Dear Members and Friends,

We're still feeling the excitement of awarding $164,000 to our grant finalists at the Annual Meeting and hope you are too! We look forward to the coming grant cycle and to the prospect of Impact members providing even more funding to local nonprofit organizations.
 

Ellan and Charlotte

Many of you provided
valuable feedback through
the annual membership survey last month. This survey is a critical tool used by the leadership team to plan and update membership programs and materials for the coming year. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to sharing the results of the survey with you in the fall.

Enjoy the rest of your summer.  We hope to see you in the fall as the next grant cycle kicks off with a reception for members and women interested in learning about Impact100. In the meantime, we welcome any questions at info@impact100philly.org.

Ellan Bernstein & Charlotte Schutzman, Co-Presidents 

  

On June 20, in a moving ceremony that underscored the importance of childhood reading, the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children formally accepted the 2011 Impact project grant.  The presentation was held at a school library re-opened by WePAC at Samuel Gompers Elementary School.  Executive Director David Florig called it "a momentous day in the life of WePAC."

Impact's Charlotte Schutzman and Beth Dahle,   WePAC's Dave Florig and Anita Allen

Outgoing WePAC board president Anita Allen talked about the difference school libraries make in a child's life and school performance. Research that began in Philadelphia has expanded to 22 states, and consistently shows a strong positive link between libraries and academic achievement.

Allen recalled WePAC director Dave Florig's story about a third grader who checked out books to read to a baby brother at home. Allen described her own childhood. Both her parents dropped out of school, "but they had the wisdom to know that books might make a difference," she said. Allen had a strict upbringing but was allowed to go to the library whenever she wanted. Much like the third grader Florig depicted, Allen would check out books - but in her case, to bring home and read aloud to her mother. Her mother eventually got a GED and entered the workforce in her mid-40s.

"Reading and books can be the critical intervention," Allen said. "So, Impact100, you did a great thing. I couldn't be more appreciative."

For more coverage and photos, see two blog posts about the WePAC event and Anita Allen's comments. 

  

After receiving the $100,000 project grant, WePAC director Dave Florig wrote a letter that was posted to the WePAC website and forwarded to its mailing list. Florig described the $100,000 library project, as well as Impact100's process, including how to join as a member. Visit WePAC.org and scroll down to see his June 10th letter.

Each of the four operating grantees wrote to express their thanks. Excerpts from their letters are below.

"We were honored and delighted to be a part of your process and made many new friends through the Impact activities.....Thank you for your support..."
Skip Wiener, Urban Tree Connection

"I have never experienced a more positive, supportive and enthusiastic experience from a potential funder. Our site visit was a particularly positive experience. It was so refreshing to have a funding organization allocate so much time to site visit... Our staff felt the committee was genuinely interested in our work, trying very hard to make sure they understood exactly what the program was and appreciated both the needs of our clients and the commitment and work of our staff."
Brenda Lee Green, CHOICE

"Your generous grant will help us achieve our goal of providing temporary shelter and support to homeless families in Northeast Philadelphia... I was impressed with the careful attention given to each organization, the thorough review process, the depth of the questions during the site visit phase, and the egalitarian voting process for the finalists. I learned so much listening to the four other finalist presentations."
Rachel Falkove, Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network

"Your grant process was thought-provoking and challenging; it forced us to more clearly define our goals, and develop better ways to communicate our objectives...  We are deeply thankful for the generous operating grant... But most of all, we are grateful for the opportunity to tell our story beyond the confines of our community, meet new committed philanthropists and hopefully build some enduring relationships."
Debby Yoder, Community Arts Center  

Finalist presenters at the Annual Meeting