DAPHNE, Ala.—Impact 100 awarded Outward Bound $150,000 to help reduce high school dropout numbers in Baldwin County, and the affect that may have on a child’s life is a gift that goes beyond dollars and cents.

“(Helping keep kids in school) is a gift that will affect a child’s life forever,” said Dr. Lynn Youge, medical director for Outward Bound in Baldwin County.

Impact 100 Baldwin County announced at its Saturday meeting that Outward Bound won the group’s annual grant contest.

Outward Bound — a finalist for last year’s grant — is a national education organization that tries to help people of all ages inside and outside the classroom.

“The funds will be used to work with students who have been identified as ‘at-risk’ of dropping out of school in Baldwin County,” said Meg Peterson, program director for Outward Bound Five Rivers Program. “Our program is proposing to re-engage them in school, increasing their chances of graduating. We’re hoping to work with 150 students so each Impact 100 members will receive a ‘thank you’ letter from each student who participated.”

The non-profit plans take students on an eight-day camping and canoeing expedition in the Mobile Tensaw Delta and then spend two days in the classroom.

“We will help them identify the things holding them back. We will help identify the problems at home,” said Youge.

“Hopefully we will set them on the right path with the school.”

The program will have a specific plan for each child, Youge said, and “the parents will be part of the process to give us information about the problems.”

Outward Bound has been active in Baldwin County since 2006.

“Five years ago we were able to help 18 kids. Now we’re helping hundreds of kids,” Youge said.

High-school dropouts make on average $10,000 a year and $260,000 a lifetime less than those with a diploma, Youge said, adding that Alabama purportedly is ranked 47th in the nation in high school dropouts.

Other grant finalists were The Eastern Shore Art Center, The Shoulder and The Baldwin Housing Alliance.

Impact 100 members listened to brief presentations from the four finalists and then ranked the four from most deserving to least deserving of the grant funds.

The Shoulder — a private, Christian-based, substance-abuse rehabilitation program for Baldwin County adult males — planned to use the funds to build a community room on its new property. Hurricane Katrina destroyed the organization’s first property in 2005.

“(Hurricane) Katrina was a greedy gal. She took everything,” said Debbie Hanson, assistant director of The Shoulder. “We have to build in 2011 or our agency will not survive.”

The Eastern Shore Art Center — a Fairhope-based organization that encourages community citizens to participate in art programs — planned to build handicap accessible entrances into the academy and studios of the art center.

 “The academy entrance is the only access to the studio for the physically handicapped,” said Kate Fisher, Eastern Shore Art Center managing director.

The Baldwin Housing Alliance aims to provide affordable, safe and quality housing to Baldwin County citizens. Its leaders planned to use the money to further efforts in helping repair homes for low-income Baldwin County families.

“We’re ready, willing and able to transform the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of families in Baldwin County,” said John Whitfield, the alliance’s interim executive director. “We have a great desire in our hearts to reach out and help others who cannot help themselves.”

CARE House — a home for sexually abused children — won last year’s grant contest and gave an update on its funds, informing Impact 100 that the money immediately went to buying property.

Impact 100 memberships are open to women who can donate $1,000, all of which goes to the grant award. The Baldwin County group has 149 members and it aims to continue increasing that number.

“The goal is limitless,” Irene Meehan, Baldwin County’s Impact 100 president, has said. “If we reach 200 (members), we give two grants.”

Applications for this year’s grant were submitted by local nonprofits in the summer. Impact 100 members spent the past several weeks reviewing grant proposals and selecting finalists.

The group donated $80,000 the first year and $92,000 the second year.

To qualify for consideration of the grant, an organization must present a capital, start-up or research-oriented project that affects Baldwin County residents.

“That way it allows us to get to know the county better, and I think that is beneficial,” Meehan said.