CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS

In 2015, YSEF—alongside a group of willing student volunteers—decided it was time to level the playing field. That year saw the launch of Impact Foundation (IF), a committee of students dedicated to helping other students. In just five years, the foundation has:

• Grown from 12 to 45 student board leaders in five years 
• Raised funds to build and continues to manage Impact Closets in each of the six school buildings to help staff provide necessities like clothing, hygiene products, and laundry detergent to students who need a helping hand
• Distributed an average of 110 backpacks filled with school supplies to students per year
• Raised funds in collaboration with Luther Memorial Church to start Food for Thought to send food home with qualified students every weekend during the school year
• In three years, IF has distributed 3,493 food packs
• Collaborated with Sprout of Hope, an organization run by York Suburban graduates, who grow food by tending to a garden at Valley View then distributing fresh produce to food insecure families in the summer of 2019 (will continue in 2020)
• Actively engaged with Miranda King, York Suburban School District’s Social Worker, to coordinate donations and delivery of beds, dressers, microwaves, bedsheets, lightbulbs, pillows, extra food boxes, etc. on a case-by-case basis

While IF was created to assist students in need, its student volunteers are gaining valuable life skills, such as running a nonprofit organization, raising funds, writing grants, presenting to large groups, building relationships with benefactors, and caring for their classmates, neighbors and friends. Together with the Impact Foundation committee members, YSEF remains steadfast in our mission to impact as many York Suburban students as possible, for the next five years and far beyond.

The Impact Foundation (IF), a student committee of the York Suburban Education Foundation (YSEF) formed in the fall of 2015. In December of that same year, IF was awarded a $4,926 grant from the York County Community Foundation’s (YCCF) Strategic Community Grant Program in support of IF’s Impact of Caring project.

The Impact of Caring grant assisted in constructing Impact Closets within all six of the York Suburban School District buildings. The Impact Closets provide basic supplies for students attending each school. IF also secured startup funds for stocking the closets with supplies through the Jeffrey D. Sindicich Foundation, and from a private contribution from Carolyn F. Warman. The Sindicich Foundation was created in memory of Jeffrey Sindicich, a 1986 York Suburban graduate.

Assembling and prepping the storage shelves to be used in organizing the Impact Closets

After assembling shelving units, cutting trim, constructing and painting walls, and stocking the shelves with supplies, students completed construction of the Impact Closets in December of 2016. Impact Foundation students have developed an inventory control and distribution system to respond to requests made by school staff working to provide students with essentials they need for school and home.

 

In 2017, the Impact Foundation expanded their reach and raised funds to start Food for Thought (FFT), a weekend food backpack program that helps address food insecurity within the district. FFT is a partnership with Luther Memorial Church and the York Suburban School District. The Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) provided the lead gift of $20,000 distributed over two years to support launching Food for Thought and growing the Impact Closets operations.

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Learn more about our Impact Closets & Food For Thought!