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project leader
Mary Jane M
location
229 W 135th St
(HARLEM )
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Thank YOU for your Donations

the project

Harlem's OSCAR & GRAMMY nominated youth group IMPACT Repertory Theatre is year-round, out-of-school time program that meets for 14 hours a week, including 6 hours on Saturdays. Five of these hours are spent at on academic enrichment: youth complete school assignments and receive homework help and grade and subject-specific tutoring. Classes in a range of performing arts mediums (dance, voice, poetry and song writing, choreography, and spoken word) are led by IMPACT staff, volunteer professionals in the arts (several of whom are IMPACT alumnae), and senior-level youth participants. Life skills workshops, leadership training, community service projects and prevention counseling are also regular components of the program. Youths receive hot meals while attending sessions and are educated on nutrition.

Normally we hold out weekday sessions at IMPACT’s space on West 135th street and Saturdays at Columbia University’s Prentis Hall but during the current COVID -19 crisis we have moved our sessions to an online platform and all our contact with our youth is now via phone or online.

The funds raised will be used to ensure we have enough available staff to run programs and to stay in touch individually with students for tutoring and counseling needs.

 

the steps

IMPACT is gearing up to provide our normal services on line. In order to do this we need to have enough staff and enough computer equipment available for them to launch and run the workshops on line 

why we're doing it

During the COVOD-19 crisis it is essential for IMPACT Repertory Theatre to maintain its programs for young people of color, ages 12 to 19, in underserved communities in Harlem and the Bronx. The young people with whom we work normally face myriad challenges to their healthy development including; poverty, failing schools, violence in their homes and neighborhoods, high unemployment among youth of color, substance use, housing instability, and institutional racism, sexism and heterosexism. These needs are not reduced but amplified during the COVID-19 crisis. With parks and recereational facilities closed, we need to provide healthy option for our youth.

 

budget

Disbursed Budget:

Original budget was based on 5 1/2 hours of weekly instruction. With the additional $3,451.61 raised we will pay staff, guest instructors and tech equipment for an additional 2 hours a week - total of 7 1/2 hours weekly, for 15 weeks this summer. 




TOTAL RAISED = $13,713 $13,713
ioby Platform Fee waived $35.00
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) waived $435.65
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $261.39 $261.39
TOTAL TO DISBURSE= $13,451.61 $12,980.96

Original Budget:

We are raising funds to pay for staff,  guest instructors and tech equipment to have our programs function online.

PROJECT FUNDING NEEDED =    $10,000
ioby Platform Fee  -  waived
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) -  waived
"ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%)
(Donation processing fee does not apply to match funding.) -  $230
TOTAL TO RAISE =    $10,230

Please note: ioby fees are estimated and will be calculated based on totals at the end of the campaign.    

updates

Thank YOU for your Donations

Posted 06/06/2020 - 9:37am

Dear IMPACT supporter,

Thanks to your support we are in the position to serve our youth during these challenging times.

What will we do with your generous donations?

On March 20, New York City went on Pause, and on Saturday, March 21, IMPACT quickly responded by moving its workshops online. IMPACT Leadership, Staff, Alumni and guests crafted a program for our youth and supported them through these challenging times. Issues addressed were Health safety, education, and emotional needs.

We are currently serving over 30 youths in our bi-weekly sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Until the end of the school year, Wednesday programs are two hours – with the focus on our "Check In" – how our members are doing, what their issues are, and what support do they need. The second part of Wednesday sessions is education-based. Short term – do our members need tutoring or help on a school subject, and long-term planning – Jordan Isler, Director of Programming and IMPACT Rep College Prep, maintains progress on members' college goals.

Saturday's programs are more intensive, with all IMPACT staff on hand: Jamal Joseph, Executive Artistic Director & Founder, Dietrice Bolden, Managing Director, Carlton Taylor, Artistic Director, Malik Bedford, Director of Drama and Nicole Acy, Director of Choreography. IMPACT alumni and special guests join our leadership and staff.

Our Saturday sessions run from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM and start with a ten-minute Ubuntu based on focusing the virtues of compassion and humanity. Afterward, our youth do a twenty-minute Yoga workout. At 11:30 AM, a themed Workshop starts, each week, various instructors and guests lead on different subjects: DRAMA, WRITING, MUSIC THEORY, and DANCE. After a short break, the next workshop section focuses on Leadership and Creative Writing.

A recent Saturday leadership workshop led by Managing Director Dietrice Bolden and IMPACT alumnae Yvette Overton and Zipporah Gatling, was devoted to Women of IMPACT: Affirmations, female leadership from slavery to now.

IMPACT Alumna Yvette Overton (University of Maryland, BS Community Health, Johns Hopkins, Master of Health Science Epidemiology, currently working in the health profession) has been essential in the creation of our STEAM themed workshop on Health Science and Covid-19 issues.

This past Saturday, Executive Artistic Director & Founder Jamal Joseph led a Town Hall workshop on protest and police brutality.

And in June and July, our STEAM workshops will focus on Technology and Social Protest, led by Clayton Banks, founder of Silicon Harlem.

What is going on at IMPACT Safe Space while we are virtual?

An essential part of IMPACT has always been providing nutritional education and meals to our members. IMPACT, in partnership with The Harlem Chamber of Commerce Community Food Feed, continues this initiative.

On Wednesdays at 1 PM, Managing Director Dietrice Bolden meets IMPACT community members in need of food at our SafeSpace to distribute 25 to 30 bags of food provided by The Harlem Chamber of Commerce Community Food Feed. As Dietrice says, "these are heavy bags - filled with nutritious foods, canned, dry and fresh. Our members also have access to the Hot Meal program at the Salem Methodist Church."

Again, we want to say thank you for your support of these programs.

Positive thoughts and much love,

Mary Jane Marcasiano, IMPACT Director of Development

Jamal Joseph, IMPACT Executive Artistic Director & Founder

Voza Rivers, Executive Producer, New Heritage Theatre Group

Susan Penzner, Chair IMPACT Advisory Board

And the entire IMPACT Family.

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Tereza
  • LP Style LLC
  • Hannah T.
  • Kendra Weldon
  • Susan Penzner
  • Martha D.
  • Anonymous
  • JMRobinson
  • CHARLOTTE JACKSON
  • Marjorie C.
  • Joseph Family
  • YVONNE HARRIS-JONES
  • Mzuri Moyo
  • Jenette K.
  • Anonymous
  • Aleacia G.
  • Foxworth Realty, Inc
  • Christopher A.
  • Penny Penzner
  • Carol Brown of Harlem Opera Theater
  • Anonymous
  • Maria D.
  • Robin B.
  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous
  • April A.
  • Charles & Mary Warfield
  • Anonymous
  • Dianne Howard
  • Thelma Russell
  • The Hart Family
  • Nerissa Marisol R.
  • Anonymous