them not to be scared by the price tag. The $1,100 donation can be intimidating for some women, yet the rewards are there. It’s definitely a group to get involved with – you’ll spend your time with some of the most creative, insightful women who’ll lift you up!
Eileen lives in Fair Haven with her husband Kiernan and their dog. They have two grown children.
On January 6th the women of Impact 100 Jersey Coast kicked the year off with their first Membership Drive event. Over the course of the next two months the woman’s grantmaking circle will be hosting “Wednesdays with Impact,” a series of 40-minute interactive Zoom events where women can learn about Impact and engage in enriching discussion about the grants Impact has funded over the past 5 years.
Impact 100’s mission is to award membership-funded transformational grants to local nonprofit organizations, enabling them to strengthen or expand their services, while empowering women to improve lives through philanthropy. Since its founding in 2015, the organization has awarded more than $1.6 million to 14 Monmouth County nonprofits to help address unmet needs and reach underserved populations.
“We invite any and all women to attend our virtual events to learn more about Impact and how their individual donation can make a tremendous impact in the year ahead. Now more than ever our nonprofit community will need the support of our grants. The more members we have, the more grants we can award and the more lives we will impact.” Lori Missig, Membership Chair
The concept is simple. Any woman is eligible to become a member. Each member makes an annual tax-deductible donation of $1,100. $1,000 is applied directly to the Impact grant fund and pooled together to award six-figure grants to local nonprofits. The process is simple as well. Local nonprofits submit applications for a proposed project or program. Each woman votes for their finalists of choice and members are encouraged, but not required, to participate in the grant review and award process.
Breaking Records
2020 marked a record-breaking year for Impact Jersey Coast. Last March, at the start of the pandemic, they closed their membership drive with a total of 456 members which resulted in a total grant fund of $456,000--or 4 equal grants of $114,000 each.
This past November the group gathered for their Annual Meeting via Zoom, due to COVID, but even though the setting was virtual, the excitement was palpable with nearly 400 members and guests attending. The event is the eagerly awaited culmination of a comprehensive grant review process conducted by more than 100 Impact members. From a total of 61 grant applicants, five finalists representing the categories of Arts & Culture, Children & Families, Education, Environment, Parks, & Recreation, and Health & Wellness were selected to present to the entire membership. Finalist information packets were sent in advance to allow members to prepare, and absentee ballots were included in the final vote count. Captivating video updates from the 2019 Impact grantees were also shown so members could see first-hand the impact of their 2019 collective donations.
The following four Monmouth-county based nonprofits received a grant of $114,000 for high-impact projects:
Meet Impact 100 Jersey Coast Member Jennifer Willey
By Janet Mazur Cavano
You’ve been a member of Impact 100 since 2018 – what inspired you to join? The idea of bringing women together for good, so we can not only support and empower each other and build connection,but to do that with the interest of helping to achieve change in our community – it’s the perfect combination of ways that I want to spend my time!
How did you hear of us? Through my husband, who learned of it through Heather’s husband (Heather Burke, Impact 100 vice president and co-founder). Much of what I do focuses on women’s advancement and empowerment and as soon as I learned about what Impact does, I thought, this is totally my jam!
You are the founder and CEO of Wet Cement – tell us about your company. We help to unlock fearlessness to accelerate inclusivity and growth. We do a combination of services from keynote speaking to coaching and consulting, all based around work I started doing in my spare time, when I was an advertising and technology executive. I realized how important it was to empower and connect women.
We’ve been fortunate enough to work with Fortune 500 companies – I’ve been a keynote speaker for International Women’s Day at iCMS; I’ve done trainings and workshops for Johnson & Johnson, Novo Nordisk, Salix. It’sabout advancing women in those organizations, from senior executives down to entry level associates. Our approach is based on a combination of landscape analysis, peer reviewed information and research we did with fearlessness.
So, what holds back U.S. professional women? We have less confidence in our abilities in the workplace. Yes, outside of work we are more confident in our skills and abilities. Yet at work we don’t advocate; we are less likely to share our most innovative and creative ideas. We are less likely to ask for a raise or promotion and less likely to have a mentor, one of THE most important things that will drive your career.
Do you work with women on an individual basis? I don’t work 1:1 but we do have a program, Career EXCL, an online women’s leadership with remote, self-paced learning videos with activities and challenges to help women move their mission forward.
