Local Impact

Past Recipient Updates

One of the most rewarding parts of the IMPACT100 membership is seeing the difference our collective efforts are making in the community. Our past recipients and their projects are detailed in our annual reports which are available on this website. On an annual basis we strive to have asocial event where members are provided updates on past IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area recipients. Check back in the late spring for information on the next Grant Recipient Update event.

2004 IMPACT and Habitat for Humanity

The excitement was overwhelming when Pensacola Habitat for Humanity's project "ReStore" won one of the first two IMPACT 100 grants in 2004. What started as a dream to award significant grants had come true for both the newly formed IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area and the Habitat for Humanity organization. In 2004 there were 233 founding IMPACT 100 members who funded our first two grants for $116,500 each.

With this $116,500 grant, the ReStore was built. The goal was to generate enough annual profits to pay all the administrative expenses of this organization, which run about 3%. The Habitat dream was that with administrative costs being funded from ReStore proceeds, every single dollar donated to Habitat could be used to build more homes. Additional benefits to our community included a reduction of usable materials kept out of the landfill. The Restore receives donations of building materials, furniture, doors, windows, roofing, cabinets, plumbing, electrical fixtures and more. This becomes the inventory of the store that is then sold to the public at deeply discounted rates.

So what has happened since then?

Since ReStore opened in 2005, profits have covered administrative expenses, thereby allowing donations to sponsor an additional 25 homes.
Profits currently being generated from ReStore sponsor 10 to 11 new homes each year.
860 tons of materials have been reused and kept out of the landfill.
Hundreds of gallons of recycled paint have been sold in partnership with the Escambia Land fill.
ReStore has documented almost 15,000 volunteer hours at the store and logged 2,406 individual volunteer days.
Created and sustained 2 full-time and 3 part-time jobs.
In the last fiscal year, ReStore generated almost $500,000 in sales.

Each new Habitat homeowner is required to provide 300 hours of sweat equity as part of their new home commitment, and, ReStore offers a valuable opportunity for new homeowners to accumulate some of these hours.

The IMPACT 100 $116,500 grant only envisioned the ReStore in Pensacola, but another impact of the IMPACT story is the recent opening of a second ReStore in Milton. This location also gives homeowners a place to make their mortgage payments, hold meetings and attend classes in home ownership. All of these facts and figure fail to tell the human story of those who have found a home through this organization. These previously homeless people, included Barbara and Dewey Moore who were living in their church fellowship hall, another person residing under a bridge, a couple with 3 small children who rented a garage to live in for $500 per month, and a couple with 4 children who lived in an Ivan damaged, leaking, moldy, mildewed trailer with boarded up windows.

To date, Habitat for Humanity has built over 655 new homes in our community and we thank them for their dedication and our opportunity to assist in their mission. The stores are located at 5810 N. Palafox Street in Pensacola and 6604 Elva Street in Milton. We encourage all members to visit the ReStores and discover even more about them. Continue to support and sustain this IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area grant by shopping at the store and donating any unused or excess materials. Stores pick-up and make it very easy to donate.

2004 IMPACT and The Good Samaritan Clinic

South Santa Rosa Interfaith Ministries was awarded one of the two IMPACT 100 grants in 2004. With this financial assistance from IMPACT 100, free medical care for the uninsured in Santa Rosa County became a reality and the Good Samaritan Clinic was born. It opened 5 years ago and has served more than 12,000 patients. With the generosity of 233 founding IMPACT 100 members, this Clinic received $116,500.

The grant request was specifically to provide free health care to residents of Santa Rosa County where it is estimated that 20,000 individuals are uninsured. Those in need are said to "fall through the cracks" of our welfare system. The individuals in need are the working uninsured, the temporarily unemployed and homeless. Experience in other communities suggested that the medical needs of the uninsured are normally met in the latter stages of the disease process, thus requiring treatment costing many times more than treatment in the earlier stages. The Clinic was opened to help the uninsured population remain healthy and productive citizens of our community. In addition to the human suffering that would be eliminated, the Good Samaritan Clinic expected to see a decrease usage of local emergency room facilities, lower absenteeism in schools, improved production in the workplace, reduction of employee turnover, and healthier families.

