Our Community Impact

2009
Health & Wellness Grant Recipient:

People's Community Clinic

Project:

Healthy Babies Initiative

The People’s Community Clinic will use the Impact Austin grant to operate its Healthy Babies Initiative, which will expand PCC’s existing efforts to improve the health of the uninsured and medically underserved children of our community by adding weekly Saturday pediatric clinics, piloting a multi-hour group visit model for children’s well-child checks and introducing a program geared to increase the number of nursing mothers among their patients. PCC used the well-regarded March of Dimes “Entering Pregnancy” curriculum as the model for their successful group pre-natal visits. PCC’s success in this implementation provides the basis for the development of this new, innovative program to conduct group well-child checks to an additional 300 infants and children annually.

For more details, visit: www.austinpcc.org

2008
Culture Grant Recipient:

Southwest Key Programs

Project:

Establish performing arts programs for east Austin youth

Southwest Key has dedicated 20 years to keeping youth out of institutions and strengthening the fabric of their communities. It offers unique and innovative programming that capitalizes on strong cultural traditions. With the Impact Austin grant, Southwest Key will establish a Performing Arts Program for East Austin’s Govalle/Johnston Terrace Neighborhood. It will provide area youth and adults the opportunity to learn and perform traditional, Hispanic-focused arts—mariachi, ballet folklorico and bilingual theater. Classes will be offered free of charge, serving 1,500 to 2,000 people who now lack arts education and the benefits it can provide in improved self esteem, lower delinquent behavior and improved academic achievement.

To learn more, visit www.swkey.org

2008
Education Grant Recipient:

Breakthrough Austin

Project:

Help low income middle school children prepare for college.

Breakthrough works to transform potential high school dropouts into promising college candidates, making college possible for students who have not historically pursued higher education. With the Impact Austin grant, Breakthrough will send 90 low-income students—45 entering 7th grade and 45 entering 8th grade—to Middle School Summer Sessions in both 2008 and 2009. The summer sessions provide a critical six-week academic summer enrichment program at the University of Texas. The program helps students prepare for success in rigorous college preparatory coursework.

Breakthrough expects to see students in the program exhibit meaningful academic growth as measured in pre- and post-tests that will help them bypass the “summer slide” that is typical of many of their peers. Key program elements include six weeks of daily exposure to college life, college-prep curricula and electives. Of the 90 low-income middle school students participating in the program, almost all will be first-generation college graduates.

For more details, visit www.breakthroughaustin.org

2008
Environment Grant Recipient:

Ecology Action

Project:

Expand availability of recycling to additional communities and upgrade recycling centers.

With funds from Impact Austin, Ecology Action will upgrade three existing recycling centers in Cedar Park, Bertram and East Travis County and will also establish 12 new satellite recycling centers. The service expansion is projected to divert 6,000 tons of recyclables annually from area landfills. In addition, the funds will improve the overall aesthetics of the organization’s recycling centers, making them more attractive to users as well as more efficient to operate. Ecology Action accepts more materials than the typical curbside recycling program and provides citizens an additional option to throwing materials in the local landfill. Further, Ecology Action provides the only recycling service to many small Texas Hill County towns.

For more details, visit www.ecology-action.org

2008
Family Grant Recipient:

Goodwill Industries

Project:

Provide computer training for high risk youth.

Goodwill provides employment opportunities to people with barriers to employment. The Reboot Project will equip 60 at-risk youth, ages 14 to 21, with the skills they need to succeed in the high-demand computer industry. The program will also divert 800 tons of electronic waste from Central Texas landfills. With support from two full-time job skills trainers, the youth will refurbish/recycle donated computer systems and learn technology-related job skills to prepare them for the world of work in jobs that typically pay $12 to $20 per hour and are projected to be increasing dramatically in the next 10 years. Through the Impact Austin grant, Goodwill expects to turn at-risk youth into young people who have the skills needed to obtain a job and become self sufficient.

For more details, visit www.austingoodwill.org