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On a day filled with promise, in a room where excitement was in the air, over 360 members of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area gathered at the Hilton Inn Pensacola Beach to fulfill their purpose. On this day, the members of IMPACT 100 would award $1,103,300 to a record eleven nonprofit organizations in grants of $100,300 each. The day was made more special by the presence of Wendy Steele, the founder of the original IMPACT 100.

Fifteen finalist organizations had been selected by IMPACT members who met through the summer in committees to thoroughly review every grant proposal. The grants had been submitted by nonprofit organizations in one of five Focus Areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; and Health and Wellness. During the Annual Meeting, representatives of each finalist organization gave moving presentations to highlight their proposed projects and their expected impact on the community.

Following the presentations, IMPACT members cast their ballots. Supervisors of Elections from Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties were on hand with voting machines and members of their staffs to oversee the voting process from start to finish.

While votes were tabulated, members enjoyed refreshments and socializing. When the group reconvened, Wendy Steele spoke briefly, praising the members and leadership of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area for 15 years of successful philanthropy. She noted that including this day’s 11 grant awards, since its inception in 2004 IMPACT 100 Pensacola will have awarded $10,498,000 for 98 grants to 72 organizations within Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties

Finally, following a brief business meeting, 11 nonprofit organizations were announced as recipients of grants of $100,300 which will fund visionary, transformative projects within the community.

Our Mission

To know and serve the community*

To collectively fund significant grants to charitable initiatives

*To set an example of effective

philanthropy

IMPACT 100 Awards $1,103,300 at 2018 Annual Meeting

Wendy Steele

Since its inception in 2004

IMPACT 100 Pensacola has

awarded $10,498,000 in grants

to area nonprofit organizations.

2019 Board of Directors

Brigette Brooks, PresidentMeri DeSalvo Asmar, Immediate Past PresidentRos Leahy, Vice PresidentMcGee Lorren, TreasurerJan Pacenta, Assistant TreasurerVictoria Mullet, SecretaryDebbie Ritchie, President EmeritusBelle Bear, Alicia Ahern, Autumn Beck Blackledge, Charlotte Cheney, Kim Chope, Madrina Ciano, Liz Doenlen, Kim Harvell, Katie Kingsman, Genevieve Kurpuis, Kristin Longley, Laura Rae Morette, Ashley Prestwood, Terri Ramos, Diane Schwartz

Vol. 11, No. 1Pensacola, FLJanuary 2019

President’s Letter

What an exciting and IMPACTful year 2018 was! While the IMPACT 100 Annual Meeting is always one of the highlights of my year, this year was extra-special. We celebrated our 15th year of giving with a record- breaking 1,103 members, allowing us to award 11 grants for the first time in our history. These 11 grants, in the amount of $100,300 each, will be used by these nonprofitorganizations to implement transformative projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Thanks to each of you for the difference your IMPACT membership is making for these nonprofit organizations and the clients they serve. Your membership allowed us to once again be celebrated as the largest IMPACT 100 organization in the world. We are proud to have awarded 98

grants for a total of $10,498,000 to 72 distinct nonprofit organizations since our inception in 2003.

In this newsletter you will find information on each of the eleven 2018 grant recipients and their projects. While not all of our grant applicants are recipients, all do noteworthy work in our community. We encourage you to pay it forward by contributing to their efforts. Each 2018 grant applicant was invited to submit a wish list of tangible and intangible donations that might benefit their organization. Visit https://impact100pensacola.org/members/wishlists to learn more.

We welcome to our board this year, Alicia Ahern, Autumn Beck Blackledge, Charlotte Cheney, Genevieve Kurpuis, Kristin Longley, and Diane Schwartz. These ladies bring unique skills and expertise to our all-volunteer board, are passionate about IMPACT 100, and all have served on focus area committees. Learn more about each in the pages that follow.

While we welcome new board members, we bid a very fond farewell and extend a huge thanks to those rolling off our board. During their tenure, Maria Goldberg, Laura Keene, Jo Mathews, Janet McCormick, Martha Richard, and Lisa Traina were invaluable in managing and enhancing our organization. These ladies led the effort to grow membership, chaired committees, implemented cutting-edge technology, evaluated and improved our processes and procedures, and coordinated our major events. If you know any of these ladies, please take a moment to thank them for unselfishly donating their skill, time, and passion to IMPACT 100. To see the level of commitment and effort these ladies have made to our organization is truly awe-inspiring.