Results since the clinic opened:

Over 12,000 patients have received services.
All medical services are donated by volunteers - with 22 doctors, 25 nurses, 2 pharmacists, a dietician, and a respiratory therapist.
There are area specialists who see patients on referral from the Clinic.
There are 30 lay volunteers who greet patients, help to screen them for eligibility or help the patients apply for other assistance programs.
Gulf Breeze Hospital provides lab work, x-ray and other diagnostic services at no charge to the Clinic.
The Clinic receives more than $500,000 worth of free-of-charge medications from pharmaceutical companies per year on behalf of their patients, as well as other free of charge or low cost medications.
The Clinic director estimates that the clinic saves over 1,300 patient emergency room visits each year at the Gulf Breeze Hospital Emergency room.

Every one of the 12,000 people have a story but we would like to tell you about one woman who wrote to the clinic and said: "Thank you for all who have worked so hard to get things going. I have been to a lot of doctors and I have never been treated so kind. And the staff has worked so hard to help me. Never have I had people care so much. So much help with the paperwork to help with my pills. Some one is always calling back to check on me. I know I'm not the only one but the staff has made me feel that I'm the only one, even coming to my car more than once to have papers signed so we don't have to get the wheelchair out. And I know you are busy but never a word is said. I'm treated like a queen each time I see or hear from you. To think you all just give your time and ask for nothing." We thank all the staff and volunteers of this organization who so generously give of their time and provide this basic need to those most challenged.

2005 IMPACT and ARC Gateway

Despite both the short-term and long-term effects of Hurricane Ivan, membership in IMPACT 100 in 2005 grew to 250 members. What a testament to the women in our community who came together and despite the hardships maintained their commitment to IMPACT 100's mission. One of the two 2005 grants was awarded to ARC Gateway in the amount of $125,000.

ARC Gateway provides a wide array of programs and services for children and adults who are developmentally delayed or disabled. Their clients include individuals with mental retardation, Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism. Current programs include early intervention therapies for infants and toddlers, a learning center for pre-school children, a learning center for adults, employment services, a senior adult program, community-based employment, in-home support and six residential homes. They currently serve over 900 clients. Pollak Industries, owned and operated by ARC Gateway provides employment to their clients by producing plant sleeves, concrete products and wooden stakes. A Plant Nursery provides plants and landscaping products for residential and commercial needs. Employment in all of these activities provides opportunities for individuals to succeed and achieve as much independence as possible. It also allows ARC Gateway to be less dependent on state and federal support.

The 2005 IMPACT 100 grant was awarded to purchase modern, reliable equipment to support Pollak Industries in the production and sales of survey stakes, concrete pads, parking bumpers, monument markers, and delivery and sale of plants, trees and shrubs. In addition, grant funds were used to purchase two stand-by generators that allow residents to remain in two of the residential homes during power outages.

Since 2005, ARC Gateway's project success has included:

The purchase of a forklift, rip saw and rebar cutter has enabled Pollak Industries to increase production of survey stakes and cement products. They now manufacture more than 1 million survey stakes annually. The concrete operation employs 15 full time employees who are all clients of ARC and the survey and grade stake area employs 18 full time ARC clients. Initially stake sales grew over 20% and concrete sales grew over 15%. With the reduction in overall construction sales in the past 18 months, stake sales have seen some decline, however, cement sales have held up better and as businesses abandon plastic bumpers and move to concrete bumpers, which is a specialty of ARC Gateway.
A truck purchased for the Horticulture Department has expanded operations so plants can be delivered to building sites. More delivery opportunities have been available during all the holidays as well. The nursery provides jobs for 39 ARC clients. Annual sales in the horticulture department have increased 100% following the truck purchase.
To assist ARC Gateway in their mission, you can purchase plants from the nursery that has a wide variety of mature, seasonal bedding plants. It is located at 1112 East Fairfield Drive. They also rent plants for events. If you are involved with any business that needs concrete bumpers or air conditioner pads, please consider utilizing the services of ARC Gateway.
We thank ARC Gateway for their tireless efforts and for their contributions to the health and welfare of the developmentally delayed children and adults in our community. One supervisor explained that the ARC clients love to work. It builds their self-esteem, creates more independence, provides them a paycheck and rewards their efforts. Working also provides a social life for them and the people they work with become their extended family.

