December 2025 Newsletter Content | | | |  | |
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Impactful Conversations: A Deep Dive into Martin County's Health and Safety Needs
Impact100 Martin invites you to move beyond discussion and join the action. This essential program brings together community members, key organizations, and local leaders to confront Martin County’s critical health and safety challenges and forge a path toward collaborative, sustainable solutions.
This program offers a comprehensive overview of Martin County's health landscape. Attendees will gain an understanding of how local organizations collaborate to identify and address community needs. The discussion will also highlight successful public and private initiatives that are already making a difference, providing valuable context for future philanthropic efforts aimed at improving health and safety.
The conversation is structured into three key sections, followed by a Q&A session to ensure a comprehensive and interactive experience.
Featured Topics include:
A Comprehensive Look at County Health Planning
The Health Council of Southeast Florida will provide an overview of the county-wide health planning process. This session will help attendees understand the significant health risks that have been identified and the current areas of focus for improvement.
The Role of First Responders
This discussion will shed light on how insights from daily EMS calls inform and develop new community health programs, highlighting the crucial link between emergency services and public health initiatives.
Successful Initiatives and Public Health Efforts
This segment will showcase successful programs that are already addressing the health and safety needs of Martin County residents.
Secure Your Spot for this essential summit on community well-being. We encourage all interested individuals to attend and participate in this vital conversation. Your participation is key to fostering a healthier, safer, and more vibrant Martin County. Register now to save your seat and be part of defining the future of health and safety in Martin County.
We look forward to seeing you there.
January 15, 2026
11:30 AM-1:30 PM
Kane Center
900 SE Salerno Road, Stuart
Cost: $15 for the event (lunch included)
RSVP no later than Monday, January 12, 2026
Hosted by: Karen Hermanson and Patty Koff
Register Here
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The next few months are filled with opportunities to see our Impact in action, experience local culture and recreation through the Culture Club and Nature Club, and hear impactful conversations tied to our five focus areas. As a reminder, our five Focus Areas are: Arts and Culture, Family, Health & Wellness, Education and Environment, Preservation & Recreation. I am grateful to our Grants Committee and Member Engagement Committee for planning and organizing these events, all of which you will find in this newsletter.
These engagements fuel my energy and enthusiasm for Impact100. I always meet someone new and hear inspiring stories about why you are involved and what drives your passion for this work. Please keep attending, keep sharing your stories and, as always, remember to invite a friend.
Our Speakers Bureau is now up and running. Nancy Wong, Arati Hammond, Maureen Cotter, Genevieve George and I are available to speak to your community or civic group about Impact100. Please reach out if you need a speaker for an upcoming meeting.
This week, I have been on the phone with my son in Chicago and my siblings in Virginia and North Carolina. As they shovel snow, I am especially grateful to have enjoyed the Stuart Christmas Parade and the Stuart Boat Show in short sleeves. It was incredibly meaningful to see nonprofit organizations we have funded marching in the parade or driving vehicles supported by our grants. Moments like these remind me how rewarding it is to witness the goals and dreams our funding helps make possible.
We do not have to look far to see the impact we are making in Martin County. I am honored to serve alongside so many generous and giving women. Whatever you celebrate at this time of year, I hope you and those you love enjoy every minute.
Here’s to an incredible year ahead for us all in 2026!
Warmly,
| | President, Impact100 Martin | | |
Grants Committee Update
On Wednesday, December 3, our Season 9 Grants Committee officially kicked off the 2026 grants cycle — and the energy in the room was fantastic! Thirty-two Impact members have joined the committee this year, each eager to dive in and help guide our collective giving work forward.
The meeting began with warm welcomes, introductions, and a look at what the coming months will bring. Committee members also enjoyed a training session led by Ellie Gundrania from our partner, The Community Foundation of Martin–St. Lucie, who walked everyone through using Foundant to read and score Letters of Intent and grant applications.
Interest from the nonprofit community is strong and it looks like we will have more than 30 Letters of Intent for the 2026 (Year 9) grants season.
If you’d like to follow along with the process or learn more about how our grants work, you can find all the details on our website:
https://www.impact100martin.org/process-guidelines-grant-timeline/
Season 9 is off to a strong start, and we are grateful for every member who volunteers their time, passion, and expertise to make this work possible. Here’s to an exciting year ahead!
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Your Membership Committee wishes you the happiest of holidays!
As of December 1, 2025, we are thrilled to share that we have 265 members for the 2025–26 Giving Season, including 57 new members. We are well on our way toward our Season 9 goal of 550 members, which will allow us to award $550,000 to deserving Martin County nonprofits at the Impact100 Martin Grant Awards Celebration on April 16, 2026.
Welcome to Our New Impact Members!
| | | Biz Professionals | Trish Capra | | Harbour Ridge | Sandy Avellone, Ann Caggiano, Pam Urse, Cecilia Lewis | | IRP/Hutchinson Island | Lezly Colerick | | Martin Downs | Kelley Decowski | | Monarch | Peggy Wood, Cory Carter, Tiffany Owen, Cindy Groover, Liz Behrens | | Piper's Landing | Mary Ellen Conway, Paige Rutner, Carrie Straub, Alda Tedeschi | | Sailfish Point | Kathy Lowery | | Sandhill Cove | Katherine Dunne, Sue Hershey | | Sewall's Point | Lieselot Whitbeck | | Stuart | Kiana Kelly, Sabrina Preston, Brad Gillman. Liz Dunn | | Willoughby | Melissa Guz, Laurie Tobin, Kathleen Lockhart | | |
Thank You to Our Member Referrers
We appreciate our members who helped grow our community by referring new members:
Denise Gardner
Lindsay Melda
Sarah Murphy
Sue Whittington
Yvonne Orr
Trish Smith
Pam Bringsjord
Sandy Burton
Patty Dapontes
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Holiday Gift Idea: Give the Gift of Impact!
Still searching for that perfect last-minute gift for a hard-to-buy-for friend or relative?
Consider gifting an Impact100 Martin membership! It is a meaningful way to encourage philanthropic giving while supporting Martin County nonprofits.
It is easy to do. Click here for details or email info@impact100martin.org.
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Membership Renewal Reminder
A friendly reminder: Memberships for Season 9 should be renewed by February 28, 2026. Renew today so it’s taken care of—just click here!
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Big news: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) brings major changes to charitable deductions and that makes this December 31 deadline more important than ever. Let me explain and show you why acting now can preserve your tax benefits and maximize your impact.
Starting January 1, 2026:
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If you itemize, you’ll only be able to deduct the portion of your charitable giving that exceeds 0.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). essentially, there is a floor. For example, if your AGI is $500K and you usually contribute $10K, now only $7,500 will be deductible. The floor, or non-deductible portion is $2,500 ($500K x 0.5%).
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For high earners, there’s also a new cap on the effective tax benefit from itemized deductions. The cap is now 35%. Under the current rules, you would save $3,700 on taxes, but with the floor and the cap, your tax savings is reduced by about $925. That means that if you are in the 37% tax bracket, you are no longer receiving the benefit from charitable contributions at that level.
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Even the rules for non-itemizers change: beginning 2026, they’ll gain a new above-the-line deduction (up to $1,000 for singles; $2,000 for joint filers), but that doesn’t help with large gifts.
In short: under the new rules, part of your giving may get “lost” to the 0.5% floor, unless you act now.
So here’s what you can do before December 31 to protect your deduction:
- Accelerate your giving — make charitable contributions now, under the current rules, so they aren’t subject to the 0.5% floor.
- Bundle or “bunch” gifts — if you’re close to planning multiple years of giving, consider putting more into 2025 instead of spreading evenly, to ensure more of it is deductible. You can do this into a Donor Advised Fund if you are not ready to distribute it all directly to organizations.
By giving now, you lock in deductibility under the more generous “old rules”, and guard against losing value to the floor or cap.