As we enter our 16th year of giving, let’s keep the momentum of 2018 going! It is because of you that we were successful. Your membership allowed us to award $1,103,300 to 11 worthy nonprofits this year. The bar has been set at a new level of giving and it takes each of us to meet and exceed that bar. Invite your friends, family, and associates to our upcoming membership events. You will find these dates in this newsletter and posted on our website and Facebook page. Please share the “Meet and Mingle” postcards you received in your Annual Meeting packet. Invite us to speak to your civic organizations to share the good news about IMPACT 100. We also encourage you to invite the nonprofits with which you are involved, or simply know of, to our Nonprofit Workshop and Nonprofit Social, both scheduled for April 16, 2019. Urge them to learn more about our grant process and consider applying for a grant in 2019.

Let’s award over a $1 million again in 2019 and continue to fund transformative, life-changing projects in our community. With your help, we can make the dreams of the nonprofit organiza-tions serving our community a reality as we fulfill the IMPACT 100 mission of knowing and serving our community, collectively funding significant grants to charitable initiatives, and setting an example of effective philanthropy.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, thank you again for being a difference maker. May you, your families, and all those you love experience a record-breaking year of joy, peace, and prosperity!

Brigette Brooks

Newsletter printed by Dlux Printing www.impact100pensacola.org

Grant RecipientsARTS & CULTURE• Pensacola High School Band Boosters, Inc. Project: Music is for Everyone at PHS

The grant will fund the purchase of 56 wind instruments and 9-station piano lab with accessories to start a beginning band curric-ulum and enable continued participation by band students unable to afford to purchase or rent instruments. All instruments purchased with IMPACT 100 funds will last 20 years or more thereby helping PHS band students for many years.

• Pyramid, Inc. Project: Bringing the Arts to the Underserved in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties

The grant will fund labor costs for construc-tion of an expansion to create a visual arts studio, add a second classroom for visual arts instruction, the addition of 2 ADA compliant restrooms, and remodeling the main entrance to exhibit and sell students’ art work. IMPACT funds will be used to renovate existing space to increase capacity.

EDUCATION• Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Inc. Project: Return to the Wild

The grant will go toward the construction of a 2000 sq. ft. building, providing an interactive classroom and learning center where K-12 students, teachers, and citizens can learn about NW Florida native wildlife, conservation, and minimizing human impact on wildlife. The new facility will allow ECWR to expand its hours by 100% over a 3-year period, enabling more direct contact with

students and constituents.

• Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, Inc. Project: Swim, Soar, and Fly into Science Inspiring Hands-on Exploration of Our Natural World

The grant will fund construction materials to create a “beach” classroom where students will “swim” with creatures common to the Gulf Coast. It will fund the purchase of an inflatable portable planetarium where 60 students at a time can learn about outer space. Renovation of a greenhouse into a “butterfly house” will allow students to “fly” with butter-flies and learn about their lifecycles.

ENVIRONMENT, RECREATION & PRESERVATION• Miracle League of Santa Rosa County, Inc. Project: Miracle Field of Dreams

The grant will fund infrastructure for an adaptive baseball field at Tiger Point Park for physically and mentally challenged in-dividuals. The grant will fund the purchase of a scoreboard, pre-fabricated specialized dugouts with wrap-around shade, team benches, spectator bleachers with shades, foul poles, an audio system, and a mascot signature sculpture.

• Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Pensacola, Inc. Project: Restoring Veterans Memorial’s Lighting

The grant will fund the purchase and professional installation of state-of-the-art lighting fixtures to replace the current damaged lights. The proper lighting of the Park entrance, walkways and memorials will enhance the memorials for viewing, improve safety, reduce the maintenance and sustain-ment costs of the Park, and enable visitors to enjoy the Park’s full potential.

FAMILY• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, Inc. Project: There’s No Place Like Home

The grant will fund improvements to a new location on Creighton Road, including a parking lot, painting, interior cabinetry and ceilings. It will also fund a kitchen and multipurpose room, furniture, electronics, and a state-of-the-art digital sign on a road where 26,000 cars pass daily. The new facili-ty will be a place where Bigs and Littles can be free of the stresses of the outside world.

• Sacred Heart Foundation, Inc. Project: “Paw”erful Medicine – Using Animal-Assisted Therapy to Make “Ruff” Days a Little Brighter

The grant will be used toward expansion of the Sacred Paws program that uses dogs to care for the emotional needs of children and families in the hospital. The grant will be applied to the purchase of four highly- trained facility dogs for the pediatric units and services areas as well as to fund supply and training expenses for dogs and handlers.

HEALTH & WELLNESS• KlaasKIDS Foundation, Inc. Project: Missing Child Response & Child Exploitation Prevention

The grant will fund a preventative educa-tion program for middle and high school students. The SaySomething Assemblies offer a highly interactive, multimedia presentation focused on stopping human trafficking, child exploitation and child bullying. The grant will equip a mobile missing child response center with com-puters, router, GPS trackers and printers,

and the purchase of a large crew cab truck to pull the response center.