2005 IMPACT 100 and Manna Food Bank

Manna Food Bank was awarded one of the two 2005 IMPACT 100 grants in the amount of $125,000 to establish community gardens and provide fresh food to families that otherwise have very limited access to non-perishable food. The community gardens are for use by those who will benefit most from the harvest, both financially and nutritionally.

Manna is a nonsectarian, community focused, organization that operates food distribution locations across Northwest Florida. In the last year, the agency provided just under 700,000 pounds of food in our two county area.

The IMPACT 100 project included funding for a 2700 sq. ft. greenhouse in downtown Pensacola to propagate seed plants for transplantation into community gardens; for equipment to develop and build urban gardens from which Manna would receive a portion of the crop for distribution; and for establishing community gardens that would be cultivated by Manna volunteers whose food grown would be given to serve Manna's mission.

With the community gardens and greenhouse initiative, the following has been accomplished:

Manna has created a partnership with UWF to use their 3,000 sq ft greenhouse to propagate plants. A 1,000 sq ft greenhouse was also built in downtown Pensacola. With the partnership, Manna was able to grow the total project greenhouse space and in addition has freed up grant funds to enhance the overall project and expand the gardens.
Manna has partnered with Azalea Trace and created a one acre organic farm. Today this garden produces about 250 to 300 pounds per month during the nine month growing season. All the food goes to the pantry for distribution to Manna's clients.
Manna has also partnered with community members and built community gardens in the DeVilliers area and on Martin Luther King Blvd. The model has been created and Manna is ready for expansion as it looks to the community's businesses and neighborhoods to take over ongoing operations and assist with financial support. All produce raised in the gardens provides food to people in the local community who are cultivating the land, and where possible to Manna clients.
Schools are beginning to embrace the community garden concept. Bellview Middle School led the way in the fall of 2006, starting with 6 beds that were 100 sq ft each. In the fall of 2008, the school began efforts to double their space as the students have tasting parties, including salad and vegetables, with the bulk of the food being distributed to their community and student body. Some students reported they had never eaten anything green before this project. Teachers report they use the garden in their curriculum for science, math and reading too. Last year, OJ Semmes, Hallmark, and Cordova Park Elementary schools all started gardens and were joined by Montessori, and Head Start. Any school willing to have gardens put in and then take on responsibility for the gardens is encouraged to join the program and should contact Sarah Bossa at 850-432-2053.
An urban garden was established at Manna's downtown Pensacola location with planting on approximately 1/4 acre of concrete slab that was cleared by Hurricane Ivan. All food harvested from this garden goes directly to the pantry for distribution to the clients. Over 1,200 pounds of food was generated in May, June and July of this year. By the close of 2009, this garden had doubled in size to ½ acre.

We congratulate Manna Food Bank for their success in creating a new model for our community, their outstanding results and tireless efforts to provide food to those in need in our community.

2006 IMPACT 100 and Bravo for Kids

We closed membership in 2006, our third year of IMPACT 100 with 340 members. For the first time, three grants were awarded for $113,335 each. A winning organization was Bravo for Kids, founded in 2003 for the purpose of providing musical instruments to area middle school students who do not possess the financial means to furnish their own. Bravo for Kids wanted to promote instrumental music education in Escambia and Santa Rosa County schools by giving practical assistance band orchestra instruments.

