La Luz wins $100K Impact grant
La Luz has been named the recipient of this year’s Impact100 Sonoma $100,000 grant to fund its “Fortaleciendo las Familias y Nuestra Comunidad–Strengthening Families and our Community” program.
More than 140 Impact100 Sonoma members and guests gathered at Hanna Boys Center to hear presentations from the three Impact100 grant finalists. As part of the La Luz presentation, boardmember Claudia Mendoza-Carruth invited each Impact100 member to “help strengthen the families in Sonoma.” Members responded, awarding the $100,000 Impact grant to La Luz, making it possible for them to hire additional personnel and increase services to their growing clientele.
La Luz plans to launch a new series of bilingual support groups and provide free onsite childcare to facilitate participation. In addition, they will be able to make a much needed investment in capital improvements that will allow them to provide clients with the confidentiality dignity, and respect they deserve. As described by Yvonne Hall, executive director, “At La Luz, we create hope and promise.”
This year, 195 women joined Impact100 Sonoma, providing a total of $195,000 in grant funds for selected Sonoma Valley nonprofits. These funds enabled the organization to provide $13,375 to both the Sonoma Community Center and the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance as finalists for the $100,000 grant and an additional $68,250 in Community Grants, ranging in size from $3,250 to $15,000. The following nonprofit organizations were the recipients of these Community Grants:
10,000 Degrees, in collaboration with the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance and the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, will receive $15,000 to explore a collaborative partnership that would create a college-going culture from elementary through 12th grade in Sonoma Valley.
California Parenting Institute will receive $15,000 to provide community-based parent education for high-risk families, including classes and home visits.
Friends in Sonoma Helping (F.I.S.H.) will receive $15,000 to enable completion of capital projects begun last year to improve their facility.
Literary Arts Guild-Bookmobile of Sonoma will receive $3,250 for book supplies to support the Bookmobile at local organizations throughout the valley.
Sonoma Overnight Support (S.O.S.) will receive $11,000 to improve their homeless shelter.
Willmar Family Grief & Healing Center will receive $9,000 in funds to create “on-the-go” grief counseling kits.
The annual meeting was led by Impact100 Sonoma President B.J. Bischoff and sponsored by Chateau Sonoma, Rabobank, Vella Cheese, Hanna Boys Center, Walter & Pistole Attorneys at Law, and Debbie Drummond Information Technology Specialties. Qualia Wines contributed wine for the reception, and hors d’oeuvres were prepared and served by students from the Sonoma Valley Teen Services Skills for Life program, the 2011 recipient of the Impact100 Sonoma $100,000 grant.
Introducing TLM Consulting
Terri Miller, owner of TLM Consulting, was as thrilled as anyone when La Luz was awarded the Impact100 grant last weekend. As a nonprofit consultant, Miller collaborated with La Luz to create a program that would help propel the organization forward and a proposal that was worthy of Impact100 Sonoma’s $100,000 grant.
She succeeded in doing both. Awarded in the Social Outreach category, La Luz’s proposal concentrates on expanding the nonprofit’s Family Resource Center in order to meet the growing demand for their programs and services which, over the past five years, has seen a 400 percent increase in the number of walk-in inquiries each month.
“This opportunity really puts La Luz and their mission on the map,” said Miller.
As head of TLM Consulting, Miller has worked with dozens of nonprofits over the course of her career. Not focused on just one type of organization, her diverse experience includes working in all issue areas from environmental to health and human services to animal welfare and education and most everything in between. As a solutions-based consultant, Miller considers her greatest strength as being able to jump in and immerse herself in the challenges being faced by an organization.
“Receiving this grant is a game-changer for La Luz,” said Miller. “The work they are doing is so important. I’m thankful that when they spoke, this incredible community of women listened.”
Find TLM Consulting at 415.602.4281 or tlmconsults.com.