Your generosity does more than move numbers on a tax form, it powers the causes you care about. But with the new rules looming in 2026, it’s smarter than ever to give before December 31.
If you’d like help estimating your 0.5% floor threshold or modeling how much to give now vs. later, I’d be glad to run the numbers with you. Let’s make sure your giving is both meaningful and tax-efficient, before the rules change. Genevieve George - genevieve@pelicanfinancialplanning.com
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Everglades Edudome Experience
Don’t miss the opportunity to see the Impact100 Martin transformational grants at work.
Join us for the Everglades Edudome Experience – Friends of the Everglades.
The Everglades Edudome Experience is the first immersive, virtual tour of the Everglades delivered right to schools. Inside this portable dome, students are surrounded by a breathtaking 360-degree film that brings the sights and sounds of the Everglades to life. Outside the dome, professional educators guide students to explore authentic animal artifacts and travel atop an enormous map of Florida that illustrates Martin County’s connection to the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The Edudome is available to be shared at community events and with local nonprofits to ensure far-reaching impact in Martin County.
Let's see firsthand the difference your donation to Impact100 made for this project and the students it serves.
Hosted by: Joan Gibbons & Kelly McIntyre
Thursday, January 8, 2026
11:00am -12:00pm
Kane Center
900 SE Salerno Road, Stuart
Register Here
| | Preserving Healthy Food for Our Community | | |
Don’t miss the opportunity to see the Impact100 Martin transformational grants at work.
Join us for Preserving Healthy Food for Our Community - House of Hope.
House of Hope's new food preservation program preserves fresh produce that they grow or receive in bulk donations, as well as healthy meals and sauces made in their nutrition center. This program reduces food waste, increases healthy food options for our clients and partners, and significantly extends the shelf life of nutritious food items House of Hope distributes.
Let's see firsthand the difference your donation to Impact100 made for this project and the people it serves.
Hosted by: Joan Gibbons & Kelly McIntyre
House of Hope's Growing Hope Production Farm
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
10:00 -11:00am
Location: 3706 SW Citrus Blvd, Palm City
Register Here
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Karen Hermanson
Strong women, whose mission in life is to enrich their communities, are attracted to Impact100, and one of these is Karen Hermanson. Perhaps it began with her adventurous childhood when she and her family moved multiple times as a result of her father’s job. Perhaps, with Finnish parents, she grew up with a wider world view than others. But, with degrees from Wittenberg College and Ohio State, Karen jumped right into helping others. Health care administration has been her field, and she has been in executive management in companies committed to serving others (CEO, Founder, Owner, Consultant, Administrator, Adjunct Faculty), whether for home care, for hospitals, or at both profit and non-profit companies, her entire career.
When Karen isn’t involved with health care, she indulges in several hobbies. One is that she loves to sail. She got her license from the Coast Guard as a Boat Captain in 2001 and has owned a 36-foot sloop for many years. She sailed her craft to the Bahamas during COVID and only gave it up after she adopted a three-legged dog whose safety might be endangered. She also has won a prize at the Miami Film Festival for a screenplay she wrote during that period; and it is now a series that she hopes to have produced.
Sara Hamilton invited Karen to join Impact100 Martin a year ago and she is already involved in organizing one of our Impactful Conversations and has helped put together two of the Nature Club outings. We are empowered by having this dynamic woman in our group and fortunate that she is contributing to our mission.
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Featured Event Series
Impact100 Martin Culture Club is in full swing with our first-quarter events. Take the opportunity to sign up now and save your seat.
Art Exhibit - Opening Night & Awards Reception
35th Annual All Florida Juried Art Show
Friday, January 9, 2026, 5:30-7:00pm
Cultural Courthouse, Stuart
with separate registration for post-event self-pay dinner
Music - Atlantic Classical Orchestra
Friday, February 13, 2026, 7:30pm
$25 per person
The Lyric Theater
with separate registration for pre-event self-pay cocktails at Spritz City Bistro at 6:00pm
Experiential - “Sunflower Celebration” Workshop
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 1:00-5:30pm
$120 per person | Limit 15 attendees
The Creek District, Stuart
with separate registration for post-event self-pay dinner
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Member Engagement Events Listing
Casual Golf - Play 9 holes for all skill levels
Friday Mornings 9:00am–11:00am
Sailfish Sands in Stuart
Please let Brenda know by Wednesday of each week if you plan to play, so she can book a tee time. Just text Brenda at 914-337-0490. It's pay-to-play directly at the course ($25 per person for 9 holes).
