Michele Santorelli, Program Director
IMPACT of Southern Arizona
3535 E Hawser Street
Tucson, AZ 85739
520-825-0009
michele@impactsoaz.org
impactsoaz.org
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Twitter |
I am originally from the “Big Apple”, but I am elated to now live in the “Baked Apple”. Soon after I was married, my husband and I left the city and snow in search of a warmer climate. Before settling in Tucson, we explored several cities across the country. My wonderful husband of 25 years, my two sons, and my furry four years old, continue to enjoy hiking and exploring the beautiful state we settled in. My background is in business and banking with a deep connection to community service. This passion was the foundation of how I was raised and how I raised my two sons. I believe when children can connect what they learn to real-world challenges, they add abundance in ways that make the world a better place. Working at Impact has allowed me to share my passion and connect with individuals, partners, and communities while building and enhancing essential programs that meet the needs of the communities we serve.
What is the IMPACT you have? IMPACT works to stabilize families, support seniors, and move people out of poverty. This is done through a variety of programs designed to feed people of all ages, stretch household budgets, teach people new skills to help them better manage finances and make important decisions, and to provide guidance and support along personalized pathways to self-sufficiency. IMPACT also provides resources SANP, Southern Arizona Non-Profits and referrals to the community – serving low to moderate-income families and individuals in greater Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, and Pinal County.
It is our partnerships with other agencies, businesses, governments, social clubs, volunteers and donors to which we attribute our success of 20 years. Since we opened in 2000, we have invested more than 25,000,000 in the community: serving more than 190,000 meals to seniors, providing more than $12,000,000 of perishable and canned food, distributing more than 650,000 items of clothing, and delivering many other valuable services. Thanks to wide community support, all our services have been provided free of charge, and we have improved the lives and inspired the futures of more than 9250 individuals! We look forward to another 20 years of changing peoples’ lives.
Stephanie Urdiales, General Manager
Golden Goose Thrift Shop
15970 N Oracle Road
Catalina AZ 85739
520-825-9101
manager@goldengooseaz.com
goldengooseaz.com
Air Force brat – philosophy major – former dancer and ballet instructor – mother of four – grandmother of nine – Golden Goose general manager for fifteen years – began working at age fourteen – have a strong background in corporate retail, resale, and thrift.
What is the IMPACT you have?
The Golden Goose is a nonprofit retail thrift shop. Our purpose is to generate revenue for IMPACT of Southern Arizona and SaddleBrooke Community Outreach to fund their respective charitable community programs. Past sales have resulted in more than $13,000,000 which has helped purchase food for two food banks, clothing for children and adults, educational scholarships, meals for seniors, and many other critical programs. Shop at the Goose and you will put a big smile on your face, as well as that of someone less fortunate. Volunteer here, and you will make lifelong friends and know you make a difference in the lives of thousands of people.
Stephen Groth, President
SaddleBrooke Community Outreach
63675 SaddleBrooke Blvd. Suite L
Tucson, AZ 85739
949-533-9355
steve.groth42@gmail.com
I grew up in Chicago and Connecticut and graduated from the Univ. of Connecticut, and earned my MBA from Wharton School at Univ. of Penn. I spent most of my career financing, buying, and selling commercial jet aircraft around the world. Retired to Arizona in 2010 and began with SBCO shortly thereafter on an education committee specializing in scholarships. Elected President 3 years ago. I also compete in and run Trivia games and co-run the Great courses program. I’ve been married for 52 years to Sharon who started and runs a “Famous Painting “program in a local school.
What is the IMPACT you have? Our mission is “to provide opportunities for kids to succeed”. As such we are an all-volunteer organization that is “all about the kids” in our “copper corridor” providing new clothes and backpacks to 1700 kids twice a year, now providing 4-year college scholarships to 81 kids, supporting academic enrichment programs and recreational activities in our communities, and sponsoring a large food drive for the local Foodbank.