What drove you to create your company? Looking back, I had a lot of external variables that made me feel “less than.” For example, as a fitness instructor, having to parade around in front of my bosses in workout clothes — to being in male-dominated environments and feeling completely out of place. That, combined withmy own imposter syndrome, held me back from thinking about the leader that I was.
So, back to Impact 100. Tell us about your favorite memory or success story. I helped as part of the Enrichment Committee to get New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver to speak about making an impact in the community. Getting to interview her for that experience really showcased how diverse we can and should be to make an impact. It was a very memorable night for me.
Also, we couldn’t have the Summer Soiree this year, so, in an effort to keep the event close as possible to normal, I hosted a virtual workshop for the women of Impact. The goal was to help us to connect and emotionally deal with the pandemic. We focused on defining our sense of purpose in line with the Japanese concept of Ikigai (pronounced Ick-ee-guy), meaning, “a reason for being.” We provided women with something to focus on and allowed then to authentically build some relationships, talking about those four different dimensions.
What’s the most rewarding part about being a member? It’s an opportunity for women to leverage the skills that they feel they’re not using all the time and put them to use for good.Women in Impact are in different phases of their lives – they may have “off-ramped,” from a career, or they may be at a later stage in life, “down-ramping” and starting to think about retirement and “how will I use those skills and strengths?” With all the different committees at Impact, women have the opportunity to leverage those skills or build new ones.
It’s a mission-driven organization where everyone can find a sense of purpose.
What advice would you offer to a woman considering joining the 2021 cohort? It’s as simple as this – if you love being surrounded by amazing women, you’ll find your crew. If you want to make a difference in the world, this is the best place to do it, You can be as committed or as involved as you choose to be.
What keeps you sane and balanced in these pandemic times and otherwise? Zumba! Love me some Zumba! I’ve been doing it outdoors in parking lots these last six months. My husband and sons also keep me busy playingfootball and wrestling – there’s a lot of activities here.
What’s the most recent book you read? “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women; why capable people suffer from imposter syndrome and how to thrive in spite of it,” by Valerie Young. It will change your perspective of who you are.
How about the best piece of life advice you’ve ever received? This too shall pass.
Jennifer lives in Old Bridge, N.J. with her husband two sons.
This is your first year as an Impact member; what led you to join? Some of the non-profit agencies I’ve worked with were grant recipients, and I kept hearing about the wonderful programs those grants provided. I wondered who ARE these wonderful people and what IS this organization that’s providing the grants? I later went to an Impact recruiting event at a private home and then to another in February at Langosta Lounge in Asbury, where I learned more.
What inspires you about the organization? My heart has always been to work with women; women are particularly powerful. We have a power that is unique to us and when we gather together, we can do wonderful things.
When did you realize Impact 100 was making a difference? I have worked with non-profits for nearly 20 years. When you get $100,000 that can go into programming that your agency can create – wow! These grants can do incredible things to keep great organizations going!
You’re serving on the new Diversity and Inclusion Committee. What can you tell us about that experience? I commend Impact 100 for being aware of racial disparities and asking, ‘Are we doing our best to be inclusive of everyone?”
As a personal sidebar, it was women in the south, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who kept the lost cause going to reflect their image of the Civil War (editor’s note: the group has been labeled neo-confederate by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups and extremists). To me, Impact 100 is looking to do the reverse. We are asking, how can we bring truth and light and opportunity to people of color? How can we rid ourselves, if we are suffering, from White privilege?
This committee is very, very new; it’s embryonic. Going fast will not be helpful. Finding out information, being sensitive to the membership and going slowly is key.
What’s the most rewarding part of being an Impact 100 JC member?The strength that you get from meeting other women doing wonderful things in their sphere. Hearing other points of view sharpens your own and the women I have met have been amazing.
What would you like to see Impact accomplish over the next few years? By 2023-24, I would really love to see at least 1,000 women join! There are very meaningful, substantive non-profits in Monmouth County; it would be great to do something for them.
What advice would you offer to philanthropic-minded women who want to get involved with their communities but aren’t sure how? When people are looking for purpose, I ask them, what makes you smile so big when you see it done that your face hurts? Or what annoys you so much that absolutely makes you sick? When you find out what makes you smile, you look for who or what in your community is doing that! If it’s not there, you start it!
As for what makes you sick, go to your city hall, your board of education or your town council, whatever is connected to ‘that thing,” and find out what you need to do. You’d be surprised to learn that many corporations have a foundation that might be doing the thing you are looking to do.
Tell us about your business I do life-coaching and training. My company is called Melia Bloom, building people, places and purpose. Melia actually means “honey,” which is what my name, Pamela, means!
I have a program, Her Harvest, in which I take five women who know it’s time to move on to the next level. Now that we’re virtual, we can go nationwide or worldwide!
Seeing the women grow and glow is amazing. The unemployed get employed and the employed leave and flourish. I also work with faith-based organizations that are looking to connect with non-profits—like business to business matchmaking.
What’s your super power? Love! I was a transition coach for a youth program, New Jersey Youth Corps at Interfaith Neighbors, and I still see some of those young people. Some of them say, ‘You really loved us and dealt with us, and we weren’t very nice to you!’ They love and appreciate me. Love wears you down.
How about the most recent book you’ve read? “White Fragility; why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism,” by Robin DiAngelo. It put language around things I’ve been thinking. It felt like a sigh of relief that it was written by a white woman who does the work to help people deal with the issue of race.
What’s a fun fact about you that not many people know? I love to collage! I love to take bits and pieces of words or phrases and put them together to create something of beauty that sends a message. I’ve also done that with vision boards. Anything you are interested in or frustrated by – if you get it out there in a physical space, it helps to eradicate it from your internal space.
An entrepreneur, author, speaker and community activist, Pamela lives in Asbury Park.
As 2020 draws to a close and the promise of 2021 beckons, there is no better time for the members and supporters of Impact 100 Jersey Coast to take a look back while still looking ahead. On November 17, the philanthropic women’s volunteer organization held their much-anticipated Annual Meeting, where members voted for the four projects that would receive a 2020 Impact grant in the amount of $114,000. This year’s grantees include Aslan Youth Ministries, Fulfill of Monmouth & Ocean Counties, HABcore, and the Monmouth Museum. The transformational funds they’ve been awarded by Impact 100 Jersey Coast will allow each of these organizations to launch or grow important programs they’ve proposed to meet critical needs for underserved populations in Monmouth County in the year to come, and beyond.
Lest there be any doubt as to the tremendous impact made possible through Impact 100’s support, one needs only to review the proud updates from last year’s four grant recipients. In 2019, the Asbury Park Music Foundation, Clean Ocean Action, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Monmouth County (CASA), and St. Mark’s Center for Community Renewal received grants of $110,000 each. Despite the unique challenges of the COVID pandemic, these organizations demonstrated remarkable dedication and resilience in continuing their inspiring missions and the programs funded by Impact 100 Jersey Coast.
The Asbury Park Music Foundation’s Music Business & Technology Youth Program in Asbury Park was designed to engage low-income youth with a life-changing experience that would leverage their passion for music into an education in technology and business. When schools closed and classes went virtual, the APMF #BeatBus quickly became a mobile classroom, engaging students in remote collaborative projects that helped minimize feelings of isolation and alleviate the stress of COVID.
Their work paid off and the students received a standing ovation at the Paramount Theatre for their “We Are Rising” video/live production, reaching over 1,500 audience members. The collaboration project with the AP schools for Black History Month featured a historical lesson about the Asbury Riots, student-created musical composition across the schools, a field trip recording session at Lakehouse Recording Studio, and hands-on music video shoots, including an on-location field trip to Asbury Lanes. The students also completed a graduation video for the community as a tribute to the Class of 2020.
The project-based curriculum was developed and rapidly expanded to include new technology topics such as Virtual Reality, 3D Modeling, Augmented Reality, and Interactive Design. Audio, video, technology, and classroom equipment were purchased and the APMF space was redesigned and repainted, with modular workstations installed and ready to host classes when social distancing rules were scaled back. Professional volunteers were identified at key Asbury Park businesses to integrate into project-based lessons and local musicians were integrated into online collaboration projects. As of August, student recruitment goals had been surpassed and the Music Business & Technology Program was being offered both virtually and in-person – news that is music to the ears of the generous Impact 100 members who awarded the grant
Clean Ocean Action’s Student Environmental Advocates and Leaders (SEAL) initiative transformed its new office in Long Branch into a center of environmental stewardship for underserved communities where, through a strategic and well-defined free program and active recruitment outreach, high school students from 11 area schools are invited to become mindful and resourceful leaders with a focus on local, current environmental issues.
