ImpactAlabama

The story of Alabama is a rich heritage of struggle and progress. Our state has confronted history's most pressing social and political conflicts and cultivated some of its most distinguished leaders. Emerging economic development and rich intellectual resources confirm the state's potential, yet great inequity remains. Alabama continues to be one of the poorest states in the country. However, building upon and deeply influenced by the legacies of Alabama's past, the story of Alabama can and will be one of hope and progress for each of its children.

Our mission is to engage students and recent college graduates to address community needs, empowering a generation through collaborative efforts to promote change in the communities we serve.

Impact Alabama was founded in 2004 as the state's first nonprofit dedicated to developing substantive service-learning and leadership development projects for college students and recent college graduates. Growing from a team of five in 2004 to more than fifty in 2014, we have quickly grown into the premier nonprofit destination for high-achieving students and graduates to make a difference in their communities.

As a celebration of our ten-year anniversary, and after serving hundreds of thousands of families in all sixty-seven counties in Alabama, we made the decision to expand Impact Alabama to other states and communities. Impact America was formed in 2014 with the mission to engage a generation for change.

View our 2020-21 Annual Report >

Want to be a part of the Impact America story? Apply for our full-time Corps Program.

Interested in getting your taxes prepared for free? Learn More >

Impact Alabama Initiatives:

21%

% of preschoolers who receive adequate vision screenings.

FocusFirst Impact Stats

2018-19 RESULTS:

52,308 preschoolers screened

5,105 children found to have vision problems

1,518 individual childcare centers in all 67 counties

193 college student volunteers

TOTAL SINCE 2004 (as of June 2018):

534,588 preschoolers screened

54,015 children found to have vision problems

14,150 individual screenings at centers in all 67 counties

3,995 college student volunteers

65%

% of EITC recipients paying a commercial preparer in 2012.

SaveFirst Impact Stats

2019 RESULTS:

13,412 free tax returns prepared

$21.7M in refunds claimed

$5.3M in commercial tax prep fees saved

612 college student volunteers

TOTAL SINCE 2006:

90,279 free tax returns prepared

$154.2M in refunds claimed

$31.5M in commercial tax prep fees saved

6,739 college student volunteers

9%

% of students from the bottom quarter of U.S. families earning a college degree

SpeakFirst Impact Stats

2019 RESULTS:

$947,469 college scholarships earned by 5 graduating seniors

75 debate practices held

55% of rounds were won by our juniors & seniors

TOTAL SINCE 2004:

47 student participants

$4.9M in college scholarships earned by 39 graduates

1,269 debate practices held

Want to get involved with Impact Alabama?

The Impact Corps Program is a yearlong service and leadership program designed to place talented, committed recent college graduates directly into communities we serve. Corps Members plan and execute all initiatives that operate in their state of service as well as recruit and manage the service of college students as they participate in those initiatives. You'll learn about poverty through lenses of education, health, and economics—all the while making a real difference in the lives of families living in poverty.

You can be a part of the story through a year of service with Impact Alabama.

Resources for non-profits and volunteers:

SaveFirst / Tax Prep Volunteer Training Materials
SaveFirst: Locations, Directions 

Child Care Center Resources:

Download FocusFirst Screening forms: English / Spanish

Participating Universities and Colleges:

The University of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham-Southern College, Samford University, Cumberland School of Law, Alabama A&M University, Athens State University, UA Huntsville, University of South Alabama, Spring Hill College, Auburn University, University of North Alabama, Gadsden State Community College, Calhoun Community College, Alabama State University, Auburn University at Montgomery, Huntingdon College, Jones School of Law, Judson College, Troy University, Wallace Community College, Dothan, Tuskegee University, Jacksonville State University, University of West Alabama


IMPACT ALABAMA COLLABORATORS

Maynard, Cooper & Gale has provided office space and support to Impact Alabama since its inception in 2004.

UAB provides office space for Impact Alabama's initiatives.

Sight Savers America coordinates all follow-up care, provided free of charge, for children who fail FocusFirst vision screenings.

Architecture Works provides in-kind space for our daily SpeakFirst practices during the academic year.

A+ College Ready has developed a the curriculum that CollegeFirst utilizes with our students and also provides AP teachers during the summer Institute.

FocusFirst is committed to providing free, high-quality vision care to all state-sponsored Pre-K programs as part of our partnership with the Alabama School Readiness Alliance.

IMPACT ALABAMA FUNDERS

Impact America is an AmeriCorps Program.