USPS Publication Number 16300
T h is C om mu n it y Ne w sp ap er is a publ ic at ion of Es c a mbi a-S a nt a R os a B a r A ss o c i at ion
Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icia l Ci rcu it Section A, Page 1
Vol. 22, No. 48
V isit T he S ummation W eekly O nline : SummationWeekly.com
November 30, 2022
1 Section, 8 Pages
IMPAC T 1 0 0
PENSACOL A BAY ARE A ANNOUNCES 202 2 GR ANT RECIPIENTS by Morgan Cole
W
ith 1,142 members this year, IMPACT 100 was able to award $103,820 to each of the eleven nonprofit organizations for a total community impact of $1,142,020. Since its inception in 2004, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area has awarded 142 grants totaling $15,092,020 to Pensacola Bay Area community organizations. The IMPACT grant process is a rigorous one; but very rewarding for the nonprofits chosen as recipients.
On October 16, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area announced the eleven grant recipients selected at this year’s Annual Meeting, which was held as an online event. Each of the selected nonprofit organizations will each receive a grant of $103,820 from the members of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area to support their specific project or initiative. “IMPACT members were able to choose to meet at either in-person Focus Area Committees or virtual Focus Area Committees,” Roz Leahy, president of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area said. “Again, this year, hundreds of IMPACT 100 members participated in the process to review each grant application, conduct site visits to all applicants, and select f inalists from each Focus Area Committee. We are so thankful for our members who participated and to our volunteer board. Their dedication enables IMPACT 100 to continue serving the community we love.” The IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area Grant Recipients for 2022 are as follows.
ARTS, CULTURE & HISTORY Pensacola Little Theatre Inc.: It Starts with Art: Building the Foundation of Arts Education at Pensacola Little Theatre Pensacola Little Theatre’s project reimagines the classroom space and how it is best utilized to grow its outreach and impact. The Rehearsal Hall, home to the education department, trains students in everything from Broadway Babies to Acting for Adults through studying diverse artforms like improv, scriptwriting, musical theatre, choreography, stage combat and technical production. The program offers a well-rounded curriculum using art as a tool to instill fundamental skill sets in students like self-confidence, public speaking, perspective, collaboration, and understanding diverse viewpoints. The IMPACT 100 grant funds will be used to overhaul the space to create a classroom setting that is more functional, innovative, accessible and fun so PLT can accommodate more students and elevate their educational experience. The funds will be used for the labor cost of installation and includes all site preparation, demolition of existing cabinetry, disposal of unnecessary items, and cleanup.
Santa Rosa Community Theatre Inc.: Provide a State-of-the-Art Theatre for Santa Rosa County Santa Rosa Community Theatre’s relatively small theatre group of talented and dedicated actors, technicians and volunteers have supported the theatre and been its lifeblood since its inception. Together, they have transformed a vacant space into a performing arts theatre and brought it up to code, erecting walls, installing lighting, building risers and
much more. They have demonstrated a commitment to the high standards of much larger performing theatre companies through their productions. In 2022, SRCT successfully increased their annual number of performances from six to eight. The IMPACT 100 grant funds will be used to update the antiquated theatre and transform it into a state-of-the-art performing arts center by replacing outdated equipment with modern, state-ofthe-art equipment that meets current theatre standards. This includes a new lighting system, new sound system, adjustable/portable stage, curtains and rigging system, and an exterior LED lighted sign.
EDUCATION Central Gulf Coast CDF Freedom Schools: Something Inside So Strong The project will significantly expand the Freedom Schools program beginning the summer of 2023. Through partnership with the school district and UWF, Freedom Schools will provide a six-week summer enrichment program in two locations for 150 elementary and middle school students whose reading level is below grade level and whose families are living in poverty. The IMPACT 100 grant will fund services for the students. Grant funds will cover the Children’s Defense Fund national program fees of $285 each for 150 students, which include new books for the children to keep, curriculum and staff training. The Freedom Schools will utilize ECSD personnel. The grant will cover payroll costs for ECSD security personnel, custodial services, and medical clinic services at the two Freedom Schools locations. Funding will cover the cost of vehicle rental and drivers for the days the county buses are unavailable (Fridays and the month of July), as well as classroom supplies, health and safety supplies and meals and nutritional items that the USDA does not cover.
General Daniel Chappie James Flight Academy, Inc.: Outfit New Facility with Equipment and Other Furnishings At this time, Healing Paws for Warriors is reliant upon volunteers using their personal vehicles to tow their operations trailer. These operations trailers contain all the field supplies and necessary materials specific to each type of planned event or activity. The IMPACT 100 grant will fund an appropriately equipped and durable truck with ample load and towing capacity to pull an existing Healing Paws for Warriors operations trailer. Additionally, it will transport veterans and service dogs to various outreach, educational, fundraising and training events. The grant will also fund the purchase of truck accessories and insurance coverage. The operational trailer supports many events, including Veteran Outreach,
Mental Health Education, Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Military Sexual Assault and Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery programs and dog rescue efforts.
ENVIRONMENT & RECREATION Keep Pensacola Beautiful, Inc.: KPB Covers More Ground T h r o u g h K P B ’s m i s s i o n , programs, and services, there is a constant focus on revitalizing, restoring and enhancing the environment in Escambia County. Currently, personal vehicles are used for programs. The IMPACT funds will allow Keep Pensacola Beautiful to purchase one new Services Truck and one new Programs Van. The van will be an addition to the current fleet and be used solely for programs, initiatives and outreach in the community. Both of these vehicles will be used throughout all of Escambia County, allowing KPB to more effectively fulfill its purpose and enhance the quality of life across all five districts of Escambia County. With the Programs Van, KPB will be able to travel to each of the Escambia County Schools with all of the supplies needed in one trip to the school. With the new Services Truck, the services team will be able to service Escambia County’s parks and boat ramps more effectively.
Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, Inc.: From Hatchlings to Adults, Come Join Us on Our Journey Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center’s visitation continues to grow, and the current building reaches maximum capacity quickly. This means visitors must wait outside, often in inclement weather, until there is room to accommodate additional guests. The IMPACT grant will fund a portion of an expansion that will provide a hands-on Enclosed Interpretive Education Room and a Sea Turtle Stranding Rescue Assessment Area where guests can begin the educational process. This enclosed space will have two entrance and exit doors and at least four windows and skylights. Static and interactive educational displays will connect guests with sea turtles and marine and coastal ecosystems and inspire visitors to work toward protecting these valuable natural resources. The space will feature a garage door to facilitate night storage for the utility terrain vehicle that the Sea Turtle Stranding Rescue Team uses to transport the rescued sea turtles from the Navarre Pier to a private vehicle that takes these sea turtles to a rehabilitation facility.
FAMILY Escambia County Public Schools Foundation for Excellence, Inc.: Parent University: Bridging Resources and Community Needs Parent University provides handson lessons and resources for parents to become more engaged in their children’s education. Education, services,
and resources are based on the choice and requests of parents, and the skills learned not only help them with their children but also employment, money management, and healthier lifestyle choices. The target population is parents of children enrolled in the Escambia County Public School System. Of the approximate 37,000 students, 53% are from low-income families with resource constraints. During the 2021-2022 school year, the Parent University program reached 1,000 parents through 10 events annually. The IMPACT 100 grant will fund the expansion of Parent University in Escambia County by approximately 30 percecnt. Funds will pay for a 3-event expansion in the 2022-2023 school year, with the cost for each event averaging $34,150.
Pensacola Habitat for Humanity, Inc.: Community Land Trust Affordable Housing in Perpetuity Increasing expenses, inflation, stagnant salaries, and the pandemic have pushed families into the low-income range and drastically increased demand for affordable housing. Rising real estate values and limited rental options have reduced the supply of affordable housing. As costs increase, building affordable homes for those in the “very lowincome” range, or 30 to 50 percent AMI, is not sustainable long-term for Pensacola Habitat. The IMPACT 100 grant will fund the purchase of a minimum of 6 individual parcels of land, which will be added to a Community Land Trust (CLT). The CLT is a legal trust entity wholly owned by Pensacola Habitat with terms to include 99-year land leases and the requirement that CLT homes be resold only to those in the 30 to 80 percent AMI. Once the CLT is established, Pensacola Habitat will transfer ownership of the parcels to it. Once the land is placed into the CLT, the trust permanently defines them as affordable housing. Pensacola Habitat will prep sites and build homes for qualified buyers as they do currently; however, these homes are designated for those in the “very low-income” range for the 99-year lease term in the trust.
HEALTH & WELLNESS District One Medical Examiner Support, Inc.: Family Advocacy Representative - providing support to Family, Community, and Staff Victim advocate services are provided by other agencies in cases of criminal activity or influence; however, in the majority of D1MEO cases the sudden loss that is experienced does not involve criminal charges and the next- of-kin are left without critical support. The IMPACT 100 grant will fund a D1MEO Family Advocate position to provide direct customer and support services to families that have lost a loved one to an unexplained or suspicious death, including overdoses, suicides, and child death scenarios. The Family Advocate, based in the Pensacola
office and serving Escambia and Santa Rosa County residents, will create an avenue for families to have a point of contact with medical examiner staff for family follow-up until the case is complete. It will allow for collaboration with medical examiners and death investigators to provide timely and accurate case information to family members.
Feeding the Gulf Coast: Feeding the Future The Backpack Program and School Pantry Program do not benefit from federal and state funding and are entirely reliant on obtaining multiple funding sources, including private support and grants. The IMPACT 100 grant will fund the expansion of the Backpack Program and School Pantry Programs in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Grant funds will pay for the startup costs of new Food Pantry locations and will be used for the purchase of supplies to include scales, cabinets, shelving, refrigerators and food to fund these programs during the 2023-2024 school year. The Florida Child Nutrition Programs Manager will contact each school site to verify interest and capacity in participating in the program, provide training to the new schools, and determine the number of children eligible to be served each month. Once the sites are established and the school year has started, the Child Nutrition Programs Team will build food orders based on the number of children to be served at each site.
Healing Paws for Warriors, Inc.: Save a Veteran, Rescue a Dog: Mobile Unit At this time, Healing Paws for Warriors is reliant upon volunteers using their personal vehicles to tow their operations trailer. These operations trailers contain all the field supplies and necessary materials specific to each type of planned event or activity. The IMPACT 100 grant will fund an appropriately equipped and durable truck with ample load and towing capacity to pull an existing Healing Paws for Warriors operations trailer. Additionally, it will transport veterans and service dogs to various outreach, educational, fundraising and training events. The grant will also fund the purchase of truck accessories and insurance coverage. The operational trailer supports many events, including Veteran Outreach, Mental Health Education, Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Military Sexual Assault and Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery programs as well as dog rescue efforts. Having a dedicated tow vehicle enhances the visual presence of HP4W to bring individuals to the table where vital information is provided, and a safe relationship with HP4W is established. For complete details on this year’s IMPACT 100 grant recipients and to learn more about membership opportunities, visit impact100pensacola.org. •
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