The SEAL program offers a unique learning experience where students collaborate with peers across Monmouth County through bi-monthly virtual group training sessions. They learn the basics of community grassroots activism and advocacy and how it can be achieved in their own school communities, making real change through problem-based learning. Topics are presented by experts in fields that include civics and the voting system, environmental justice, water quality, environmental careers, recycling, and watershed mindfulness. In addition, guest speakers such as elected officials, educators, advocates, and activists discuss successful strategies and campaigns with the students to add real-world context to the lessons.
Clean Ocean Action uses a point-based system to award students for their activities, leadership, collaboration, cohesiveness, stewardship, and campaigns. The SEALS, in turn, help pass on their leadership and success to the community through presentations and engagement to middle schoolers and town councils. All of this was made possible through Impact 100 Jersey Coast’s first-ever environmental grant.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Monmouth County (CASA) in Freehold expanded their services to reach additional at-risk foster youth, with plans for an average of at least 55 first-time foster children to be assigned to CASA advocates each year for the next five years. Their goal is to have all children in the Monmouth County foster care system assigned to CASA volunteers, who are appointed by a judge to advocate for abused and neglected children in foster care to ensure they don’t get lost in an overburdened legal and social service system, receive the services they need, and find safe, permanent homes
CASA has benefited greatly from a new development hire that was funded by Impact 100 and is creating a new virtual fundraising campaign, using personalized webpages to solicit donations for special fundraising challenges. They are on schedule with volunteer training, which is being done virtually. The sheriff’s office also implemented socially distant measures to accommodate the fingerprinting process during COVID so that volunteers could be fingerprinted, matched with a child, and supervised by CASA team leaders. CASA advocates have maintained frequent contact with their assigned kids through video conferencing in lieu of in-person visits and have become adept at finding creative ways to establish relationships and keep the children engaged and motivated, including using puppets for the younger ones, reading books, and tutoring with flashcards.
Due to the COVID-19 state budget crisis, funding for the CASA program has been cut from the State of New Jersey’s supplemental budget, forcing CASA to cut staff and services while continuing to be a voice to speak on behalf of New Jersey’s most vulnerable children – and making the funds provided through the Impact 100 grant even more vital than ever before.
At St. Mark’s Center for Community Renewal in Keansburg, a project to expand and modernize its existing kitchen allows the center to better serve its guests and provide additional opportunities for volunteers. The center offers meals, pantry services, crisis counseling, health screenings, and more to individuals and families in need throughout the Bayshore community. The new facilities will also provide a variety of nutritional educational initiatives for the community, expanded hours, and increased delivery services.
With help from Impact 100 grant funds, the initial phase of the center’s kitchen expansion was completed and supplemental food was provided for guests on the one day it was closed. The first meal to mark the grand reopening of the new, modernized kitchen and equipment was served the day before the COVID shutdown. Since the feeding ministry is considered an essential service, steps were taken to change its short-term operations in response to the pandemic. The social breakfast service was eliminated and takeout meals were implemented seven days a week, all served outdoors. The number of volunteers was reduced significantly from more than 100 to less than 10 to create a safe “CCR Bubble” and delivery service to senior and low-income housing helped reduce the number of visitors, even as the number of lunches served increased by nearly 75%. Initially, the food pantry moved to prepackaged items before returning to offering choices with outdoor service. The county food bank arranged for local area restaurants to keep staff employed by preparing meals for the ministry, allowing the Saint Mark’s small crew to focus on essentials.
The next phase of utilizing the grant funds has been focused on redesigning the center’s outside facilities to create a safe dining space for everyone. A group of Impact 100 volunteers built well-spaced outdoor picnic tables, most pantry distribution was moved outside, and canopy tents were purchased to create shelter from sun, rain, and snow. Other grant-supported work at the facility includes enhancements such as replacing the old window air-conditioning units with a new HVAC system and installing new windows that open to allow fresh air and adequate circulation, which is critical for reopening. Local contractors, who are also center guests with families to support, have been hired to do needed outside maintenance and repairs. In addition to the structural work being done, the center staff is also discussing programs and services for adults and children, both short-term and long-term, that the community will need during and after the pandemic.
