Charity Magazine - Winter 2016 by Charity Magazine

WINTER 2016 | TheCharityMag.com

PHILANTHROPY POISED FOR CHANGE

Unwind fromâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC; the Grindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Experience Real Florida. Real Close.

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Get out of the boardroom and host your next corporate event in Lake County, Florida. Complete with off-roading adventures, unique natural attractions and top golf, equestrian and spa resorts, Lake County is the perfect place for your team to gear up while winding down.

Lumen Vitae Abundantiorem Illuminating the Life Abundant

Beacon College’s distinctive mission focuses on the success of students who learn differently. Our motto — Lumen Vitae Abundantiorem — celebrates our students’ potential and the opportunities that await them. Beacon offers measurable outcomes that our students and their families can count on — from our impressive four-year graduation rate to the achievements of our alumni. We invite you to visit Beacon’s campus — just an hour’s drive from Orlando — to hear about our unique approach to student advisement and support, and learn more about our career-focused four-year degree programs. Business Management • Computer Information Systems (Tracks: Web & Digital Media or Information Systems) • Human Services • Interdisciplinary Studies • Psychology • Studio Arts

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BeaconCollege.edu • 855-220-5374

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Winter 2016

14 Charting the Course for Charity 2016 We surveyed non-profits across the region to get insight into their plans and challenges for 2016. What we found was a remarkable degree of agreement about goals, methods and new opportunities. Giving from donors is increasing, but so is scrutiny and the desire for measurable results. And while organizations differ in how they approach and satisfy donors who want to be assured their contributions make a meaningful difference, most said they’re implementing new processes along with new programs in 2016.

18 Different Students Need a Different Kind of Education

18 TheCharityMag.com // 4

Students who struggle in traditional schools can excel when given the right tools in the right environment. While programs for primary and secondary students abound, Beacon College in Leesburg is one of only two postsecondary institutions in the U.S. that specializes in helping these students succeed.

Departments Publisher’s Note...................................... 6 Editor’s Letter......................................... 8 Community Foundation......................... 10 Charting the Course for Charity 2016..........................................14 Different Students Need a Different Kind of Education...........................................18 The Rise of Social Enterprise................ 20 Charity Directory................................... 21

Early Learning

M A T T E R S CHILDREN ARE THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

80-85% of a person's brain development occurs in the first three years of life. This is the time when a child learns not only language and motor skills, but self-esteem, and social skills like patience, persistence and tolerance. Without the benefit of a high quality early learning program children are more likely to do poorly in school, have difficulties adjusting to their peers and are more likely to be arrested for a violent crime. A high quality learning program can help overcome these obstacles. Early Learning Coalitions across Florida are dedicated to helping families find high quality early learning programs for their children and assisting early learning providers with continuous quality improvement efforts. Delivering high quality services requires knowledge and skill regarding business practice as well as program performance practices, and reaching and retaining high quality service delivery often requires supports beyond those that are available from parent fees. Many families with young children are at the beginning of their wage earning years and struggle to pay for early learning services which can cost more than college tuition. This is where the Coalitions come in. Helping make early learning services... Safe, Affordable and High Quality... so that all children in Central Florida enter school ready.

Early Learning Coalition of Lake County

Early Learning Coalition of Orange County

Early Learning Coalition of Seminole

1300 Citizens Blvd. - Suite 206 Leesburg, Florida 34748

P.O. Box 540387 Orlando, FL 32854

280 Hunt Park Cove Longwood, FL 32750

(352) 530-2547 lbuchbinder@elclc.org www.elclc.org

(407) 259-2468 info@elcoc.org www.elcoc.org

THE COALITIONS ARE FUNDED IN PART BY

(407) 960-2460

jgrant@seminoleearlylearning.org www.seminoleearlylearning.org

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Font: Justus (Altered)

Central Florida

Use for the Editors’s and publisher’s notes

Commitment, Commitment, Commitment

PUBLISHER Eric English

eric@thecharitymag.com

EDITOR Steve Blount WRITERS Pat Burke Tiffany Gay Royce Gomez Bryan Williams Freddy Williams

