This is part four of a five-part series about the recipients of the Impact 100 grants for this year.

Impact 100 Focus Category: Health and wellness

Website: ShepherdsPlaceRespite.com

Phone: 251-928-1148

Summary: “To provide appropriate handicapped accessible bathroom facilities for all participants at Shepherd’s Place. The participants have experienced Alzheimer’s, dementia and other brain trauma. Plans include a total of five toilets and one urinal along with a handheld shower in both the men’s and women’s restrooms. The project’s success can easily be measured when the number of participants doubles.”

Shepherd’s Place is one of five local organizations that received a grant from Impact 100.

Shepherd’s Place is a nondenominational program for individuals with memory or physical challenges associated with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke and traumatic brain injury. This program began eight years ago and bridges the gap between independent living and restricted care in a safe, secure environment. Shepherd’s Place provides relief for the caregiver.

The organization plans to use their $92,000 toward the construction of handicap bathrooms with a men and women’s suite. Chairman of the Foundation Susie Caminiti says Shepherd’s Place will also add on a 29x19-foot addition to their current building, located at Fairhope United Methodist Church.

“As our population has grown, our needs have grown,” says Ann Pearson, Ph.D., director of caring ministries at FUMC. “This is mobility for our participants and allows us to continue growing.”

There are two purposes to Shepherd’s Place. The first is to allow loved ones to come and enjoy themselves in a safe, secure environment that allows them to stay active and exercise their brain at the same time. The second purpose is to provide relief to caregivers, knowing their loved one is in a safe place.

Caminiti says she is humbled by the choice of Impact 100 to expand their building and program.

“We are thrilled and look forward to working with these women and our partnership,” she says. “They believed in us and our organization and this is validation for our program.”

Pearson is thrilled about the partnership as well.

“This group of women is a gift to the community and we believe in what they are doing for this county. We are blessed to have been considered.”

Information about Shepherd's Place:

• After two years of research, Shepherd's Place began in 2009 with two participants. Since that time, 57 individuals have been a part of the program ranging in age from 35 to 103.

• In 2011, Shepherd's Place moved to Wesley Hall, established an executive board and expanded days and hours to become a four day a week program.

• Eighty-one volunteers have been trained in the program and have served over 13,000 hours for the program.