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We spent some time with Robin Adams, Founder/CEO of I’mPACT discussing the exciting online giving event called Raise the Region. This is the first year Tioga County nonprofits (501c3 organizations) are eligible to participate in the event.

The 2022 event will be hosted on Wednesday, March 9 beginning at 6 p.m. through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 10. The public is encouraged to visit www.raisetheregion.org on these dates and select participating nonprofits to support.

Robin explained how easy it is to find a nonprofit to donate to by using the search feature on the Raise the Region website. A donor can search for a nonprofit by name, by location (county or borough) or even by the issue they feel passionately about supporting.

Robin spoke genuinely about the challenges of operating a nonprofit in current times. She said, “It’s a tough time to be a nonprofit, especially a young nonprofit like I’mPACT. It’s hard to ask local folks to give when many lost their jobs or their businesses during the pandemic; some have not yet reentered the work force because of the lack of affordable child care; and our climbing daily living expenses like the soaring cost of gasoline.” She reminded us that for many, “it’s getting harder and harder to provide the basics for your own family.”

And yet, she’s not bashful about asking for the public’s support. She went on, “And, here I am on behalf of I’mPACT asking people to donate to help other children. You see, it is exactly during stressful times like these that needs grow and intensify and nonprofits are called on to stand in the gap.”

For instance, she shared that as a result of the pandemic, drug and alcohol use has skyrocketed and more parents are unable to parent safely. In fact, more people are seeking substance use treatment than ever before.

She noted that a record number of children have been removed from unsafe homes and have been placed in foster care. Pregnant and post-partum women are struggling with substance use disorders at a higher rate and the number of babies born affected by drugs and alcohol has climbed to remarkable and concerning levels over the past few years.

All of these factors make donating to a nonprofit like I’mPACT so important.

I’mPACT operates different programs (in varying stages of readiness) designed to serve children who have endured Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) primarily because of parental substance use. The Tioga County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program gives a voice to children in the courtroom who have (most often) been removed from their parents’ care and placed in foster care.

The Tioga County CAC (Children’s Advocacy Center) is fully-equipped and waiting to serve child abuse/neglect victims. Our community remains steadfastly committed to opening the CAC which is dependent on many factors including support from County government staff and local elected officials such as the District Attorney and the Commissioners. Due to the delay, please note that any donations made to I’mPACT through Raise the Region will not be allocated to the Tioga County CAC.

Nurture Me is working with pregnant women with substance use disorders to facilitate their access to treatment, improve prenatal care, and create a “Plan of Safe Care.” The Plan of Safe care works to increase the safety of the infant and decrease child welfare involvement.

Asa’s Place will become Pennsylvania’s first Residential Pediatric Recovery Center to care for baby and mother after discharge from the hospital. Asa’s Place is currently awaiting legislation to solidify this new model of care in statute and create a licensing pathway.

Viewers can learn more by visiting www.impactareyou.org.

It’s safe to say that I’mPACT is young but mighty in passion and leadership. Robin notes, “Our Board of Directors is fiercely passionate about improving the lives of children and their families. Our organization is about change and systems improvement. It is about ensuring evidence-based programs reach children in rural communities, too. Ultimately, it is about placing children in the center of public policy and helping their families regain their health and refocus their lives.”

Robin also shared a few tips and good advice for prospective donors who want to engage in the Raise the Region event. Robin recommends following your passion and donating to an organization whose mission backs up your personal beliefs and values. With issues ranging from animal welfare to child welfare and from literacy, the Arts to Agriculture she informed us there are plenty of organizations to choose from and donate to.

She also recommends doing a little homework first by visiting an organization’s website where one can find additional information about the Board of Directors and if the organization is already heavily funded by state and local funding sources.

Robin encourages others to watch the Raise the Region webpage closely during the event and to consider making a donation to a nonprofit that doesn’t seem to be “in the lead.” For example, if an animal shelter has already received several donations, consider donating to a domestic violence shelter that has fewer donations. She emphasized that each participating nonprofit must secure at least 10 unique, individual donations to be eligible to participate in Raise the Region in future years.