• Opening Doors Northwest Florida, Inc. dba EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless, Inc. Project: Opening Doors on a Mission to Reach, Respond, Restore

The grant will fund the purchase of a 2018 Ford Transit LWB Extended Cab, custom built as a fully equipped mobile outreach office, as well as a Verizon Smarthub mobile high-speed internet connection. This will enable the provision of field-based outreach and engagement services to homeless clients living in remote locations and desperate situations.

• Re-Entry Alliance Pensacola, Inc. dba REAP Project: REAP’s Women’s Re-Entry Portal – Pathways for Success

The grant will be used to expand services, including housing to women returning to the area from incarceration. A case manager will coordinate intake, needs assessment, and providing for immediate needs. The cost of rental housing will be covered. Job readiness training, job referral, and transportation to job sites will be

provided as needed, all to provide hope for a normal, healthy, crime-free, productive life to ex-offenders.

Meet IMPACT 100’s New Board Members

Alicia Ahern is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and has been part of the Wealth Management Group at Ameri-prise Financial since 1987, helping clients reach their financial goals. She attended North Carolina State University and the University of West Florida obtaining a BS in Management with a minor in Systems Science and attained the Certified Finan-cial Planner (CFP) designation from the College for Financial Planning in Denver,

CO. She serves on the Executive Board of Capstone Adaptive Learning Strategies, is a Friend of the Pace Center for Girls and with her husband Dan Ahern, supports various Gulf Coast nonprofits. Alicia has 2 children, Nolan and Justin, and 3 grand-children, who she adores. She lives on Pensacola Beach and enjoys paddleboarding, Pilates and is an ardent traveler and reader. Little known fact…Alicia and her 5 sisters appeared in television commercials and soap operas as children.

Autumn Beck Blackledge is a native of Pensacola and a proud graduate of Florida State University. She is the owner and founder of Autumn Beck Blackledge, PLLC, a law firm focusing primarily on marital and family law. Autumn currently serves on the Sacred Heart Hospital Foundation Board and the Catholic High School Capital Campaign Board and is the only female Charter Master for the

McGuire’s Irish Politicians Club. She has served on the Boards for many local philanthropic organizations including FavorHouse and Pensacola Little Theater and serves on professional boards such as the Florida Bar Grievance Committee. Autumn has been named a Florida Superlawyer since 2014 and named as a Florida Trend Legal Elite for three years running. She is the author of the book Skinny Ninnie’s Kitchen and is working on her first novel. Autumn is married to Peyton, a professional firefighter and to-gether they are raising a blended family of 5 children.

Charlotte Cheney was raised in Augusta, Georgia, received a B.S. in Math and Computer Science from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and later an M.B.A. from Queens College in Charlotte, N.C. She spent about a third of her career in information technology, including man-aging various IT functions at Duke Energy in Charlotte. She then shifted her career path to focus on employee benefits, first

in a corporate setting and later with small consulting and software firms in the employee benefits sphere in Atlanta. She retired in 2018 and enjoys volunteering with the Pensacola Mess Hall, as a Reading Pal, and with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Guild. She has been a member of IMPACT 100 since she moved to Pensacola in late 2013. She is married to Tom Roberts, and they enjoy the arts in Pensacola, hiking, travel, and time with the family, including two grand-girls.

Genevieve Kurpuis is the Speaking Division Leader for the Studer Group. Born in Florida, Genevieve grew up in Alabama, moving to St. Louis where she attended Meramec College and the University of Missouri. Genevieve has held positions as an accounts executive and media buyer and negotiator. While living in North Carolina Genevieve was the chairperson for Swing for Sight Golf Tournament, NFL Charities Golf Tourna-

ment, Carolina Panthers Charity Golf Tournament and served on the Board of Directors for the NC Society to Prevent Blindness and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Moving back to Florida in 2005, Genevieve volunteered as a coach for the Science Olympiad Team at Gulf Breeze Middle School, and became a member of the Leadership Board for Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build, and a Reading Pals Volunteer. Genevieve and her husband enjoy boating and shooting sporting clays.

Kristin Longley is Director of Public Affairs for the Cox Communications Southeast Region where she oversees ex-ternal media relations, community affairs and strategic partnerships to drive busi-ness development. Kristin has worked in media for over 25 years in Pensacola, Atlanta and San Diego. She has a Masters of Science in Media Research from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of

Journalism from University of Missouri. Kristin is a mentor in the Executive Mentor program at UWF, and serves on the Board of Directors of the YMCA, the Baptist Health Care Foundation, Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, and the Pensacola Chamber Military Affairs Board. She is past participant in Lead-ership Pensacola and Women in Cable Telecommunications. In her free time, Kristin enjoys skiing, bike riding and being on the water in Pensacola with her husband, Rusty, and two boys.

Diane Schwartz graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a B.A. in Computer Information Systems. She had a short-lived career as a computer pro-grammer before committing to being a full-time wife and mother. Over the years, Diane was active in youth coaching and school volunteering. She was president of the School Council, and was chairperson for a number of committees in which she

participated. She spent some time as a medical billing specialist and trained as a Health Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Diane was born and raised in the Kansas City area and has called Pensacola Beach her home for the last 5 years. She is currently serving on the Pastoral Advisory Council for the Basilica of St. Michael, and is active in parish life. In addition to spending time with her 18 month old twin grandchildren, Diane enjoys riding her bike, paddleboarding, and fishing with her husband, who she has been happily married to for 32 years.

2019 Membership and Donation Form

Information

Membership - Due by March 1, 2019

Other Donations

p New member p Renewing member p Other donationsp Rejoining (former member but not last year)

p No change to contact informationDate: Name:

If name changed, prior name:

New Members - name on name tag:

Learned about IMPACT 100 from:

Mailing Address:

City, State, Zip:

E-mail Address: p No e-mail (U.S. Postal mail only)

Home Phone: Work: Mobile:

Preferred Phone Number: p Home p Work p Mobile

$1,000 annual membership provides voting rights for one person.

p Enclosed is a check for $1,000 for individual One Year membership. (Payable to IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, Inc.)

p I paid online using echeck for $1,000 or I completed the Master Card/Visa credit card authorization for $1,031 ($1,000 membership plus $31 processing fee) at http://impact100pensacola.org/join

p Enclosed is a check for $500. I will apply to my company for a match of $500 Please note: all matching donations must be received by June 30, 2019.

p Enclosed is a check for $5,000 for a Five Year Individual membership.

p Please contact me to pay my membership with a gift of stock.

No voting rights are given for any donations other than a full membership. When possible, IMPACT 100 applies honoraria and sponsorships to fund grants, although the Board of Directors of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area has the discretion to use any donations other than full membership for administrative costs or as grant money.

p To help with administrative expenses, I wish to make an additional donation in the amount of $

p I wish to sponsor with my donation of $

p I wish to give a gift in honor of with my donation of $

p I wish to give a gift in memory of with my donation of $

For gifts, please send acknowledgment to:

at this mailing address:

Make checks payable to IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, Inc. and mail to P.O. Box 13304, Pensacola , FL 32591-3304or visit our website at www.impact100pensacola.org and click on “Join” to use our secure online payment form.

Donations are non-refundable. Please visit our website to find out about upcoming events and opportunities to volunteer.

Membership implies permission to use photographic, audiovisual and written works containing my image and name by IMPACT100. IMPACT 100 PENSACOLA BAY AREA IS A 501(C)(3) UNDER FEDERAL LAW AND ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. FDACS REGISTRATION #CH38999.

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Form revised 08/26/2018

15

P. O. Box 13304Pensacola, FL 32591-3304

Return Service Requested

NONPROFIT ORGUS POSTAGE

PENSACOLA FLPERMIT NO 567

Remaining 2019 Member Recruitment Events - Come and

bring a friend or two. 2019 Membership drive

ends March 1st!

www.impact100pensacola.org

888.992.5646

IMPACT EVENT | Tues., Jan. 8, 2019, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Lee House, 400 Bayfront Parkway, Pensacola IMPACT EVENT | Thurs., Jan. 17, 2019, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Tiger Point Golf Club, 1255 Country Club Rd., Gulf Breeze

IMPACT EVENT | Tues., Jan. 22, 2019, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. SunTrust Tower, 220 W. Garden St., Pensacola

IMPACT EVENT | Thurs., Jan. 24, 2019, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Azalea Trace, 10100 Hillview Dr., Pensacola

IMPACT LUNCHEON | Mon., Jan. 28, 2019, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Museum of Commerce, 201 E. Zaragoza St., Pensacola

IMPACT EVENT | Wed., Jan. 30, 2019, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Flora-Bama Lounge, 17401 Perdido Key Dr., Perdido Key, (Bus info TBA)

IMPACT EVENT | Tues., Feb. 5, 2019, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Pensacola Country Club, 1500 Bayshore Dr., Pensacola

IMPACT VALENTINE EVENT | Mon., Feb. 11, 2019, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St., Pensacola

IMPACT EVENT | Tues., Feb. 19, 2019, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Jackson’s Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St., Pensacola