About the Host
Barbara McClure, Executive Director
IMPACT of Southern Arizona
3535 E Hawser Street
Tucson, AZ 85739
Phone: 520-825-0009
barbara@impactsoaz.org
www.impactsoaz.org
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter |
Barbara McClure wakes up each morning passionate about going to work at a place that improves lives and inspires futures every day! She has been the Executive Director of a Tucson social service nonprofit called IMPACT of Southern Arizona, for ten years. What is it that keeps you passionate about your role Barbara?
Barbara has been a visionary and planner with decades of experience as a small business owner and in nonprofit leadership; her innovative ideas and strategic thinking, along with a talent for bringing the community together, has helped grow IMPACT five-fold in a very short time. Her talents and interests are diverse but all center around helping people, improving the community, bolstering education, building capacity and sustainability, being vocal about the rights and conditions of others, experiencing art, nurturing all inhabitants of your garden, and enjoying life to the fullest.
And now Barbara is about to experience another exciting chapter in her life with hosting a brand-new Radio Show Podcast here on the Tucson Business RadioX Network starting in November.
IMPACT of Southern Arizona is a 20 – year old social service nonprofit stabilizing families and seniors, and moving people out of poverty. IMPACT’s programs are designed to stretch household budgets so earned income can be spent on necessities such as improved housing conditions, fuel to get to work, utilizes, and needed medical attention and prescriptions. Its clients are your neighbors! People come to IMPACT because it is a welcoming place where they are always treated with dignity and respect, and where they find resources, referrals, coaching, and help to attain the skills that can move them forward into self-sufficiency.
Barbara grew up in Pasadena CA, moved to Long Beach for college, got married and started our family then moved to Seattle area ten years later. Took our youngest son on an 11-month motorhome trip to get to Tucson – Homeschooled for 10th grade.
We vacationed at a rustic cabin when I was growing up, where we had no phone or television; and spent all our time outside fishing, hiking, horseback riding, listening to old radio shows, playing pool, reading comic books from the local small grocer, and using our imaginations all day long. I always admired the superheroes who defended people and cities like Gotham and Metropolis, so when our three boys were born, we named them after familiar character: Colin (Bryce for an overlay of Bruce Wayne, Kent, and Parker. Our first grandchild was born last year, and as in the family tradition, named Logan, after the Wolverine. I used to always tell them they were my superheroes – and they still are today!
Barbara loves working with numbers and has always loved math and the organization of things, so accounting seemed perfect, but I soon realized that I if I became a CPA I would have to spend many months inside doing tax returns, and that did not appeal to me as a long–term career! I have a great imagination and enjoy creating things, so thought I should find a better path that might nurture that side of my personality. I was working in the shipping industry in SoCal at the time and fell in love with import and export, so shifted my majors to Marketing and International Business. Those were wonderful fits, and I imagined graduating and moving to the largest port on the planet, in Germany; then, I met my future husband and things took a different turn.
A little bit about how Barbara got into Nonprofit work:
All along with my husband and I were always involved in nonprofits and community volunteer opportunities, and often said it was too bad we could not make a living doing those things we loved so much. Leadership roles in PTO, Boy Scouts, Historical Societies, Junior League, Elks, Rotary and more. Then when we moved to Tucson I looked for a local opportunity to impact my community. A Board position was about to open at IMPACT, and my local bank branch manager, Peggy Smoot, suggested I would be very passionate about getting involved in the mission work there. I worked in the Food Bank.
There are thousands of nonprofits in Tucson. What makes IMPACT Unique is that they bring the community together to stabilize families and move people out of poverty. Our true success lies in partnering with a large number of businesses, agencies, social clubs and other nonprofits. We invest $2.5 million in the community each year, and we do it all with a lean staff of amazing professionals supported by more than 170 volunteer shifts each week! We have put great systems in place to run efficiently, effectively and with a commitment to sustainability and integrity, protecting the community’s investment in our work, striving for perfect audits, being innovative, building capacity and most importantly – treating everyone with dignity and respect. We are an award-winning nonprofit with numerous nods to incredible customer service. Our clients are your neighbors… We improve lives and inspire futures of people living in Southern AZ.
So, IMPACT is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and you have been at the helm half that time. Share with me the things IMPACT has accomplished over the years, and the things you have planned for this celebratory year.