FOCUS AND FOLLOW-THROUGH ARE AT THE TOP OF MY PERSONAL AGENDA. The old chestnut about real estate emphasizes location, location and lastly, location as the key to the value of a piece of property. In life, the ability to focus and follow through may be the single most important key to not just success, but happiness too. My resolution for 2016 is just that: Commitment. Looking around at our community there are so many things that deserve our time and attention. And too often I’m tempted to commit to lending a hand when my personal plate is already full. So this year’s New Year’s resolution was a simple one: This year I’m committing strong focus in the essential areas of business and life where I’m proficient and as importantly, the critical areas that lacked sufficient investment in the past. For this issue, we wanted to survey some of the non-profit organizations in Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. And what we found was that, after nearly a decade of swimming upstream in a sparse giving environment, loosening purse strings have led to a renewed sense of the many ways organizations can improve the lives of those in our community. But with that realization has come a more focused approach to fundraising and to service. Organizations that once might have gone it alone in providing a service are partnering in important ways with other organizations, weaving a continuum of offerings that promise a true safety net for the neediest. The effectiveness of that safety net is crucial to maintaining the confidence — and financial support — of donors in this posteconopocalypse era. TheCharityMag.com // 6

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Brian Williams ART DIRECTOR Betsy Arvelo-Buzbee

“How do you build systems, data and processes so they’re used effectively?” asks Bryan Williams of the Community Foundation of South Lake. “[In 2016] there will be more accountability with impact investing rather than throwing money at the problem without expecting results.” The commitment of each of us to reaching the lofty goals of providing an effective safety net is the standard by which Central Florida is judged, because only through purposeful commitment — doing what each of us does best and trusting our neighbors to do the same — will we succeed.

P.O. Box 895251 Leesburg, FL 34789 www.TheCharityMag.com Copyright © 2016 NoGray Media. All rights reserved. Any reproduction or use in whole or part of the content herein is strictly prohibited without written permission from NoGray Media. The publisher accepts no liability for the validity of any claims by advertisers herein. The information in Central Florida Charity Magazine is for informational and entertainment purposes only..

An important message from the LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Sheriff Gary S. Borders urges you to protect those who protect you. SLOW DOWN. MOVE OVER. SAVE A LIFE.

If you see a stopped emergency vehicle

It’s the LAW!

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• Earth Moving • Paving • Road Building • Piping • Driveways • Utilities • Parking Lots

PAQCO SUPPORTS • Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake and Sumter Counties • Lake County Education Foundation • CFHA

• Lake County Junior Club • Lake Sumter State College

PAQUETTE COMPANY

(352) 365-0006 • Fax (352) 315-0500 101 Weber Avenue • Leesburg, FL 31748 www.paquettecompany.com TheCharityMag.com // 7

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EDITOR’S LETTER

The Big

Thaw WHAT DIRECTION WILL YOUR CHARITY TAKE IN 2016?

For many non-profits much of the last decade has been an Ice Age, with charitable giving frozen by wave after wave of unfavorable economic news. Meanwhile, the need of the Central Florida community expanded rapidly, making it difficult for many organizations to supply basic services to all who needed them, much less innovate new ways and create new programs to serve the community. In surveying non-profits for this issue of Charity Magazine, we heard encouraging news. For some, this past year brought a welcome thaw in donations and — like streams of water pouring from a melting glacier — new initiatives are once again flowing, bringing relief to those who need it most. In many cases, these new initiatives are different from those that preceded the economic meltdown. There is a greater focus on cooperation between organizations, with a true “division of labor” principle employed to maximize efficiency by allowing each to do what it does best. There’s also a greater appetite among non-profits — which have traditionally been slow-moving and conservative — to leverage rapid processes and concepts brought to them by entrepreneurs with a social bent. And, just as important, non-profits are learning how to satisfy the desires of a new, results-focused class of donors for evidence of their effectiveness in solving social problems. Taken one by one, these changes may seem glacial in their pace, but with all of them happening at once, 2016 looks like it will be a year of substantial change in the philanthropic landscape of our community.

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There is one thing we hope does not change: “We only fail when we stop trying, and our community never stops trying. We never rest on our laurels,” said Pam Landwirth of Give Kids the World. Central Floridians are givers and, while some say the level of giving has caught up to the growth of population and wealth, substantial progress is being made. And, in fact, those among us who seek to serve never stop trying. Editor,

Steve Blount

Because WHY is the most important question Creative Why chooses the best medium for your message and builds powerful creative to get it into the minds of your audience.

creativewhy.com 352.431.3629 605 W. Magnolia St Leesburg, FL

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COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

