News – Impact100 South Jersey

08Dec 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Amy Leis

When the year 2020 gives you lemons, you turn them in to lemon-colored dance shoes!?! Well, you do if you are Amy Leis, Phd, CFP(R), Leadership Council Member, Charter Member and grant review chair of Impact100SJ. Since the pandemic started, Amy took up competitive pro-am ballroom dancing (complete with mask and face shield) and has waltzed her way to being ranked 10th in the country. No surprise, since Amy puts that same focus and determination into whatever she does, whether it is keeping up with a rambunctious 9-year-old daughter, supporting the non-profits of South Jersey or maximizing the profits of her financial clients. Back in 2017, Amy mentioned to her friend Patti Withington that she wanted to be more involved in South Jersey philanthropy. Patti shared that she was involved…

08Dec 2020 by SJWomen100

Our 2021 Grant Process Is Now Underway

Grants, SJ WOMEN GIVE

Our 2021 Grant Eligibility Application is now available on our website. Submission Deadline: Friday, January 8th Don't miss out on our funding opportunity for 2021! It is the first step in our application process. If your organization would like to apply for our 2021 grant, please complete and submit our Grant Eligibility Application. Grant Eligibility Application Our website has all the information you need to take the first step in applying for our $100,000 Core Mission grant. Important dates and deadlines are on our 2021 grant calendar.Make sure you review our revised Grant Eligibility and Guidelines. We have a new Focus Area and have reworked some of our eligibility criteria. Get your questions answered in our grant FAQs. Feel free to share this information with any non-profit colleagues you think might be eligible to apply. Grant Info Session Webinar for…

24Nov 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Jane Martin

SJ WOMEN GIVE

When Jane Martin first heard about Impact100 SJ from neighbor and founding member Kim Moon, she knew it was a perfect fit for her. While Jane has a long history of community service, the unique characteristics of Impact100 were a real draw for her. Jane has been involved in the food program at the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden for eleven years, and now serves as a Meal Captain. She’s come to love many of the clients she serves, and looks forward to seeing them weekly. While COVID-19 has required that meals now be distributed as “takeout” rather than the usual communal sharing inside the facility, Jane continues to oversee the process during her shifts as meal captain, enjoying the interaction with her clients. “The food insecurity in our area…

17Nov 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Bev Volpe

Member Profiles, SJ WOMEN GIVE

Women’s friendships can be life changing. For Bev Volpe, her friendship with Karin Phillips, community affairs reporter at KYW Newsradio, was a reassuring constant during a tumultuous time. Karin’s untimely passing in 2011 left an emptiness, which Bev filled with volunteer work. Fast forward to 2019 and an information session hosted by Kyle Ruffin, a name Bev had heard often from Karin, who was HER best friend. Right then and there, Bev knew that something, or better yet someone, had guided her to Impact 100 South Jersey. Wanting to continue Karin’s legacy of telling nonprofit stories, the first-year member joined Impact 100 SJ’s marketing and communications committee, as well as the Education Grant Review Committee for the education focus area. “As a Philadelphia-based PR person, I had the honor to…

10Nov 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Tina Kemps

Member Profiles

Thank you for inviting me to share my thoughts regarding my reason for becoming a member of Impact100 SJ. First, may I say what an honor it is to be a member of this group of women involved in this engagement of collective giving. I have always wanted to give back to society as a thanksgiving — not only for what I have been blessed with, but also for the joy it gives me in giving to others. I believe it is not just important to give to those in need, but to open our hearts to all people who surround us each and every day. I joined Impact100 to focus on specific non-profits in our community and the collective giving aspect of its operating model. It’s a great way…

03Nov 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Nancy Weber

Member Profiles, SJ WOMEN GIVE

Nancy Weber is one of six founding members of Impact100 SJ, as well as a Leadership Council member, and she takes great pride in what the organization has been able to accomplish in three short years. Here’s how it all started... In 2016 the Community Foundation of Southern New Jersey (CFSJ) facilitated a series of events to understand philanthropy from a woman’s point of view, specifically why and how they give. Those events included a panel discussion of women philanthropists, a follow up survey to attendees, and focus group discussions to identify the type of women’s philanthropic efforts the CFSJ might want to sponsor. Out of this process, women’s “collective giving” emerged as the model of greatest interest. Subsequent research of existing women’s collective giving organizations by Nancy and fellow founding members Lee Albright, Theresa DiVietro, Kim…

27Oct 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Valerie Schlitt

Member Profiles, SJ WOMEN GIVE

Valerie has been a member of Impact100 South Jersey since the first year. She heard about it from charter member Mary Lynne Reynolds. But when she investigated further, she was intrigued by the opportunity to make a $1,000 donation go so much further. “I also like that it’s a women’s giving group.” Valerie says. “It’s given me the chance to reconnect with so many South Jersey women who I’ve known throughout my career.” When she attended one of the Big Reveal events, Valerie was surprised to learn that so many women she knew were part of this empowering initiative. “You feel so connected to so many people who, like me, love South Jersey.” Valerie is the Owner & Founder of VSA Prospecting, a lead generation company. She started her business in her family room with two…

12Oct 2020 by SJWomen100

NEW Focus Area: Community Health & Well-Being

Grants, SJ WOMEN GIVE

Community Health & Well-Being Focus Area aims to increase 2021 Impact100 SJ grant applicant pool. It’s hard to dispute that this year’s events have been ground shaking. Leading the way were COVID-19 and the cries for racial justice that moved so many to act, including the members of Impact100 South Jersey. Members reached out looking for ways we could collectively make a meaningful difference in an increasingly complicated world. Every year after the Annual Meeting, the Impact100 South Jersey Leadership Council evaluates our entire program including the Grant process. As a result, we determined the Grants process was the perfect place to start to generate change. With input from some of our members, many of whom are senior non-profit leaders, and from some of our grantees, we reassessed our grant eligibility and guidelines for…

06Oct 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Jackie Egan Cometz

Member Profiles, SJ WOMEN GIVE

An Impact100 SJ member since 2018, Jackie Egan Cometz joined when her friend Emily Orel invited her. Jackie and her husband own General Floor Inc., and as business owners they have always felt committed to giving back to their community. The company supports many community organizations and Jackie has been personally involved in supporting civic groups, local sports teams, school groups, and nonprofits in her 30 plus years as a South Jersey resident. Jackie came to South Jersey from her home state of Connecticut after meeting her husband in college and marrying the South Jersey native. They raised 3 daughters in Mt. Laurel while building their flooring business. Along the way, Jackie joined the Alice Paul Chapter of NOW, became involved with the Alice Paul Institute, in PTO, Girl Scouts, and various sports…

29Sep 2020 by SJWomen100

Member Spotlight: Mary Lynne Reynolds

Member Profiles

When Mary Lynne Reynolds heard about Impact100 South Jersey from her long-time friends Nancy Weber and Kyle Ruffin, she knew she wanted to join. While attending Simmons University, a women’s college, Mary Lynne learned to appreciate the limitless energy and possibilities of female collaboration. “I was naturally drawn to Impact100 SJ as it offered the prospect of being part of a diversified group of women coming together to share their time, talents and resources to address critical needs in our community.” Mary Lynne has a long history of community service, from spearheading fundraising events as a teenager, to working on the Ivory Coast in West Africa as a member of the Peace Corps, and going on to have a successful career in the non-profit world of serving those in need. “Throughout my life,…