See Your Impact!
Edudome: Friends of the Everglades
Thursday, January 8, 2026, 11:00am-12:00pm
The Kane Center, Stuart
Culture Club – Art Exhibit
Opening Night & Awards Reception
35th Annual All Florida Juried Art Show
Friday, January 9, 2026, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Cultural Courthouse, Stuart
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 11:30am–1:30pm
The Kane Center, Stuart
See Your Impact!
Preserving Healthy Food: House of Hope
Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 10:00-11:00am
Growing Hope Production Farm, Palm City
Welcome Circle: Your Gateway to Impact100 Martin Member Orientation
Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 5:00-6:00pm
Virtual Event - A link will be provided to registered attendees. Please add the Zoom link from the Confirmation email to your calendar (as it is not included in the meeting download link).
Social Hour at the Pearl
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 4:00-6:00pm
We're excited to host you, and to ensure we can accommodate everyone comfortably, we kindly ask that you register.
The Pearl, Stuart
Impact Book Club – What Kind of Paradise! by Janelle Brown
Monday, February 2, 2026, 5:30-7:30pm
Location details will be provided to those registered by Friday, January 30, 2026.
Culture Club – Music
Atlantic Classical Orchestra
Friday, February 13, 2026, 7:30pm
The Lyric Theater, Stuart
Welcome Circle: Your Gateway to Impact100 Martin Member Orientation
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 6:30-7:30pm
Virtual Event - A link will be provided to registered attendees. Please add the Zoom link from the Confirmation email to your calendar (as it is not included in the meeting download link).
Culture Club – Experiential
“Sunflower Celebration” Workshop
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 1:00-5:30pm
$120 per person | Limit 15 attendees
The Creek District, Stuart
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The Community Foundation Martin-St. Lucie
In 2017, Elizabeth Barbella, President & CEO of The Community Foundation, and Ellyn Stevenson, Board Chair, launched Impact100 in Martin County. They envisioned the positive impact that a women-led collective giving movement could bring to our community – and what an impact it has been! Since its inception, Impact100 Martin has awarded more than $2.3 million in grants to compelling, innovative and worthy nonprofit initiatives.
The Community Foundation was honored to help incubate Impact100 Martin in its early years, providing administrative, accounting and grantmaking support. We continue to partner with you to help optimize grantmaking and the impact it has on our community.
Founded in Stuart in 1988, The Community Foundation is the largest community foundation grantor to Martin and St. Lucie Counties. Together with its Fundholders and partners, The Foundation invests over $7 million annually in local nonprofit organizations, creating important, lasting changes for the enrichment and betterment of our community. In the past decade alone, we have awarded over $31.554 million in grants and scholarships, with over 80 percent of this funding invested right here at home.
To learn more about The Community Foundation Martin-St. Lucie, visit www.tcfmsl.org or call 772-288-3795.
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Don't miss out! Your Impact100 Martin member profile is the key to maximizing your experience this year.
Please take a moment to review and update your profile today.
Click here for step-by-step instructions
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Help us grow our Impact100 Martin network—let’s reach 100 LinkedIn followers by next month!
Follow us, like our posts, and invite your friends to join in. Every connection helps spread the word about the incredible impact we’re making together.
Ready, Set, LINK-
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Follow Us On Social Media
Let’s expand our reach and continue creating lasting change—together.
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Wishing our entire Impact100 Martin community a safe, joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year! Thank you for the incredible difference you make in the lives of so many throughout our community. May the new year bring health, happiness, and continued impact as we work together to change lives.
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