All these accomplishments were made possible with the collective efforts of Impact 100 Jersey Coast members, combining their contributions to maximize their reach into the community. The organization’s mission is to award transformational grants to local nonprofit organizations, enabling them to strengthen or expand their services, while empowering women to improve lives through philanthropy. Since its founding in 2015, the organization has awarded more than $1.6 million to 14 Monmouth County nonprofits to help them address unmet needs and reach underserved populations. Updates are given throughout the year about the progress of the recipients’ programs made possible through the grant funding.
Impact 100 Jersey Coast membership for the 2021 Class is open now and upcoming recruitment events can be found online. Members pledge $1,100 each, with funds pooled to award annual grants of at least $100,000. Women throughout the area who would like to learn more about how they can make an impact in their community are invited to join this collective of dynamic women. For more information, please visithttps://www.impact100jerseycoast.org/ or email membership@impact100jerseycoast.org.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Congratulations are in order – not only to this year’s Impact 100 Jersey Coast grant recipients, but also to all of you, our dedicated members! Thanks to your generosity, your volunteerism throughout the year, and your votes, we have presented transformational grants of $114,000 each to four outstanding nonprofits that provide important and inspiring services to the Monmouth County community.
The joyful culmination of this unique and challenging year was held on November 17, when members gathered via Zoom for our exciting 2020 Impact 100 Jersey Coast Annual Meeting to raise their glasses, watch presentations by this year’s five amazing grant finalists, and hear remarks by Impact 100 leaders. There were also moving video highlights from last year’s grantees, illustrating initiatives and achievements in recent months that were made possible through Impact 100 funds.
Votes Are In…
The votes received from our 456 members – including those being cast live that evening as well as absentee votes submitted in advance – were then tallied as everyone waited in anticipation to learn who the 2020 grant recipients would be. The final grantees, categories they represent, and projects the funds will support include:
Monmouth Museum(Arts & Culture) – The museum will launch Making Art Possible, a program to bring personalized art programming to people with special needs, providing therapeutic benefits during uncertain times. Customized art kits will be delivered to participants’ homes and workshops will be taught online. At the end of twelve months, the program will be recognized with a community-based gallery exhibit to showcase their abilities and creativity in a public setting.
HABcore(Children & Families) – Their Independence Pathways Program will combine affordable housing with coordinated services to assist individuals and families struggling with chronic physical and mental health issues to maintain stable housing and receive appropriate support and employment services.
Aslan Youth Ministries(Education) – The hiring of a Director of Volunteers will enable recruitment and training of a new generation of Aslan mentors, teachers, and life coaches for the children in their care, with an immediate impact on those hurt by the learning loss caused by the pandemic. They aim to double the number of students reached in their one-on-one tutoring program within three years. The director position will also greatly impact the 140 students in the Right Choices character development classes, working to close the achievement gap in underserved communities.
Fulfill of Monmouth & Ocean Counties(Health & Wellness) – Addressing Child Hunger program will provide 88,000 meals for at least 450 Monmouth County children at risk of hunger by allowing them to participate in the Kids Café, providing daily afterschool hot meals and homework help; the Backpack Program, providing children with weekend meals, or to receive meals as needed whenever children encounter pandemic-related barriers to participation in other vital feeding programs.
Runner Up Receives $2,500
The runner-up finalist, American Littoral Society (Environment, Parks, & Recreation), was awarded $2,500, thanks to the generosity of the OceanFirst Foundation. Additional thanks go to The Center for Women & Wealth at Brown Brothers Harriman, New Jersey Natural Gas, Grunin Foundation, Stillwell-Hansen, and Bayshore Recycling for sponsoring our annual meeting.
Deirdre Spiropoulos, Impact 100 Jersey Coast President and Co-Founder, noted, “We know that as a collective, we are stronger together. This evening encapsulates what can happen when women unite to pool our individual donations to help our community. We are truly Impact Strong!”
