Frederick Event Donates $28,800.00
Through ImpactClub®, as Impact Venture Capitalists, we invest heavily in local charities that demonstrate a powerful “Story Engine” and have proven their willingness to fight for their cause – by competing in and winning a high-stakes competition. As a result, ImpactClub®, through Impact Venture Capitalism, has dramatically multiplied the Impact that a single person can have on charities in their local community.
The Charities
The Safe Ride Foundation is one of Maryland’s leading organizations fighting impaired driving, both drunk and drugged, within Frederick County and parts beyond. Our flagship program, SOS Safe Ride, is a revolutionary free mobile app that will transport intoxicated citizens back to their homes, but with the added bonus of being transported home inside of their own vehicles. Our county-wide program effectively eliminates the age-old and incredibly careless excuse that drunk drivers often wield, that excuse being: “But I need my car tomorrow”. In addition to the SOS Safe Ride program, we present at virtually every alcohol serving event in Frederick County with our informational anti-drunk driving seminars, which also include absolutely free breathalyzer exams for patrons. Finally, The Safe Ride Foundation also works year round to directly support families in our area who have been affected by drunk driving in tragically unfortunate ways, through both financial assistance grants and victim recovery help. Our mission is create a culture shift in our area, to be the change in our community, and to never allow another parent, friend, or family suffer the horror of losing a loved one to the recklessness and negligence of a drunk driver.
Quite simply, we exist because there are school children in our community that need our help. They live in every city, town, village and hamlet in Frederick County. The Frederick County community came together in late 2013 after learning that there are literally hundreds of children within FCPS that are encountering homelessness each year. It began with the discovery that a 12-year old middle school boy who, living without parents, was in urgent need of a single pair of shoes to replace his broken down flip flops, and with winter approaching fast. Two days later, with the help of dozens in the community, we were able to provide much for this child, to only discover that he was only one of over 600 children in FCPS that were experiencing homelessness at that time. This child’s dire need and our response became the genesis for what we now know as SHIP – Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership of Frederick County, a non-profit public charity founded in early 2014. We chose our name with much attention to our collective intentions – we’ve taken the initiative as a community and have partnered with individuals, organizations, human service agencies, businesses, and government to advocate and provide for these forgotten and often-overlooked children.
We require parent/guardian involvement at practices/games and lessons to build and strengthen the family unit. We invest a great deal of time and focus in helping parents and guardians fill gaps and access resources that will help them independently support children beyond the enrichment programs. We call this our Family Empowerment Platform and offer quarterly dinners to help families build community.
