Impact 100 Jersey Coast Tops $2,000,000 In Transformational Grants Awarded

Six years of collective women’s giving allow 18 organizations to address local unmet needs

Impact 100 Jersey Coast announced that its members have awarded four $107,500 transformational grants, totaling $430,000, to area nonprofit organizations. Despite a challenging year, the 430 members of the philanthropic women’s volunteer organization were able to honor organizations that are making a difference in Monmouth County, NJ. These nonprofits now have a remarkable opportunity to sustain and strengthen their programs, broaden their reach and increase their impact.

Although this year’s Impact Annual Meeting was virtual due to COVID, the excitement was palpable. The event was the eagerly-awaited culmination of Impact 100’s months of efforts to direct substantial support to local non-profit organizations. After a comprehensive evaluation by more than 80 grant review committee members, five finalists representing the categories of Arts & Culture, Children & Families, Education, Sustainability & Environment, and Health & Wellness were selected  from a pool of 61 grant applicants. 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 project presentations by the finalists.  

Thanks to the generosity of 430 Impact 100 members who each contributed $1,000 towards the 2021 grant fund, four inspiring and high-impact projects were awarded $107,500 each. The grant recipients include: 

Monmouth Arts

Monmouth Arts

Arts and Culture

MISSION STATEMENT:

Monmouth Arts provides programs and services that support the practice, presence, and influence of the arts and of artists throughout Monmouth County.

THE PROJECT: 

In partnership with teaching artists and mental health professionals, the Creative Expressions Arts & Wellness Program will apply art forms such as painting, music, and dance to address the rise in mental health issues in Monmouth County youth due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CARC

Community Affairs & Resource Center (CARC)

Children & Families

MISSION STATEMENT:
Community Affairs and Resource Center’s mission is to empower the community and strengthen youth and families by promoting self-sufficiency through education, advocacy and collaboration.

THE PROJECT:
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious condition that affects about one in seven mothers, and one in three low-income mothers. PPD has well-established consequences on infant development, including delayed cognitive development, behavioral issues, and the risk of developing depression or anxiety. Community Affairs and Resource Center’s (CARC) proposed project, ROSES, is an evidence-based preventative program that has been proven to reduce PPD in women by 50%. ROSES consists of a five-session bilingual education program using our university-developed curriculum, and nurse home visits before and after the baby is born. We are able to further support these new mothers with additional services provided by CARC and our network of community partners to address issues including food insecurity, domestic violence, and job training

VNACJ

Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey

Education

MISSION STATEMENT:
Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve their best level of well-being by providing compassionate, coordinated, and innovative care in their homes and communities.

THE PROJECT:
To address the alarming health outcomes data regarding the difference in the mortality rate of white women and babies, and women and babies of color, New Jersey is investing in culturally sensitive health services, including Doulas or nonclinical pregnancy/birth coaches, to improve birth outcomes. This grant would help fund a collaboration between VNA of Central Jersey, Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s Booker Family Health Center, and VNACJ Community Health Center to establish the first-ever Doula Learning Collaborative in Monmouth County. Key components include recruiting 10 prospective multi-cultural doulas from at-risk communities; subsidizing their training in a state-approved program and creating a learning community to support each doula’s development and to teach additional skills – in particular, the business skills to form a cooperative, successfully bill Medicaid for services rendered and provide excellent patient experience.

Parker Family Health Center

Parker Family Health Center

Health & Wellness

MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the Parker Family Health Center is to operate a free health care facility where Monmouth County residents without health insurance or the ability to pay for medical care can be treated with dignity and compassion. With the support of the medical community and the community at large, Parker Family Health Center will assist those who are making a sincere effort to help themselves and their families realize optimum health.

THE PROJECT:
To respond to the urgent need created by the pandemic and the continued demand for free medical care, Parker is requesting support for a much-needed expansion. This expansion will increase the number of patients cared for by adding a new examination room, telehealth and social service spaces, and a large, multipurpose room to be utilized for educational purposes benefitting staff, board, volunteers, patients, and the community at large.

A special grant from our community partner OceanFirst Foundation!

In the true “Impact Strong” spirit of collaborative grantmaking, our generous community partner, OceanFirst Foundation, was inspired to provide a grant of $2,500 to our 2021 runner-up, Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary (Sustainability & Environment), and Impact Jersey Coast would like to offer our deepest thanks!

“Impact 100 Jersey Coast has once again proved we are truly stronger together!” said Deirdre Spiropoulos, Impact 100 Jersey Coast President and co-founder. “This time of year encapsulates what can happen when women unite together to pool our individual resources to help our community.”

Impact 100’s mission is to award member-funded transformational grants to local nonprofit organizations, enabling them to strengthen or expand their services, while empowering women of different ages and backgrounds to improve lives through philanthropy. Since its founding in 2015, the organization has awarded more than $2 million to 18 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 2022 Class is open now and upcoming recruitment events can be found online at Impact100JerseyCoast.org. Members donate $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 our unique giving circle. The 2022 membership drive is underway if you’d like to join or want more information, please click here or email membership@impact100jerseycoast.org.

About Impact 100 Jersey Coast

Impact 100 Jersey Coast is made up of women of different ages and backgrounds who combine charitable dollars, experience, and energy to make a tangible difference in our area. Impact’s mission is to award membership-funded transformational grants to local nonprofit organizations while empowering women to improve lives through philanthropy.

Since its founding in 2015, the organization has awarded more than $2 million to 18 local nonprofits. Learn more about Impact 100 Jersey Coast, its members and mission at Impact100JerseyCoast.org.

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