The IMPACT 100 grant to Bravo for Kids was to support music programs in all the middle schools by providing new instruments for underprivileged 5th grade students in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Budget constraints have forced the school system to limit funds available for instruments, including replacing some existing instruments that were 30 to 40 years old and aging beyond repair. The ability of middle school children to get a well-rounded education that includes arts education has become increasingly limited. Middle schools, for the most part, do not have the support of booster groups that raise money for operations. The schools depend largely on limited district funds for both instrument maintenance and replacement.

Coordinated by a board that consisted of ten local citizens, many involved in school music programs, new instruments were purchased at wholesale prices, thereby doubling the value of the grant. Bravo for Kids originally determined it would take 10 years to reach their goals but with the IMPACT 100 grant it only took 4 years as the IMPACT 100 provided approximately one-half of the funds needed to equip the schools.

Results:

All 17 area middle school band directors/teachers developed their own instrument priority lists based upon the school's specific needs including identifying those students incapable of buying or renting instruments.
139 instruments were provided by the IMPACT 100 grant and these 139 instruments each have a useful life of over 35 years.
About 5,000 students will play these instruments.
About 75% of the schools music wish lists were met.

Mark York, a band instructor at Brown Barge Middle School, explains that the arts provide young people with authentic learning experiences that engage their minds, hearts, and bodies. Engagement in the arts nurtures the development of cognitive, social, and personal competencies by providing a challenge of their own where they can excel individually. In addition, critical thinking, problem-solving, and learning how to work cooperatively toward shared goals are all skills which are reinforced through music education. School statistics also show that students who participate in arts and culture activities are more likely to stay in school and excel academically.

We thank the Bravo for Kids volunteer group that came together to accomplish this task.

2006 IMPACT 100 and Friends of the Pensacola Library

One of our three 2006 IMPACT 100 grants, in the amount of $113,335, was awarded to Friends of the Pensacola Public Library, an all-volunteer organization founded to support the library. This organization, working with a local Blue Ribbon Task Force, was addressing the need to improve the West Florida Regional Library System, identified by the State of Florida as ranking in the bottom 5% of libraries in the system. Northern Escambia County including the communities of Century, Molino, McDavid, Walnut Hill and rural areas in between did not have a library to serve their 7,000 residents with learning and literacy needs. Escambia County and the Town of Century, through tax revenues, provided funding for a new library to be located in Century, the largest town in this area. Unfortunately, there was no funding provided for the children's area of the library. The Friends of the Pensacola Public Library received the IMPACT 100 grant to establish the children's reading room with books, magazines, literacy material, including GED materials, furniture, computers and software. All of the materials placed in the children's reading room were selected by professional librarians.

Century is an historic community that suffers from entrenched problems of poverty and low literacy rates. Of the towns 1,800 residents, 25% of the families have incomes below poverty level. The educational levels of Century residents are of low literacy: 37% of the population 25 years of age and older have less than a high school diploma and more than 60% of students in K-8 are reading below grade level.

Today the children's room is flourishing. The children's room welcomes you with a mural as you enter depicting a wonderland with trees and animals on all the visible walls. There are 2,868 books and 4 computers for the children that include many learning games and other software programs.

The Century library has achieved many positive results including:

More than 1,100 registered borrowers.
Over 10,000 computer usages tracked last year.
Computers being used for online courses and job searches.
Over 2,000 items borrowed each month including books, CDs and DVDs.
In July of 2009 alone, 2,039 people used the library.
Monthly programs are held for children to focus on learning and fun - the last program was for finger-painting that attracted 48 children. The library also gives children books at each program.
Weekly children story-time attracts 2 to 12 children each session.
Adult computer classes began in August, 2009. Two classes were offered each Wednesday from August - October; all classes were filled with an additional waiting list. The classes being taught ranged from how to use a computer mouse, setting up an email account, and beginner Word, Ebay and Craigslist. The next classes are scheduled to start in February 2010.