How Youth and Wealth Are Changing

Philanthropy

WILL MILLENNIALS AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS FUNDAMENTALLY REMAKE THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE? By Bryan Williams, MBA, CFRE Executive Director Community Foundation of South Lake I have never been more excited about the future of philanthropy than I am right now. New social entrepreneurs are entering the field and innovators already engaged with organizations are breaking down barriers about what we label as “not-for-profit.” Social entrepreneurship is growing, not-for-profit business models are shifting, and for-profit entities are exploring B Corporation certification. For-profit and not-for-profit models are merging, colliding, blurring and disappearing. There are notfor-profits that operate coffee shops, hair salons, child care centers, boarding and grooming facilities and other kinds of enterprises once the exclusive province of for-profits. Other organizations are developing sustainable revenue models to fund programs that provide crucial services. At the same time, funders are seeking to drive social change through impact investments with a clear return on investment. And social entrepreneurs are proving that filling social needs and creating profit are not mutually exclusive. Not only can social good and profit coexist, but the profit incentive can drive solutions that succeed faster and address problems that might not have been tackled by traditional not-for-profits. These changes are significant, and they couldn’t be coming at a more opportune time. We find ourselves at a momentous intersection: Millennials are coming into the workforce seeking careers that provide meaning and fulfillment while retiring Baby Boomers are looking for ways to leverage their accumulated wealth in ways that both sustain their lifestyles and contribute to their communities. These two generations are very different, yet they share a desire to live meaningful lives and improve the lives of others. Their needs and desires are fueling real change in philanthropy; change that has been slow in coming. Strategies, methods and tools are largely the same as they have been for years. Certainly technology has had an impact – the growth of crowdfunding, online campaigns, giving through social media, mobile giving. But none of these tools has fundamentally TheCharityMag.com // 10

changed the way not-for-profits interact with donors. Those donors are more sophisticated in selecting not-forprofits to support. Strategic philanthropy is growing and smart donors are asking organizations to prove the impact of their gifts. While this push helps sharpen everyone’s focus, it can also lead to gaps in service, especially if those gaps are being covered by small organizations who don’t have the capacity to prove results using data. Shrinking funding can leave individuals in need without any organization filling that need. As Millennials and Boomers make their impact felt, these doers and donors are eager for new ways of parsing the philanthropic enterprise. At the Community Foundation of South Lake, we’re finding ways to enable and inspire their efforts through programs like the Social Enterprise Forum, Philanthropy Forum and the Social Enterprise Pitch Contest. We’re also developing a Social Impact Formula and a Community Needs Assessment to to help our organizations and donors quantify and direct high-impact funding. We also provide insight into key community needs, solutions to those needs and the resources to implement effective programs. We work with large and small organizations, with donors who have significant wealth and those without. Maybe I’m optimistic in saying this will be philanthropy in 2016; that may be too ambitious. If so, it won’t be because of a lack of effort by the innovators and social entrepreneurs. It will be exciting to see what happens in 2016 and even more exciting if we can be a part of a changing industry whose ultimate goal is to make a bigger impact in the lives of those in need.

Community Foundation of South Lake 2150 Oakley Seaver Drive // Clermont, Florida 34711 352-394-3818 // cfslc.org

Dream Initiative Graphical Representation TheCharityMag.com // 11

HOOPS Life By Pat Burke Owner of HOOPS Life

PASS IT FORWARD KIDS TO REHAB MOUNT DORA HOME HOOPS Life is a youth program that introduces children to a life enriching environment that supports growth with a “TEAM” mindset. The coaches assist with youth improving themselves, become aware of their surroundings, and how choices create your path; which allows children to realize their potential and how to assist family and community. The HOOPS Life program provides results and transformation in children; a few of the program’s evaluations show achievement in areas of: setting up structure, followed by confidence, and self-control to name the top three. Children, like adults, have challenges in life and desire any opportunity for conversations and experiences that assist them in achieving their next level in all they do. Children and families enrolled in the HOOPS Life program express their understanding of team off-the-court with the “Pass it Forward” concept. Pass it Forward is an opportunity for individuals to come together off-the-court and partner/ assist in the community. This is achieved with projects like: cleaning a home of an elderly resident, growing food for the local food pantry, assisting a local church with facility management, just to name a few projects. TheCharityMag.com // 12