This has undoubtedly been a challenging year in countless ways. But for proud members of the philanthropic women’s volunteer organization Impact 100 Jersey Coast, 2020 also brought with it a welcome bright spot on November 17th and a remarkable opportunity for several nonprofits in Monmouth County, NJ.
And thanks to a record-breaking total of 456 Impact 100 members who each contributed $1,000 towards the 2020 grant fund, four inspiring and high-impact projects were awarded $114,000 each. The grant recipients include:
Arts & Culture – Monmouth Museum is an independent, non-profit organization established in 1963 that presents changing art, history, and science exhibitions to educate and entertain while providing a destination for creative expression and lifelong learning to the diverse community it serves.
Children & Families – HABcore is an organization that provides permanent housing and individualized support and helps homeless families, veterans, and individuals with special needs move through crisis to stability, giving them the opportunity to improve their lives.
Education – Aslan Youth Ministries’ mission is to effect permanent change in the hearts and minds of at-risk youth residing in Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and Neptune, New Jersey. By participating in afterschool and summer programs that incorporate supportive relationships and positive expectations for achievement and are targeted towards specific needs, students see improvement in their social skills, emotional development, and academics.
Health & Wellness – Fulfill of Monmouth & Ocean Counties is an organization dedicated to alleviating hunger and building food security in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Its vision is a food secure community where all people always have access to enough food to lead active and healthy lives.
The group gathered via Zoom this year due to COVID, but even though the setting was virtual, the excitement was palpable among all who participated. The event is the eagerly-awaited culmination of Impact 100’s months of efforts to direct substantial support to local non-profit organizations. From a total of 61 grant applicants, five finalists representing the categories of Arts & Culture, Children & Families, Education, Environment, Parks, & Recreation, and Health & Wellness were selected in October after comprehensive evaluations by more than 100 grant review committee members. Finalist information packets were sent to the entire Impact 100 membership in advance of the Annual Meeting to allow members to prepare, and absentee ballots were included in the final vote count on the night following pre-recorded presentations by the finalists.
“Although we see an uncertain future, we know that as a collective we are stronger together. This evening encapsulates what can happen when women unite together to pool our individual donations to help our community. We are truly Impact Strong!” commented Deirdre Spiropoulos, Impact 100 Jersey Coast President and co-founder.
Impact 100’s mission is to award membership-funded transformational grants to local nonprofit organizations, enabling them to strengthen or expand their services, while empowering women to improve lives through philanthropy. Since its founding in 2015, the organization has awarded more than $1.6 million to 14 Monmouth County nonprofits to help them address unmet needs and reach underserved populations. Updates are given throughout the year about the progress of the recipients’ programs made possible through the grant funding.
Impact 100 Jersey Coast membership for the 2021 Class is open now and upcoming recruitment events can be found online. Members pledge $1,100 each, with funds pooled to award significant annual grants. Women throughout the area who would like to make an important and memorable impact in their community are invited to join this amazing organization. Together we are Impact Strong and we are only just beginning, but we need you! For more information, please click here or email membership@impact100jerseycoast.org.
Tell us about what you do for a living. I’m the Director of development for the Mercy Center in Asbury Park. We are a ministry of the Sisters of Mercy. We provide programs and services for people facing socio-economic challenges – these include a food pantry, a family resource center, youth groups, parenting classes, counseling and referral programs for victims or witnesses of crime. We also run Sisters Academy, grades 5 to 8, for girls from economically-challenged families. I manage fund-raising appeals, social media, and many other things.
How did you find out about Impact 100 Jersey Coast? Being in the non-profit world, I was very familiar with Impact. In early 2019, a few people recommended that I go to a membership drive. So I attended an event in Asbury Park, and joined immediately!
Wow. What resonated for you most? I appreciate the simplicity of what Impact is. It’s a simple model. It’s very clear where the funds are going, who is benefitting and how the funds are being used. There’s no ambiguity. And it’s local in YOUR community. These are organizations I could walk to – they’re literally in my backyard.
What roles have you taken on at Impact? I served on the environment Focus Area Committee (FAC) in 2019. I used this an opportunity to understand the inner workings of Impact. Going through the application process was very inspiring and very educational as well. We weren’t afraid to challenge the non-profits and make sure they were capable of answering tough questions. What I loved about it was that even though I was a new member, I served as a site leader; just because you’re new doesn’t mean you’re not capable!