Pat Rigel, branch manager of the library, lives in the north end of the county and this is a dream job for her. She understands the community and has served many years in the Pensacola library system prior to the opening of the Century library. When asked what can be done to help the library, she explained that people can help by donating children's books to be given away at the monthly programs. Simply drop the books at the Pensacola downtown library and put Pat Rigel's name on them and they will be delivered to her or you can drop them by the Century Library and take a tour. Also she requested that if you know anyone with special talents who could do a monthly program at the Century library, like finger-painting, please contact Pat Rigel at 256-6217 or prigel@ci.pensacola.fl.us.

We thank Friends of the Pensacola Public Library, the all volunteer group that provides year-round funds to our libraries. You can assist this organization by donating your unwanted books and attending their book sales. Our libraries are vital to our community.

This update is part of a series designed to highlight the impact that our grants have made in the life of our community. We want to tell you these stories as a reflection for you - so that every single morning you wake up knowing that the grants you have so generously funded are continuing to impact our community.

2006 IMPACT 100 and Leaning Post Ranch

The mission of the Leaning Post Ranch is to provide equine assisted activities and therapeutic riding to individuals with disabilities and at-risk youth in Northwest Florida through hope, health and healing with horses. In 2006, the Ranch was awarded an IMPACT 100 grant in the amount of $113,335 to build a covered arena to allow therapeutic riding year-round. They were one of three winners as IMPACT 100 had 340 members in 2006.

Prior to the IMPACT 100 grant funding the covered arenas, the elements played a large role in the day-to-day riding activities at the Ranch. The uncovered arena was in direct sunlight and subject to rain, extreme heat and cold that prohibited many participants from riding and limited the hours/days that lessons could be offered. Wind, rain, heat and glare greatly affect youths with heightened sensory issues, like autism. Certain medications also prevent exposure to the sun. Climate conditions can affect endurance causing participants to discontinue sessions in the hot, humid months. Safety was a critical issue as well. Many of the riders are "developmentally disabled" and maximum safety and comfort during their lessons must be provided. The goal is to help all children ride independently.

Leaning Post Ranch participants include those with amputations, autism, brain injuries, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, emotional disabilities, learning disabilities, mental retardation, multiple sclerosis, speech and hearing impairments, and other physical, emotional, and cognitive disabilities. Other Ranch riders include children who have suffered sexual, emotional, or physical abuse or neglect.

The covered arena is completed and now the Ranch is experiencing:

Lessons 6 days per week year round regardless of weather.
Lessons scheduled on Monday and Friday for autistic children, Tuesday for profoundly handicapped, Wednesday for handicapped from a group home, and Thursday and Saturday for at risk children.
Twenty-five children with disabilities being served on a weekly basis. At-risk participants are being enrolled.
Two drill teams have been formed - for volunteers and autistic riders. On Friday evenings the volunteer drill team practices.
The air temperature, now 10 degrees cooler under the covered arena, allows riders to access lessons when otherwise hot summer temperature would make riding prohibitive.
The horses now have a place to gather during severe weather.
Clinics have begun at the Ranch with the possibility of generating a stream of future income for the organization.
Weather permiting, the Ranch can now have two lessons at the same time, one in the open arena and the other in the covered arena.
An additional benefit of the covered arena is that it is easier to hear and thus easier to teach riding skills.
The covered arena has helped limit the outside distractions and keeps the children focused on the riding.

Other significant impacts of this grant for this organization include volunteer participation from two IMPACT 100 members. After a site visit, one member has become a trained instructor and one member, using her individual financial resources, helped build an office, tack room, grooming and tacking area with handicap bathrooms. Now children can watch the horses be groomed and volunteers have an enclosed space to perform these functions.