This January, the first HOOPS Life “Pass if Forward” comes with a new twist; we are excited to have an opportunity for our families to partner with two local business leaders. The Expert Real Estate Advisors, Jon Wanberg and Eddy Workinger have prepared an amazing project for everyone involved to make a bigger, stronger, more effective team. Starting in January 2016 we will begin to renovate a home in Mt. Dora, this property was acquired by Jon and Eddy, and they are donating 100% of the profit from this home resale to help Lake County’s youth. Jon Wanberg said, “Hoops is an amazing organization focused on training and developing young people into leaders by teaching them life skills through the sport of basketball. Using basketball as a metaphor, Pat is able to instruct kids in skills such as conflict resolution, problem solving, communication, respect for authorities, and team building”. “Basketball is just the tool we use to change the lives of all involved,” said Pat Burke. HOOPSPatBurke.com / (352) 253-4667

TheCharityMag.com // 13

PHOTOS: COURTESY HOOPS LIFE (4)

CHAR

RTING THE COURSE FOR CHARITY 2016 Written by Royce Gomez | Photo by Brian Williams In looking for the course of charity in the year ahead, we naturally found scores of organizations with a wide spectrum of challenges opportunities, goals and philosophies. But in speaking with leaders, we did find some common themes. Some, such as Mark Brewer of the Central Florida Foundation, had both a broad understanding of the landscape as well as specific knowledge of key sectors. Others were able to speak specifically about their own organizationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aspirations and plans. In all, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sense of reinvigoration in the community; a renewal of purpose and rising optimism.

“How do you build systems, data and processes so they’re used effectively? There will be more accountability with impact investing rather than throwing money at the problem without expecting results.” Bryan William, Community Foundation of South Lake

RENEWED GIVING

The Big Chill is over at last. After six years in which charitable giving was challenging, to say the least, leaders in the not-for-profit sector are saying that donors are more confident and funds are flowing again.

COLLABORATION

Collaboration between not-for-profit is a keystone for 2016. Mark Brewer pointed out that approximately 170 organizations in Central Florida address some aspect of homelessness. However, until last year, they didn’t really talk to each other much. Now, many organizations are coordinating their efforts to serve the homeless, with an improvement in the quality and efficacy of the services delivered. Jerry Miller, Government and Community Relations Manager for Duke Energy, echoed that he believes partnerships are a bright spot. Funders are looking for organizations to collaborate, and organizations find they have a greater impact when they work together on solutions.

DOERS ARE DONORS

Volunteerism is the way to funders’ wallets. Funders who become fully engaged with an organization’s mission by volunteering are likely to be more generous. Engagement helps them understand the pain of their neighbor and the extent of the need.

THE CIRCLE MUST BE BROKEN

The leaders we spoke with talked about the cycle of poverty, and all agreed that it must be broken. The methods and philosophy differ from organization to organization, but everyone recognizes the cycle and all are working to disrupt it.

HOUSING FIRST

The focus on homelessness has sharpened through the “housing first” initiative and the culinary program developed at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. The good news is that we’re addressing the most basic needs, food and shelter. However, there are differing opinions as to whether we are addressing the need correctly by systematizing it. Tim McKinney shared that United Global Outreach is building the region’s first small homes community, an affordable and humane housing solution, in Bithlo. At

TheCharityMag.com // 16

Matthew’s Hope, Scott Billue said he feared that we are too often throwing money down a black hole. Matthew’s Hope encouraged its clients to give back by painting and doing handyman chores, which gave them a sense of dignity and self-worth. Building self-confidence is key, and the charity’s ‘Day of Normal” seeks to build it by giving clients tickets to a ball game or another activity that most of us would consider “normal” but which, because of their situation, they haven’t been able to do.

SUFFERING FOR ART

Despite the return of the flow of funding to many notfor-profits, those in the arts and culture sector are still struggling. Central Florida doesn’t have the kinds of affluent supporters of the arts that communities like Boca Raton and Miami do. Area arts organizations are trying to “right size” themselves to become less vulnerable. At a higher level, leaders are asking if as a community we’re engaging people in a way that helps them see the importance of culture. They’re also asking if Central Florida is large enough in terms of its commitment to art and potential for giving. And are we asking people to support the arts?

LEARNING FOR LIFE

There are many actors in the education sector with many different goals. For example, the Early Learning Coalition teaches children to read before age five. Then we send our children off to primary and secondary schools where we hope they are prepared to tackle a career track in college. Some in this segment questioned whether we see that this is a long, connected cycle that, hopefully, leads us to a skilled workforce that stays in the community and earns at least a sustainable living wage. Too often, organizations and their donors see themselves as freestanding islands. By collaborating, they say we can have more impact and achieve the goal of enabling career-ready adults ready to live and work in our community. Steve Muller of Beacon College echoed these sentiments, noting that we need to see education as a continuum and we need to include those who learn differently.

