Impact 100, a group of 304 northern Michigan women who donate $1,000, has identified the finalists that could receive the group’s annual grants. The finalists are Cognition; Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan; Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center; and Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources (K.A.I.R.). The three finalists receiving the most member votes at Impact 100 Traverse City’s annual meeting on October 23 will each receive a $101,333 grant for their proposed projects.

The grant would allow Cognition, a hands-on science and discovery center located in Beulah, to purchase a mobile planetarium complete with an inflatable dome, high quality projector, and a complete set of curricula featuring the Layered Earth and an additional set called Starry Night. In addition, a digital sign would be purchased to help communicate with the community and provide further sustainability for the planetarium and Cognition.

At Child and Family Services, the grant would provide direct access to work and learning-based service projects for an underserved and diverse population of young people in the five-county area. Through a variety of work projects, youth will develop important job skills and experience while exploring their strengths, aptitudes, and interests.

The grant would allow Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center to expand the building’s first floor and add another interview room, family room, and multidisciplinary team room to thereby double the space to respond to allegations of child abuse in the six counties served by the Center as well as the Sovereign Nation of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

The grant would allow K.A.I.R. to create a Community Meal Program to address the twenty-seven percent of children living in Kalkaska County who are faced with the gripping clutches of poverty. The program would provide 600 people each month with wholesome meals at no cost in order to help decrease food insecurity, childhood obesity, and future health problems by preparing nutritional foods and promoting suggested recipes.

Regional 501c3 non-profits from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties that implement Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; or Health & Wellness programming are eligible to apply each year.

Impact 100 Traverse City was founded in 2017 and has raised $806,000 for regional non-profit organizations. The all-volunteer women’s organization grants 100% of membership money raised.