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December Newsletter
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Vol. 22 2011
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Save the Dates
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Focus Area Committee
Training WorkshopJanuary 18, 7-9 pm
February Education ProgramDate to be announcedAnnual Meeting
June 4, 6-9 pm
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Find and Follow Impact
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Dear Members and Friends, 242 members! We watched with excitement and pride as our membership reached this unprecedented number. Achieving this extraordinary growth was not an accident. It is the result of the dedication to excellence and a solid foundation created during our founding years; the tremendous outreach of our renewing members to share their experiences with friends, family and colleagues; and the enthusiastic response from members new to Impact100. For the fourth year in a row, Impact100 will increase funding to nonprofits in the Philadelphia region. At the annual meeting next June, we will award $242,000 to our five finalists. For the first time in Impact's history we will award two $100,000 project grants and three significant operating grants to the finalists. We thank all of you for believing in what we can collectively do as Impact100 and look forward to working with you this coming year. Our best wishes for a wonderful holiday season. Ellan Bernstein and Charlotte Schutzman, Co-Presidents |
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Membership Jumps by nearly 50% in 2011
The increase from 164 members in 2010 to 242 members in 2011 is remarkable on many fronts. The new total represents a 48% increase, which would be noteworthy in any year, but especially so in a challenging economic environment.
What accounts for this big jump? Our grantees now have a track record of successful projects in Philadelphia that have changed the lives of people in need. WePAC's Dave Florig spoke in October about what the Impact grant has meant to his organization, and to all the children who now have libraries in their schools. Jessica Franzini spoke in November about how unique the Impact funding opportunity is, and how it propelled New Jersey Tree Foundation to a stronger position, enabling it to secure additional grants and volunteer help, and to serve even more people in destitute neighborhoods in Camden.
Beyond the compelling stories from grantees, current members played a big role in spreading the word about Impact100, telling friends and acquaintances about their Impact experience. A full 90% of new members joined through these one-to-one referrals. Some of last year's members organized and hosted information sessions in their homes, inviting friends and colleagues to come learn about Impact100. Many thanks to:
- Margie Patches and Janice Frohner
 | | Elaine Schaefer and Colleen Philbin |
- Mary Brown and Karen Batchelder
- Franci Kraman, Carolyn Lindheim, Melissa Margulies, Shelby Simmons, Liz Dubner
- Carolyn Cohen, Kate Carp, Sue Dubow, and Fay Trachtenberg
- Susan Rubin and Susan Hoog
- Elaine Schaefer, Colleen Philbin and Deb Correll
- Barbara Gross, Claudie Williams and Beth Rosner
- Cheryl Haze
- Anne Sudduth and Jennifer Zoga
The other 10% of new members are women who found Impact100 on their own. They read an article, heard through a grantee, or studied our website and decided the organization was a good fit for their interests. Because of the commitment of each of our 242 members, five nonprofit organizations will receive funding in 2012. Two of those organizations will receive an Impact grant of $100,000 -- and two new far-reaching projects will make an impact in the coming year. |
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Checking in with 2011's Operating Grantees
The Community Arts Center ($12,000 operating grant) used Impact funds to forge ahead with its proposed "Pieces of Peace" mural project in the city of Chester. The first mural, below, was completed and dedicated in late October. The second mural is planned for the Bennett Homes Housing Project, and will be visible from I-95. Of the Impact100 grant experience, CAC's Paul Downie said, "It was wonderful to be a part of such a large effort for social change. I thought all the projects presented [at the Annual Meeting] were spectacular." www.communityartscenter.org Skip Weiner of Urban Tree Connection ($20,000 operating grant) said, "The summer was exceptional at the farm." He added that the Impact100 "operating grant was very important in feeding our Haddington families." Urban Tree Connection has 50 CSA farm shares for purchase for the coming 2012 season. More information will be on its website later this week. www.urbantreeconnection.orgConcern for Health Options: Information, Care and Education, or CHOICE ($12,000 operating grant), maintains four bi-lingual hotlines staffed by trained counselors that provide education, counseling and referrals to services. CHOICE also offers comprehensive sexual health education in over 180 schools, community centers, social services agencies, churches, and other neighborhood sites throughout Philadelphia. www.choice-phila.orgNorthwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network ($20,000 operating grant) received a three-year United Way grant for the first time in 2011. NPIHN's Rachel Falkove said, however, that "the drying up of government grants combined with more demands on local foundations posed a bigger threat than anticipated. We have survived...and more importantly, thrived through this process." She added that the Impact100 process helped NPIHN develop fundraising and marketing strategies, and find new ways of involving community members in its work. www.philashelter.org |
A Reminder about iGive for Holiday Shopping 
Please think about using iGive when you're shopping online this holiday season. Simply click through the iGive website before heading to other sites, and iGive will donate a percentage of what you spend to Impact100. More of us using iGive can quickly amount to hundreds of dollars in "free" operating support. Stores you can access through the iGive portal include: Amazon.com - Bed Bath & Beyond - Bloomingdale's Brooks Brothers - Crate & Barrel - Delta Airlines Drugstore.com - Expedia.com - Gap - Hilton Hotels iTunes - J. Crew - L.L. Bean - Marriott International - Nike - Nordstrom Piperlime - Staples - Sur La Table - Wall Street Journal - Williams-Sonoma See this one-page sheet we created to get started. |
What a year it has been! A warm welcome to all our new members and those who have joined this mailing list to follow Impact100's news. Please email us at info@impact100philly.org to share any feedback or questions.
Happy Holidays to all!
Mary Broach, Communications Chair
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