Nonprofits in Palm Beach County are doing tremendous work in addressing the needs of the underserved residents of our community.
Here’s a spotlight on some of those organizations:
In 2015, a group of 117 philanthropic women set out to raise more than $100,000 to support much-needed projects serving residents of central and northern Palm Beach County.
They met their goal in just 128 days. And so, Impact the Palm Beaches was ready for its first round of collective philanthropy.
Modeled after a national program, Impact the Palm Beaches awarded its first $100,000 grant to Safe Haven Community Resource Center (CRC)’s Live Fresh Palm Beach County project — a mobile shower unit that provides showers and personal hygiene products to the homeless of Palm Beach County.
A total of 34 local nonprofits submitted grant proposals last fall, addressed issues from college readiness to homelessness, shoes for school aged children to youth caregivers. Impact the Palm Beaches members at a luncheon heard presentations from three grant finalists and voted to fund Live Fresh Palm Beach County. Additional grant awards of $8,500 were made to two finalists runner-ups: Take Stock in Children and The Legal Aid Society.
Willie C. Bentley, Jr., of Safe Haven CRC, told the philanthropists: “We are humbled by the generosity of Impact the Palm Beaches and look forward to the transformative change that will come as a result of our collaboration. Together, Live Fresh Palm Beach County will positively impact our community, uplifting our homeless brothers, sisters, and children – one fresh shower at a time.”
Palm Beach County currently ranks #2 in Florida for children living in spaces not designed for human habitation, according to Impact the Palm Beaches. In April 2015, 3,248 students were identified as homeless with an average age of seven. Safe Haven CRC Live Fresh Palm Beach County’s primary goal is to make sure everyone in Palm Beach County has the ability to take a fresh shower and have access to personal hygiene essentials.
Impact the Palm Beaches focuses on strategic high-impact grant making, with a mission to engage, develop and inspire women to create change in our community. Annually, each Impact member contributes $1,000 to a pooled fund. During the annual meeting, nonprofit finalists are invited to speak, the Impact members vote, and funds are immediately awarded. Impact the Palm Beaches is a donor advised fund held at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.
Impact the Palm Beaches is part of the Impact 100 model that has been replicated around the country. By the end of 2014, Impact 100 organizations have given away more than $29 million to people in need. Impact 100 is designed to remove the traditional barriers to giving and provide a unique experience to the donor.
Impact 100 Palm Beach County is another local group. It’s focused on granting to nonprofits in the southern part of the county, and also serves as a charitable fund of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Impact 100 Palm Beach County awards high-impact grants in five focus areas: arts & culture, education, environment, family, and health & wellness. Since 2012, it has awarded more than $976,000 in grants.