What a Festive Evening!

The Impact 100 Virtual Holiday Party was full of toasts, thankfulness, information, and updates. Plus, cocktails and appetizers. Guests had to provide the latter because the party was virtual.

Cocktails!
And Our First Toast!

Julianne Robinson, Board Vice President and Membership Chair, introduced the three featured cocktail recipes and videos courtesy of Nicky Blaine’s Cocktail Lounge. See the recipes and videos here.

In the first toast of the evening, Julianne recognized Karen Holly, Board President. Karen has been a member of Impact 100 since 2007. Her leadership and support of Impact 100 have been important as we have have navigated the challenges of 2020.

Our Second Toast!
And Our Focus Area Committees!

Karen raised a glass in our second toast of the evening to the Impact 100 Focus Area Committee (FAC) Chairs, Co-Chairs, and committee members. In 2020, there were 128 empowered women serving on FACs.

Lizzie Knol, Grants Co-Chair and Liaison to the FACs, described the FACs (learn more about them here) and shared the 2021 FAC Chairs and FAC meeting schedules. Virtual meetings should allow members to request their favorite FAC without having to be concerned about getting to the meeting location. 2021 Impact 100 Members should sign up for a FAC as soon as possible (note, the earlier you sign up the more likely you are to get your first choice!). Deadline is January 8, 2021.

Our Third Toast!
Updates From Our Grantees!

Lizzie made the third toast of the evening to the Local Nonprofits who often work 24/7 to improve our community.

Lizzie introduced our guests for the evening, providing updates on two of our grant recipients.

Outside the Box
Our 2011 Change Maker

Matt Fultz, Executive Director of Outside the Box (OTB), gave us an update on our 2011 Change Maker $100,000 grant recipient. OTB provides day programming for adults with intellectual and development disabilities, focusing on young adults who have aged out of special education through the school systems. OTB provide employment services, helping participants find and learn a job, working towards independence. In serving its clients, OTB takes unique approaches. They are the only organization in Indiana matching participants in small peer groups where they share the bond of age, personality, and interests, and they have an art studio where participants of all abilities can creatively express themselves.

Before our $100,000 grant, OTB was operating out of a borrowed conference room with one staff member and four participants. The Impact 100 grant allowed OTB to move out of the conference room into a 14,000 sq. ft. building and grow to serving over 300 participants with 50 staff in early 2020. WIth the onset of COVID-19, OTB closed the building in March, but started thinking “outside the box” to offer virtual services. These changes allowed OTB to grow the number of clients they serve and to reach outside the Indianapolis area.

Matt thanked Impact 100 not only for the grant they received in 2011, but for what the organization has done for the city through our high-impact grants. He made it clear that what we do matters to the organizations we support, their participants, and the community at large.

For Impact 100 members and supporters who wish to fulfill OTB’s wish list, here are the items needed in their new service model:

• Electronic devices (new or used) devices for online services
• Cleaning supplies for onsite services
• Firewood for outside services around a firepit

Contact Matt at mfultz@otbonline.org, 317-253-6658, to donate or find out more about OTB.

IndyFringe
2014 Change Maker Finalist

Justin Brady, CEO of IndyFringe, focused on IndyFringe’s  response to COVID-19. Using its theater that includes a garage door, the performance space could be both indoors and outdoors. When the pandemic hit, there was no other stage in town that could be open. From July through November, the theater held 68 performances. It was a miraculous thing for the community members who filled the audience, getting a respite from the pandemic, but especially great for the performers who got to perform and receive a paycheck at a time when most performers weren’t getting either.

IndyFringe’s model is built on giving back to the artists, with 80% of all box office proceeds going to the artists. Performances included a Shakespeare three-person comedy, OnyxFest (a collaboration with IUPUI to present six new plays by black playwrights), and jazz concerts with the Philharmonic Orchestra.

Justin invited the women of Impact 100 to join him at a future performance when IndyFringe reopens. IndyFringe’s wish list is for volunteers, donations, and audiences. Justin can be contacted at justin@indyfringe.org or 317-292-5687.

Holiday Appetizer!

Chef Matt Ace, of Pier 48, joined us via video to show us how to make his Grandmother’s Artichoke Ramekin. Click here for the recipe and video.

Online Auction Update!

Kristin Hyde, Board Fundraising Chair, joined the party to give us an update on the 4th Annual Treasure Hunters’ Online Auction. Thirteen donors donated 16 high-quality items and experiences. When the dust settled after competitive bidding, Impact 100 netted $6,115! Kristin thanked everyone who donated items and got involved in the auction for helping make it a successful and fun event.

Scholarship Update!

Roberta Ziccarelli, Board Scholarship Chair, explained how the Impact 100’s scholarship program covers the cost of membership for women interested in a career or are volunteering in philanthropy in the Indianapolis area. Scholarship members participate in the grant review process and work side-by-side with our members. Impact 100 benefits from the diverse experience and viewpoints these women bring to our organization.

2021 Scholarship Applications are available through a link on the Impact 100 website and by clicking here. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, December 11, 2020, at 5pm.

Anyone with questions can contact Roberta by sending an email to impact100indy@gmail.com.

One Member’s Story!

Lindsay Scott, Board Marketing Chair, recalled her experiences as a Scholarship Member (three of the evening’s presenters are former Scholarship Members; in addition to Lindsay, both Lizzie Knol and Kristin Hyde were Scholarship Members.) Lindsay has strong memories of working on a Focus Area Committee and how involved she felt working with women of all ages on the committee.

Now as a full member, she continues to value her membership experience for many reasons:

• 100% of her membership contribution goes to the grant pool and directly to the nonprofits. It is rare for that to be the case with any nonprofit donation or membership.
• Impact 100 takes time to show members the impact of their donations and the grants they fund through Follow the Impact events. In her current role as the Marketing Chair, Lindsay speaks to current grant finalists and previous winners; and she tells them, once they get involved with Impact 100, they will continue to hear from us for a long time.
• Impact 100 allows members to choose the level of financial and time commitment each year. There are times when a member has less time or money to give, yet there is no change in how the organization treats them.
• One thing doesn’t change, members participate in voting to determine which nonprofits receive that year’s grants. Even in 2020, when Impact 100 held our Annual Celebration virtually, our members voted to select Family Promise of Hendriks County as our 2020 Change Maker, the recipient of $100,000. Plus, we gave $26,500 to each of the other four finalists: Claude McNeal Productions, FIDO, Nine13Sports, and Paws & Think. (Click here for full information on this year’s grantees.)

Lindsay asked everyone who has not yet joined or renewed their membership to do so before December 31. It’s easy to go to our website www.impact100indy.org to learn more about Impact 100 and our donation options. We offer online and printed membership forms, and accept credit cards, electronic payments, checks, donations through a giving or family foundation, matching gifts from employers, and stock donations. Contact us at impact100indy@gmail.com if you need more information.

A Final Toast!
And Door Prizes!!

Carol McDonald, Board Member At-Large remembered attending a Follow the Impact event four years ago with a friend. Carol was impressed enough to go home and write a check for membership. She values Impact 100 for what she learns, for the volunteer activities, and for the opportunity to work with women of all ages. Carol raised a toast to all the women of Impact 100, who do so much to make Impact 100 work, and to the Power of Women Giving as One®.

Sleigh bells rang, and Carol drew for the four door prizes donated by an anonymous Impact 100 Elf.

Happy Holidays!!