November 26, 2019
Asbury Park Music Foundation, Clean Ocean Action, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Monmouth County (CASA), and St. Marks Center for Community Renewal were the four recipients of $110,000 grants each announced at Impact 100 Jersey Coast’s Annual Meeting on November 19th at Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch.
At the event, sponsored by OceanFirst Foundation, New Jersey Natural Gas, Stillwell-Hansen and Bayshore Recycling, 440 Impact members and guests gathered to hear the finalists’ presentations. Members then voted to select the four grant recipients.
Impact 100’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 nearly $1.2 million to 10 Monmouth County nonprofits.
Finalists were chosen from 61 Monmouth County nonprofits who submitted applications this year – all addressing important issues in five categories: Arts & Culture, Children & Families, Education, Environment, Parks and Recreation and Health & Wellness. “It was a very rigorous selection process,” said Rowena Crawford-Phillips, Chair of the Grants Committee. “More than 80 Impact 100 Jersey Coast members volunteered their time to evaluate each of the compelling proposals submitted, conduct site visits and select the finalists. We are in awe of their dedication and commitment and are so proud to award these outstanding nonprofits with funds that will enable them to deliver their missions.”
Each year there is a membership drive where women pledge $1,100 and then pool that money to award significant grants. Membership, which is renewed annually, is open from now until March 15, 2020 to be a part of next year’s awards.
“In 2020, our goal is to provide five impactful grants and extend our reach to more nonprofits in Monmouth county,” said Deirdre Spiropoulos, Co-founder and President. “Our aim is to recruit more women into this powerful movement and fund transformational change through our collective donations. We intend to fund all five of our grant focus areas and empower our nonprofit community to propose compelling projects that address unmet needs and reach underserved people and areas across Monmouth county.”
“We were inspired by the Impact 100 Jersey Coast organization to think big when developing our Music Business & Technology program,” said Jim Lenskold, Board Member of the Asbury Park Music Foundation whose project was awarded $110,000. “We now have the opportunity to inspire under-served youth with a life-changing learning experience that will provide a path to prosperity while they creatively contribute to this great music community.”
The four grant recipients and their projects are:
ASBURY PARK MUSIC FOUNDATION (Arts and Culture), Asbury Park, “Music Business & Technology Youth Program” engaging low-income youth with a life-changing experience that leverages their passion for music into an education in technology and business.
CLEAN OCEAN ACTION (Environment, Parks and Recreation), Long Branch, “Student Environmental Advocates and Leaders (SEAL)” seeks to turn its new office into a center of environmental stewardship for underserved communities where, through a strategic and well-defined program, high school students will be empowered to become mindful and resourceful leaders.
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES OF MONMOUTH COUNTY (“CASA”) (Children and Families), Freehold, “Expansion of Services to at Risk Foster Youth” seeks to reach additional at-risk youth by providing for an average of at least 55 never before served foster children to be assigned to Monmouth County CASA Advocates each year over the next five years, until eventually all of the children in Monmouth County’s foster care system have been assigned a much-needed CASA volunteer.
MARK’S CENTER FOR COMMUNITY RENEWAL (Health and Wellness), Keansburg, “Kitchen Expansion and Modernization” will expand and modernize the existing kitchen to better serve its guests and provide additional opportunities for volunteers. The new facilities will also provide a variety of nutritional educational opportunities for the community, expanded hours and delivery services.
The Reverend Rosemary Broderick spoke on behalf of St. Mark’s Center for Community Renewal, “This grant will allow us to meet the changing needs of the Keansburg and Bayshore area to provide more service to more people in more ways. With an expanded and modernized kitchen, we will be able to take more food to the people and host more volunteers who want to be a part of this life giving and life changing work. Through your generosity, we can touch many more lives to help them to lead their best lives of better health and wellness – body, mind and spirit.”
As the runner up finalist, Senior Citizens Activities Network Inc. (“SCAN”) was awarded additional funds from OceanFirst Foundation, Stillwell-Hansen and Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation who were inspired by the impact of the night.
This was Impact 100 Jersey Coast’s fourth Annual Meeting. Previous grant recipients include 180 Turning Lives Around (2016), Covenant House NJ (2017), The Mental Health Association of Monmouth County (2017), Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey (2018), CFC Loud N Clear (2018) and Family Resource Associates (2018).
As membership grows, the organization will be able to make additional grants, the amounts driven by the number of members. Women may join now for the 2020 membership cycle, which ends March 15, 2020. Current members will be organizing informal gatherings throughout Monmouth County. Please visit www.impact100jerseycoast.org for more information.
Impact 100 Jersey Coast is a fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey.