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Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Impact Inc, a fresh perspective on helping the community
with something else they can use the
time they have in the timebank to ask for
help.”
The TimeBank concept was created by
Edgar Cahn with different modes being
used internationally.
“It’s a concept that helps to strengthen
the community,” said DePauw. “The most
important aspect of it is the connections
being made by people who normally
would not be introduced to one another.”
The skills in the timebank are considered
equal across the board, whether its a
doctor volunteering her time to help a
member of the community, or young kids
shoveling someone’s driveway.
The Newburgh TimeBank currently
has more than 50 participants. DePauw
is looking to expand that number into
the hundreds. To make members more
comfortable with the idea of allowing a
stranger into your home or to assist with
your needs, Depauw is looking to host
annual mixers to introduce members of
the system to one another.
DePauw plans to continue to build
Impact as a platform to highlight and
link people’s passions. Right now DePauw
covers a majority of the costs for Impact
out of pocket with a $6,000 grant to cover
marketing.
“If everyone donated three to five hours
a month, it would make all the difference
in the world to this community,” said
DePauw
To find out more information or to
make a donation to Impact Inc visit,
.impactyourworld.co.
By KATELYN CORDERO
[email protected]
Impact Inc. is doing just as its name
suggests, leaving a lasting impression on
members of the community in Newburgh.
The organization founded by Damian
DePauw looks to bring together existing
resources available to tackle major issues
in the community.
Impact Inc. stands for individuals
making positive advancements in their
communities together.
“Our goal is to make positive
advancements
in
the
Newburgh
community together,” said DePauw. “We
want to increase civic participation in an
impoverished neighborhood. We want to
see everyone notice how they have the
capability and skills that can contribute
to existing resources put in place.”
The program was recently the winner
of a design grant through Pratt Institute.
The grant gives DePauw the ability to
get professional marketing from design
students for the organization.
The idea for Impact Inc. came when
Depauw decided he wanted to get more
involved in the community. Depauw is a
community organizer for the organization
We are Newburgh. After seeing all the
work done by We Are Newburgh he was
inspired to start something on his own.
“Over the past few years I have done a
lot of work with We Are Newburgh,” said
DePauw. “I said, how can I help everybody
even more? I wanted to inspire people to
do what they’re passionate about.”
Impact Inc. has two programs in the
works right now, The Star Project and the
TimeBank. The Star Program was started
by DePauw as a way to help the homeless
population by offering customers in
select businesses around the City the
opportunity to purchase a pre-paid meal
for someone in need.
Participating businesses include, Blacc
Vanilla, Brick Street Deli, Crown Fried
Chicken, Mr. Cris Pizza, Rockland Bakery,
Tony’s Newburgh Lunch, Kennedy Fried
Chicken, and Bliss Kitchen.
DePauw provides a cork board with
pamphlets listing food, shelter and health
resources for the homeless population.
Everytime a person decides to purchase a
meal or drink for someone, they pin their
purchase with a message on the board.
What keeps DePauw going is the
idea that he can help some that’s going
through some of the same experiences
he’s been through in life.
“There’s been times that I needed
help,” said DePauw. “I know now how
The Star Program was started by Damian DePauw as a way to help the homeless population
by offering customers in select businesses around the City the opportunity to purchase a
pre-paid meal for someone in need.
hard it is for some people to come up in
this community, something like this is
something that can help people turn that
corner.”
For Regina Clark a woman who at the
worst time in her life didn’t have enough
money to feed herself and her children,
the star project changed everything.
When having a meal at a star project
eatery she was able to get assistance for
her substance abuse disorder and find
housing when she was homeless.
Clark is now a year sober and living
in an apartment with her children. Her
journey to where she is started by picking
up a pamphlet at a Star Project board to
get the help she needed.
“If we all realized that we are all in
this together, the world would be a much
better place,” said DePauw.
The second part to Impact Inc. is the
Together We Can Newburgh TimeBank.
The TimeBank offers incentive for
its members to do good deeds in their
community in exchange for someone
doing a good deed for them in return.
“The TimeBank is meant to use the
skills available in the community to help
others,” said DePauw. “Let’s say you need
your car fixed, if there is a mechanic in
the system, that person can help you for
credit. Then if the mechanic needs help
Woman falls through
Hudson ice, dies
A woman, who apparently walked
out on the ice covering the Hudson
River off Poughkeepsie, fell through
and died late Saturday afternoon,
authorities said.
Shortly after 4 p.m. the
Poughkeepsie Fire Department was
dispatched to the vicinity of the
Ice House Restaurant near Waryas
Park for the report of a woman in
the icy waters. The fire department
responded with Engine 1 and, using
a civilian drone, they were able to
locate the victim. Tug boat Kimberley
Poiling was also in the area.
Due to icy conditions, the US Coast
Guard dispatched two vessels and a
helicopter to the scene.