One mother, whose child has cerebral palsy, said her child is sensitive to light and heat and was not able to ride but 5 months of the year. On a therapeutic level, a horse mimics a persons gait and with weekly riding lessons the experience has significantly helped her child with opening and loosening a hip and has helped with increased mobility. Without riding regularity, her child was not making as much progress. Another side benefit for this child is that she was socially challenged and would not make eye contact when she started at the Ranch. Now she tells the horses and teacher what to do. She is more confident and will often make jokes.

We thank the Leaning Post Ranch for a wonderful service to the community. This update is a part of a series designed to highlight the impact that our grants have made in the life of our community. We want to tell you these stories as a reflection for you - so that every single morning you wake up knowing that the grants you have so generously funded are continuing to impact our community.

2007 IMPACT 100 and Clean & Green

One of the four 2007 IMPACT 100 grants in the amount of $118,000 was awarded to Clean & Green to support their individual assistance program. Clean & Green was formed in 1978 and operates primarily with volunteers. It's mission is to enhance the quality of life for the elderly/physically disabled and other families in need by keeping their homes and neighborhoods in our community environmentally beautiful. By involving a very large volunteer workforce, they have established and maintained a permanent community beautification program. In 1995, Clean & Green became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful whose mission is to engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.

Since 2001, local Code Enforcement officers have notified Clean & Green of individuals who have been cited for code violations and who do not have the ability to clean their properties. They are physically incapacitated, or too elderly or frail to clean up or lack the monetary ability to pay someone to help. Following the hurricanes in 2004 and 2005, this problem became worse. During 2005 and 2006, the organization helped 100 families and removed 53 tons of overgrowth and debris. But assistance was limited because Clean & Green did not own any heavy equipment, had no access to borrowed equipment and volunteers were not qualified to rent equipment.

The IMPACT 100 grant allowed Clean & Green to purchase a bobcat, dump-trailer and truck to pull equipment to clean hurricane debris, remove damaged trees and limbs, rake, mow and remove overgrown vegetation, remove damaged outbuildings, remove damaged fences and haul debris to the landfill. With the equipment, Clean & Green can move debris faster and put more volunteer crews on the streets each day. The goal was to identify the 200+ neediest cases and take swift action. Referrals also come from Council on Aging, First Call for Help, United Way and other community support groups.

Since the newly purchased equipment has been placed into operation, the pace has picked up and now 6 to 10 homes are being completed each month at no cost to the homeowner, city or county. A full-time employee, with expertise in running and maintaining the equipment, evaluates all requests. Every request that meets the organizations criteria is provided with assistance.

The organization was able to make a fundamental change in the way they work from doing everything by hand, including using small chainsaws and plastic bags, to utilizing powerful equipment. The direct impact to the elderly, disabled or physically or financially incapacitated citizens of this community is the clearing of their properties and for many, minimizing or stopping accumulated fines and preventing the loss of their homes. A secondary impact is to restore the beauty of our neighborhoods by removing overgrowth, damaged trees and unsightly debris.

We want to thank the volunteers of Clean & Green for their tireless efforts that help keep our community clean.

2007 IMPACT 100 and Families Count

Northwest Florida Comprehensive Services for Children, also known as Families Count, was one of the four 2007 IMPACT 100 grants recipients for $118,000. Families Count is the leading child welfare provider in Santa Rosa County serving parents of abused children with case management, home visiting services and group work that includes, parenting education, life skills training and advocacy. The organization is centered on child abuse prevention and intervention services. The mission of Families Count is to be the industry leader in improving the lives of children and families with innovative, high quality programs and community partnerships. The organization's vision is changing lives to create positive futures for children and Families Count.

The IMPACT 100 grant allowed the organization to renovate the back half of their recently refurbished building on Elmira Street in Milton, to create a state-of-the-art youth outreach and development center called The Place. The space was designed to address the needs of children who have been abused and are at risk. The Place youth outreach and development center provides space for youth and includes services for abused children providing them with leadership and life skills training and an opportunity to break the cycle of abuse through education. A side benefit of the grant was having space to conduct workshops for parents when the center is not in use by children.