What is one thing you learned about Impact in the last month? In my role with the volunteer coordinator, I’m learning that we are not immune to the impact of Covid. We’ve been forced to be innovative and we’re also gaining strength as we are forced to be more humble. I’m seeing firsthand the behind the scenes stress of organizing the annual meeting virtually. Just like every organization and family, we’re adjusting and pivoting as best we can.
What have you personally gotten from your Impact experience? You can leverage your membership as a personal development opportunity. You also mix and mingle with influential women in the community. This can benefit you directly or it can also just be a way to learn what’s going on in your community. A lot of the members are business owners, professionals, or are very savvy because they have children in the school system. You learn a lot more about the world that you live in.
In what other philanthropic or non-profit organizations are you active? Since 1992, I’ve been involved with an international non-profit called Unbound.
I served on their board of directors for nine years and it was a wonderful experience!
One thing that’s very different (from other international relief organizations) is that Unbound helps people on a one-to-one basis. Every dollar I send to a 10-year-old child in India goes directly to meet her needs. Unbound partners with families living in poverty and empowers them to live in self-sufficiency.
Tell us a fun fact about you that not many people know. I lived in Colorado twice! I lived in the heart of the mountains, very close to Breckenridge in 1994 and 1995 and then back again in 2001 and 2002. I worked at Copper Mountain Ski resort. The area is majestic, one of the most beautiful places in the country. I loved it but I missed being back east with my family and friends and did not see myself settling there.
What keeps you sane? My dog Jedi. She’s a rescue dog, a Pointer-mix. She has provided my husband and me with so much joy and comfort and distraction and laughter – all the things a loveable pet can provide!
What’s the best life advice you’ve ever received? Get a dog!
What’s the most recent book you read? “The Giver of Stars,” by JoJo Moyes. It’s a really wonderful story that in a weird way reminded me of Impact 100. A group of women get together, overcome adversity and stick together through thick and thin. It’s a soothing read and the author pulls you in instantly!
Eileen, a native of Philadelphia, lives in Spring Lake Heights with her husband and their rescue dog, Jedi.
Feeding Bodies and Souls with Help from Impact 100
By Joanne Colella
St. Mark’s kitchen from deconstruction through expansion and modernization!
October brought news from another of our 2019 Impact 100 Jersey Coast grantees, Saint Mark’s Center for Community Renewal, who shared an update with Grantee Liaison Volunteer Holly Deitz. Based at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Keansburg, the Center for Community Renewal is a ministry that provides meals, pantry services, crisis counseling, health screenings, and more to individuals and families in need throughout the Bayshore community.
In 2019, Impact 100 members voted to award $110,000 to St. Mark’s for expansion and modernization of their kitchen to allow them to operate a USDA approved “soup” kitchen and extensive food pantry.
Reverend Rose Broderick reported on ways that the organization has continued forward with its programs amid the changing and challenging environment of 2020, with help from Impact 100 grant funds. The initial phase of the center’s kitchen expansion was completed and supplemental food was provided for guests on the one day it was closed. The first meal to mark the grand reopening of the new, modernized kitchen and equipment was served the day before the COVID shutdown.
Since the feeding ministry is considered an essential service, steps were taken to change its short-term operations in response to the pandemic. The social breakfast service was eliminated and takeout meals were implemented seven days a week, all served outdoors. The number of volunteers was reduced significantly from more than 100 to less than 10 to create a safe “CCR Bubble” and delivery service to senior and low-income housing helped reduce the number of visitors, even as the number of lunches served increased by nearly 75%. Initially, the food pantry moved to prepackaged items before returning to offering choices with outdoor service. The county food bank arranged for local area restaurants to keep staff employed by preparing meals for the ministry, allowing the Saint Mark’s small crew to focus on essentials.
To date, seven of the center’s cooking teams are back to prepare meals again onsite, with an increased number of younger family teams and some understandable hesitancy among volunteers of retirement age. As the pandemic continues, the next phase of utilizing the Impact 100 funds has been focused on redesigning the center’s outside facilities to create a safe dining space for everyone. A group of Impact 100 volunteers built well-spaced outdoor picnic tables, most pantry distribution was moved outside, and canopy tents were purchased to create shelter from sun, rain, and snow.
