I N L O V I N G M E M O R Y O F T H E
15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Impact 100 to Make $456,000
TheJournalNJ.com | MAY 2020 47
Military Appreciation Night
to Honor Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II
Journal readers remember that the Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial
Fund was a previous charitable giving campaign recipient. This
year marks the organization’s 15-year anniversary. The fund’s mission
is to honor the life and memory of U.S. Army Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II
by supporting and improving the morale and welfare of members of the
United States Armed Forces and their families. Projects include regularly
sending care packages to deployed troops with items the government
does not provide. The memorial fund sponsors service dogs for disabled
American veterans returning home who are suffering from PTSD and traumatic
brain injury. Additionally, scholarships are provided to students at
Zilinski’s alma mater, Christian Brothers Academy, as well as Trinity Hall
High School.
The memorial fund’s first fundraising event for this year is scheduled
for (pending any restrictions) Thursday, July 9 at 6:30 pm, for an
evening of baseball and picnic fun at Military Appreciation Night with the
Lakewood Blue Claws. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for kids 5 to 12 and
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free for kids under 4. Tickets include
a seat at the game, hamburgers, hot
dogs, soft drinks and sides.
The Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial
Fund was created and founded
to honor a local hero who was
killed in action in Iraq by a roadside
bomb in 2005. Zilinski was a
23-year-old Middletown resident, a
O F L T . D E N N I S W . Z I L I N S K I , I I
distinguished West Point graduate
and a member of the 187th Infantry Regiment and 3rd Brigade Combat
Team of the 101st Airborne Division. Since his untimely death, family and
friends have united to provide support to improve the morale and welfare
of members of the United States Armed Forces and their families.
To learn more or donate, visit RunWithDennis.org.
Available for Nonprofits
In its five-year history, Impact 100 Jersey Coast has been one of the
fastest growing organizations in the county. This year, that growth continues,
allowing the organization to donate a record-setting $456,000,
or four individual transformational grants of $114,000, to nonprofits in
Monmouth County. Impact 100’s total funding in just five years is more
than $1.6 million.
Even though New Jersey’s state of emergency declaration during
the global pandemic forced the cancelation of the recruitment season’s
final events, Impact 100 Jersey Coast closed its annual membership drive
with a record 456 members. Each member makes a single $1,100 donation
to a fund, and after a lengthy screening and presentation process, the
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entire group meets in November and votes on the nonprofits they feel
will make the most of the grant.
“This is a moment when our collective dollars represent a lifeline to
our local nonprofit community,” said Heather Burke, vice president and
co-founder of Impact 100 Jersey Coast.
Grants Chair Rowena Crawford-Phillips added, “We are committed
to being responsive in this current crisis. We’re providing practical and
meaningful ways to help by updating nonprofit wish lists on our website
with urgent COVID-19 items. Most importantly, in addition to our traditional
approach of funding new or expanded projects, we know that applicants
may have different/higher general operating needs or unforeseen
budgetary expenses due to COVID-19, and we are welcoming
proposals to strengthen or sustain those projects.”
Impact 100 also made an announcement regarding its
work to help the state recover from COVID-19.
“We are pleased to announce that, in addition to awarding
four high-impact grants this fall, we are making a donation
to the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund this month,” said
Deirdre Spiropoulos, president and co-founder of Impact 100
Jersey Coast. “We are proud to team up with other funders in
this collective effort to address the acute needs of numerous
New Jersey nonprofit organizations. We are acutely aware that
we are all in this together. Impact reminds of how much we
can accomplish together when we combine our donations,
time and talent in the service of those most in need.”
The final donation totaled $17,650.
To learn more about Impact 100 Jersey Coast, its members
and mission, visit Impact100JerseyCoast.org.
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/RunWithDennis.org
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