Here are some exciting accomplishments since the building was completed:

150 children have attended classes, including equal numbers of boys and girls.
There are six user groups, three for boys and three for girls divided by ages 6-9, 10-12 and 13-18.
Groups meet one time per week and children are learning how to set boundaries, build confidence, relate to each other, how to govern themselves, and hold others accountable and how to establish trust with each other.
Social workers teach all the classes.
Families Count is currently working with Department of Juvenile Justice on pre and post testing to evaluate the effectiveness of the youth classes.
A coalition has been formed between agencies, including the Department of Juvenile Justice, State Attorney, Families First and others to discuss the ongoing impact to children from abused homes and address specific subjects like bullying and effective prevention strategies.
The Place is also used for parenting classes and over 200 families attended classes this last year.
Life Skills classes are also being conducted with parents in the Center.
An added benefit is to provide service providers with space for training.
Another Youth Count program in partnership with the University of West Florida called

Youth Mentoring has been added with the assistance of five undergraduate psychology student mentors supervised by a Masters level psychology student that work with four middle school boys that have bullying tendencies. Judge Goodman commented that the program "Youth Count Family Violence Prevention Program" is a wonderful preventative measure to stop the "cycle of violence" from being carried forward to the future kids and spouses of the children who have witnessed domestic violence in their homes. The only way to stop future domestic violence is to educate the children today." Megan, a 16 year old teen who has attended the sessions said "I found the class very beneficial for me. I really do believe that if kids come out of there with nothing else, they'll have the knowledge to recognize in the future the abuse when they are around it. My teacher was very good at teaching and showing me how to understand my abuse".

We thank Families Count for their tireless efforts. This update is part of a series designed to highlight the impact that our grants have made in the life of our community. We want to tell you these stories as a reflection for you - so that every single morning you wake up knowing that the grants you have so generously funded are continuing to impact our community.

2007 IMPACT 100 and Northwest Florida Blood Services

Northwest Florida Blood Services was one of four IMPACT 100 grant recipients in 2007 for its project: A New Bloodmobile is Needed. Northwest Florida Blood Services was established in 1949 as the Escambia County Blood Bank. The Northwest Florida Blood Services mission is to provide the highest quality and safest possible blood for use by the sick and injured on an efficient, cost effective basis. It is the primary source of blood used by hospitals in our two county area and collects and processes about 44,000 units (pints) of blood per year of which about 65% comes directly from bloodmobiles drives. Donors receive no compensation for blood donations and the Blood Center provides blood to area hospitals for the costs of collection, testing and storage of blood products.

A Bloodmobile has a life span of 15-17 years and the Northwest Florida Blood Services uses three in our two-county area. Prior to the addition of the IMPACT 100 bloodmobile, on numerous occasions the Blood Center was unable to schedule blood drives because there was not a bloodmobile available. In fact, scheduled bloodmobiles were often cancelled due to mechanical issues with the older bloodmobiles. The grant allowed the Northwest Florida Blood Services to purchase a new state of the art bloodmobile with increased capacity for blood donations.

The new Bloodmobile made its debut in November, 2008 after being custom made to meet FDA standards and to date has:

Participated in more than 274 blood drives to date.
Averaged 20 pints collected during each drive.
Collected a total of 5,480 pints of blood. Each pint saves 3 lives for a total impact on 16,440 lives.
Every pint collected stays in our community baring a catastrophe in some part of the country that would require assistance.
Our community is totally dependent upon donated blood for our needs.
Follow the example of companies like WEAR-TV who hold regular blood drives. This January at WEAR TV VEIN DRAIN the IMPACT Bloodmobile collected 70 pints. Pensacola High School conducted a drive and collected 22 pints and air traffic controllers at the Pensacola airport produced 62 pints of blood. Companies can schedule blood drives by contacting donor recruitment at 473-3853.
Each person can give blood every 56 days. While the whole process takes about one hour, the actual draw only takes 5 to 7 minutes. Information on current blood drives can be found at www.nfbcblood.org
The cost to the Northwest Florida Blood Services is about $190 per pint for collection and testing fees. Donations are always welcome to cover the collection and testing costs.

