It is exciting to see the measurable changes in lives and organizations that happen as a result of the Impact 100 grants. One of the 2008 grant winners, IKRON, has finished their project but recently the Executive Director Randy Strunk wrote us a note to update us on how IKRON has fared since the project was finished:
“I just wanted to keep you and IMPACT 100 posted of our Third Floor Project. We completed all of the IMPACT 100 work last Fall, highlighted the Project and IMPACT 100 in our annual report, and began marketing our services to achieve greater capacity (one of the outcomes of our IMPACT 100 Project). The Project created three new group classrooms and four individual counseling rooms! We are moving forward on an additional part of the project that is to install a lift. Hopefully, the lift contract company can start within the next week or two. Our Board of Trustees is eyeing a November ‘unveiling’ if all goes well. I hope some IMPACT 100 members will be able to attend. Our contractor is scheduled to paint the area, however, if IMPACT 100 would be interested in ‘picking’ a group classroom and painting and/or decorating that particular room — we could ‘dedicate’ that room to IMPACT 100!!
With the additional marketing of the IMPACT 100 project and IKRON’s program — IKRON has seen a significant increase in referrals for services! In our initial proposal to IMPACT 100, we projected an increase in services for youth and adults with mental illness and/or addiction issues by 200 persons a year. In fiscal year 2009, IKRON had 702 referrals. With marketing of the IMPACT 100 Project (we began marketing additional services when the IMPACT 100 portion of the project was completed), in fiscal year 2010 IKRON had 1,015 referrals for services!!!!! Wow! Thanks IMPACT 100!!! We mention IMPACT 100 on every tour we give to referrals and referrals sources and we are proud to do that!
Some other highlights:
The IMPACT 100 Project also assisted us in receiving a $7,500 matching grant from Duke Energy to purchase and install a more updated phone system for our top floor and whole agency! IKRON’s Board of Trustees and Friends of IKRON came up with the matching $7,500 for a total of $15,000! We have everything ready to install as soon as the City of Cincinnati finished their work on the lift project.”
Impact 100 members can certainly be proud of the dramatic effect they have had on this and many other organizations in the greater Cincinnati area!!
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