TO YOUR HEALTH

Across the region, healthcare is the sector that seems to be emerging fastest. Medical City at Lake Nona is the most visible example. Reaching he aging population and securing planned gifts is what will stabilize the giving says

Nick Buckholtz of Cornerstone Hospice Foundation. Cornerstone has seen tremendous growth, from 800 beds to 1200 beds, and growth in healthcare services seems to be evident across the board. Although hospice is seeing cutbacks in government funding, Cornerstone has continued to grow. A notable achievement is the opening of a 22-bed hospice center connected to the ORMC campus. Here, patients enjoy unrestricted visitation and pets are welcome in the homelike environment.

LET THE GIVING BEGIN

While Central Floridians have opened their checkbooks more widely over the past year, some leaders feel we could be doing more. “Central Florida is a very giving community,” says Karen Revels of the Edyth Bush Institute. ‘The definition of philanthropy is ‘goodwill to fellow members of the human race” and i think that Central Floridians are very generous with their goodwill in their volunteering, supporting nonprofit organizations and helping each other. We’re really blessed to live ins such a tight-knit community. That said, there is a lot of opportunity to increase the level of philanthropic monetary gifts in support of nonprofit organizations. the level of financial giving is low relative to other cities our size and to the wealth in the area. Central Florida is very young in philanthropic giving. Many are making philanthropic investments in the communities they were from, not the community they currently live in. This leads to a great opportunity to engage them in the good work so many nonprofits do right here in Central Florida.”

“We can’t address single issues to solve society’s problems. Take our struggling neighborhoods and address their issues simultaneously. Florida Hospital received the NOVA award this year; only five were given across the nation.” Tim McKinney, United Global Outreach

Different Students Need a Different Kind of Education BEACON COLLEGE SHOWING THAT “LEARNING DISABILITY” AND “ABLE TO LEARN” CAN GO TOGETHER VERY SUCCESSFULLY – WITH THE RIGHT APPROACH.

When we see a young adult struggling with a physical disability or medical challenge, it’s easy to empathize and reach for our wallets, hoping to help. But there’s another, very large, group of young adults who are struggling that are often overlooked. Learning disabilities such as ADHD, ADD and other “invisible” challenges are just as real and just as debilitating as the visible, physical ones. If a student in a wheelchair needed a ramp, the Americans With Disabilities Act would require that her school build one to get her to class. Now imagine if that ramp worked only 26% of the time. That student probably wouldn’t perform well if she only got to class 26% of the time. Nationally, 52% of students graduate from high school. But for students with learning disabilities, the graduation rate is a paltry 26%. Beacon College in Leesburg has found a way to turn that statistic on its head: It’s graduation rate is an astonishing 83.3%. For students who struggled in high school and found college nearly impossible, it’s methods and results have been a revelation. ‘Before coming to beacon College, I was struggling, thinking maybe I wasn’t meant to be in college after all,” says Andrea Cornick, class of 2013. “I couldn’t decide on one major so I chose three, and none was a match for me. I was beginning to lose hope for my future. “Now that I’ve graduated from Beacon, I hope to work in film directing, film production, film editing and photography, especially on themes like our oceans, the land, animals and astronomy. My focus is on gaining experience that will lead me to success through meaningful contributions in my chosen field.” TheCharityMag.com // 18

Andrea is just one of thousands who’ve been helped over Beacon’s 25-year history. The College has a unique way of teaching students who suffer from ADHD and ADD — one of only two institutions of higher learning in the country that do — and its effectiveness shows not just in its graduation rate, but even more poignantly in the stories of its many successful graduates. However, the College itself suffers from a disadvantage that it’s working hard to overcome. Despite its unique mission and eye-popping success, when it comes to raising money, Beacon doesn’t have the emotional appeal of those cute puppies on the ASPCA commercials, or the patriotic tug employed by veterans’ organizations. Also, at the age of 25, Beacon doesn’t yet have the army of wealthy and successful alumni fielded by many traditional schools. So the college that teaches students differently has had to think differently about its own fundraising strategy. This year, rather than running its usual fall and end-of-year campaigns, Beacon plugged into Giving Tuesday. In advance of the day, Beacon appealed to donors through direct mail and e-mail, asking the to be prepared to give, on giving Tuesday, faculty and student volunteers manned a phone bank to make call. The result was a strong finish for Beacon’s 2015 giving program. Beacon is pursuing a different track into the new year as well; in February they will host a dinner to help raise awareness of this unique resource right here in Central Florida. For more success stories or to find out who you can help, go to the Beacon College website www.beaconcollege.edu.

