Impact 100 Jersey Coast Announces Recipients of Four 2020 Grants

By Joanne Colella

2020_grantee_announcement

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.

At the Impact Jersey Coast Annual Meeting, sponsored by The Center for Women and Wealth at Brown Brothers Harriman, New Jersey Natural Gas, Grunin Foundation, Stillwell-Hansen, and Bayshore Recycling, Impact 100 members gathered virtually for their opportunity to vote on the recipients of this year’s transformative grants.

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.

As the runner-up finalist, American Littoral Society was also awarded $2,500 from OceanFirst Foundation, who was inspired by the impact of the night.

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.

 

Eileen Greenlay: Beyond the Grant Member Spotlight

By Janet Mazur Cavano

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.