Other grant-supported work at the facility includes enhancements such as replacing the old window air-conditioning units with a new HVAC system and installing new windows that open to allow fresh air and adequate circulation, which is critical for reopening. Local contractors, who are also center guests with families to support, have been hired to do needed outside maintenance and repairs.
In addition to the structural work being done, the center staff is also discussing programs and services for adults and children, both short-term and long-term, that the community will need during and after the pandemic.
The message from Saint Mark’s Center for Community Renewal was heartfelt: “We continue to be so very grateful to the support provided by the women of Impact 100 Jersey Coast. Financial support is critical. However, an unexpected benefit from this grant has been access to newfound friends who have helped us with strategic planning, marketing, and sustainability envisioning, but more importantly, support and friendship during this difficult time. Thank you for all you do to support us in this mission.”
Impact 100 Jersey Coast, a philanthropic volunteer organization of women whose mission is to provide transformational grants to projects proposed by local nonprofits, is delighted to announce the names of the five finalists for this year’s grants.
Since 2015, Impact 100 Jersey Coast has provided grants of more than $1.1 million to nonprofits that apply and are selected by its members. Grants are funded by members’ pooled annual membership donations and, for 2020, the 456 members are excited to be awarding a further four grants of $114,000 each to projects across four of five designated focus areas.
The five Impact 100 Jersey Coast 2020 Grant Finalists, all of which are applauded for the tremendous work they do and the services they offer in Monmouth County, are:
Arts & Culture: Monmouth Museum
The Monmouth Museum, an independent, non-profit organization established in 1963, presents changing art, history and science exhibitions to educate and entertain while providing a destination for creative expression and life-long learning to the diverse community it serves.
Children & Families: HABcore
HABcore, by providing permanent housing and individualized support, helps homeless families, veterans, and individuals with special needs move through crisis to stability, giving them the opportunity to improve their lives.
Education: Aslan Youth Ministries
Aslan’s mission is to effect permanent change in the hearts and minds of at-risk youth residing in Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park and Neptune, New Jersey. By participating in our after-school and summer programs targeted towards specific needs, students see improvement in their social skills, emotional development, and academics. All programs incorporate supportive relationships and positive expectations for achievement.
Environment, Parks & Recreation: American Littoral Society American Littoral Society’s mission is to promote the study and conservation of marine life and habitat, protect the coast from harm, and empower others to do the same.
Health & Wellness: Fulfill of Monmouth & Ocean Counties Fulfill’s mission is to alleviate hunger and build food security in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Our vision is a food secure community where all people at all times have access to enough food to lead an active and healthy life.
The four grant recipients will be determined by the votes cast by the entire membership at Impact 100 Jersey Coast’s annual meeting on November 17, which will be held virtually this year. At the meeting, the five finalists will have the opportunity to make compelling four-minute presentations to the Impact 100 members. Packets with detailed information about each finalist’s proposed project will be sent to all members in early November, and absentee ballots are available to those who cannot attend the virtual meeting. Each member has a single and equal vote and grants will be announced that evening immediately following the vote.
“We are humbled and inspired by all our applicants and thank them for their continued dedication to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable members of our community,” stated Rowena Crawford-Phillips, Impact 100 Grants Chair.
There were 61 grant applicants in 2020. Each underwent a comprehensive screening process to determine their eligibility, review their financials, and assess the impact of their proposed projects. The rigorous evaluation was conducted by a committee of dedicated Impact 100 volunteers.
After the grants are awarded in November, each recipient group will work with an assigned Impact 100 liaison to provide updates on the progress of their proposed programs over the course of the grant period which extends up to a maximum of two years.
Despite the challenges of COVID, which made an impact of its own on the organization’s traditional in-person events and activities, the membership has grown from an initial group of 11 at its founding in 2015 to a total of 456 women this year, with each member contributing $1,000 to the grants fund. The giving collective is currently welcoming women to join the 2021 class and all upcoming recruitment events can be found on the Events page of their website.
For the last three years, you’ve served as Executive Director of the Girls Scouts of the Jersey Shore. Before that, you were the Executive Director of the Monmouth County Workforce Development Board.
You’ve been a member of Impact 100 since 2018 – what inspired you to join?
Tell us about what you do for a living.