Impact 100 thanks all the volunteers who donate their blood and the Northwest Florida Blood Services for providing life-saving services to all of us.

This update is a part of a series designed to highlight the impact that our grants have made in the life of our community. We want to tell you these stories as a reflection for you - so that every single morning you wake up knowing that the grants you have so generously funded are continuing to impact our community.

2007 IMPACT 100 and Pensacola Promise

IMPACT 100's membership grew in 2007 with 472 women joining allowing us to fund four grants of $118,000 each. One of these was awarded to Pensacola Promise, operating as Chain Reaction. Chain Reaction was born in 2003 with the goal to provide volunteer opportunities for teens to impact their community. The idea was to unleash the positive power of teens and create a chain reaction within the community. It is a locally based teen volunteer center that had 600 members serving 49 non-profits when the organization applied for an IMPACT 100 grant.

With the award of the 2007 IMPACT 100 grant, Chain Reaction was able to develop software that helped the organization become more efficient at reaching thousands of teens in the two county area rather than mere hundreds. The grant also provided computers and equipment to warehouse and use the new software system. Before the new system was in place, volunteer opportunities, sign up sheets and communication with teens was done manually and by phone.

Today, with the IMPACT 100 grant monies, the organization has a sophisticated computerized system that interacts with teens and non-profit organizations. Every volunteer opportunity is easy to access, easy to track and every teen has their own tracking system for their individual volunteer hours. This system has already proved very valuable to two teens that have used their recorded volunteer hours to obtain service oriented college scholarships.

The software is very impressive and appeals to teens in its appearance, navigability and usefulness.

The results to date include:

There are now over 1,100 teen volunteers.
101 non-profits now use Chain Reaction volunteers.
During the last year, Chain Reaction provided more than 11,000 volunteer hours in our community.
Chain Reaction offered area teens over 605 volunteer opportunities.
Chain Reaction provided leadership training to 640 teens.

The organization is teen directed, teen driven and teen organized. At a recent Chain Reaction council meeting, the teens were interviewed and asked top skills they have learned as a result of volunteering. They talked about improving skills like communication, patience, and responsibility, but overall they stressed learning leadership. The teens believe that they are growing up to be better people. Some of their favorite non-profits to volunteer at include the Ronald McDonald House, Miracle League, the Fricker Center, Council on Aging and United Cerebral Palsy.

Another outgrowth of the IMPACT 100 grant is Chain Reaction's Team Leaders, a leadership program composed of Chain Reaction's most dedicated teens. The group receives leadership training from prominent community leaders. The training gives teens the tools to not only become leaders in the organization, but also in the community. The theory is that leadership is not taught but is learned through hands-on experience. The goal is to help hundreds of teens in the two county area grow into future leaders. Escambia School superintendent Malcolm Thomas recently asked Chain Reaction to work with at-risk students and a pilot program has begun with Warrington Middle School.

What others say about Chain Reaction teens:

Tim Kennedy Director of Education Outreach for thesacola Opera stated that: "Chain Reaction has breathed new vitality into the volunteers at Pensacola Opera with our partnership of Operazzi. The dedication of the teens and their willingness to jump into any job is inspiring to all of us including our adult volunteers. I always know that I'm going to have a good time when there are Chain Reaction teens around!"

Sandie Holtry, Adult Day Care Director at the Council on Aging of Northwest Florida expressed that: "The volunteers bring fun and lots of energy to our center. The volunteers put a smile on each of our clients' faces when they are here. We truly do thank them for all their efforts."

We thank Chain Reaction for providing these unique volunteer opportunities for teens in our community.