PHOTOS: COURTESY BEACON COLLEGE (3)

TIFFANI CLAUSE

ALEXANDRA HAGERTY

Tiffini Clause first realized she was different when she was in third grade. Even that early, Tiffani knew she simply couldn’t understand the material being presented by her teacher. Diagnosed with a reading and mathematics disorder, she found herself placed in a special-education classroom. Tiffani describes her learning difference as “seeing a word that isn’t really there ... seeing words but upside down.” Tiffani made plenty of friends in high school, but says she struggled to keep up with them academically. When it came time to pick a college, her friends focused on athletic programs or courses of study while Tiffani wasn’t sure college was an option for her. Her math teacher encouraged her to explore Beacon College, but her extremely low reading scores were a hurdle for admission. So Tiffani took a year off, strengthening her reading skills, a move that paid off. Tiffani is a secondsemester junior at Beacon now, and has earned a cumulative college GPA of 3.61. She’s also served as an Orientation Leader, Resident Assistant, Peer Tutor and Student Ambassador -- valuable experiences that likely wouldn’t have been available to a student with her disabilities at a traditional college.

Alexandra Hagerty has had to overcome Asperger’s and ADHD in the course of her academic career, and had to retake kindergarten, fourth grade and ninth grade. The distraction of being surrounded by 20 other children who were moving at a faster pace academically not only made it difficult for her to learn, but it also led to severe anxiety each time Alex moved into a new classroom. Through the efforts of her mother, Monique, Alex was eventually allowed into the Homebound Program, primarily designed for students who can’t physically make it to school, in Palm Beach County. Working at home and with visits for one-onones with teachers, Alex excelled, earning As and Bs in all of her classes. However, once she started Palm Beach State College, the old problems re-emerged and Alex did poorly. PBSC had no programs for students with her needs. Through the recommendation of a neuropsychologist, Alex enrolled at Beacon: “I work really hard when i want to accomplish something, and Bacon is helping me get there,” Alex says. Alex intends to graduate with a degree in hospitality that will allow her to work at a special resort that boards horses.

TheCharityMag.com // 19

The Rise of Social Enterprise ENTREPRENEURS IN ACTION BRINGS BUSINESS SMARTS TO BEAR ON SOCIAL ISSUES.

One definition of intelligence is using the things you have to make tools to solve problems you face. By that criteria, Central Florida has gotten a lot smarter, thanks to the efforts of some local philanthropy leaders. The list of social issues facing our community is long and familiar, and Entrepreneurs In Action is a new way of addressing them. EIA is an initiative of the Central Florida Foundation that pairs ambitious, action-oriented business people with notfor-profits. About two-thirds of the population of the Orlando metro is under 44. Their buying decisions are partly based on the reputation of a company -- such as Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Maine -for having a positive social impact. Locally, they can be found drinking coffee at Credo (the non-profit coffeehouse thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a Kickstarter for community) and volunteering at Clean the World, which recycles soap from local hotels for distribution in the Third World. Central Florida also has a vibrant entrepreneurial community. Put the desire to serve together with business acumen, and good things can happen. Unfortunately, the traditional way of serving -- joining the board of a not-for-profit -- can be frustrating for those used to the speed of a startup. Nonprofit boards can move glacially, and the distance between discovery of a need and addressing it disheartening. TheCharityMag.com // 20

Rob Panepinto is the current chair of EIA for the Central Florida Foundation. He knows that successful executives want to give back, and when their efforts have an immediate impact, everyone wins. EIA matches executives with organizations that can use their expertise. Lighthouse Works and Harbor House are two groups that have successfully partnered with EIA, whose business mavens observed the organizations and made recommendations that helped them improve operations: Lighthouse Works employed 42 blind or visually impaired people in addition to 10 people with full sight. They are fully independent and enjoy a quality work environment. The operation netted $530,000. Harbor House was able to monetize valuable content it had been giving away. On a recommendation from their EIA mentor, they created an app doctors use to assess whether a patient has been the victim of domestic violence and access a national database of domestic violence shelters. To find out more about how EIA can help your organization, or how you can use your business skills to make a difference in the community, contact EIA, https://cffound.org/explore/cff_initiatives/.

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