Today we’d like to introduce you to John Mullen.
Hi John, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We officially opened the doors of the IMPACT Youth Center on September 6, 2023. That was the first day of school that year. I had started forming the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, IMPACT Center, with a family friend about a year prior to that. At that time, I had no idea if our plans would ever come to fruition or not, but I knew I had a passion for working with kids – especially those considered to be “at-risk”. I also believed that those kids needed access to more quality after-school programming in our community. Aware of the fact that I was approaching my mid-forties, I figured that if I was going to take a shot at chasing my dream of opening my own youth center, I had better get started. So encouraged by my wife Tina and our four children, I got to work.
As the process of becoming a nonprofit began to unfold, things just started to come together in ways that I couldn’t begin to take credit for. I met Alfreda Green, who became like family to me. Alfreda shared my passion for youth outreach, bought into my vision for the IMPACT Center, and agreed to become my Assistant Director. At that point, we had the makings of a team, but we still had no location in which to operate our youth program from. That changed in February of 2023 when I was offered the Director’s position for an organization that happened to have some open facility space available. Accepting this position would mean that I would take on a heavy work load, having to serve as Director for that organization, as well as our start-up organization, IMPACT Center. But it would also mean that we would have access to a great location to begin our youth center operations. I decided to step out in faith, leave my manufacturing job of 22 years, and accept the job offer that would lead me into the unknown. Alfreda immediately joined me, and we haven’t looked back since. Both Alfreda and I truly believe that the hand of God was behind the formation and quick development of the IMPACT Center. It all just came together so perfectly. Since taking that leap of faith in 2023, our belief has grown stronger and stronger. The positive community response to the IMPACT Center, and the rapid growth of our program, has been awesome.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I would say for me, the biggest challenge has been remaining patient as we’ve waited for the right doors to open – especially early on when we were first trying to get established and find a location. Even though things did fall into place and develop relatively quickly for us, I was so excited to get our program started that things just couldn’t seem to move fast enough for me.
Also as a new nonprofit, breaking through to funding sources, and gaining the community’s trust took time and effort, and continues to be an ongoing effort. But fortunately the overall community response to our program has been very positive, and that positive response and support continues to grow.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Each day after school, local youth walk through our doors seeking a safe haven to learn, grow, and belong. The IMPACT Center is a free after-school youth program currently serving around 90 students in the Winona area from grades K-12. Our dedicated staff and volunteers provide academic support and enriching activities in a safe and ethically grounded environment where youth can truly thrive.
As we near the end of our third year, our program continues to grow to meet community needs. Over 90% of youth we serve come from low-income households and face barriers to accessing structured after-school opportunities. Thanks to partnerships with organizations such as Winona State University, Saint Mary’s University, Winona County 4-H, and Winona Area Public Schools, we are able to provide high-quality programming and mentorship opportunities that make a lasting difference. Recent investments, including new Chromebooks and a literacy curriculum, have further strengthened academic success for our students. The community partnerships we’ve been able to form, as well as the structured nature of our program, are both things that we are not only proud of, but have helped set our program apart from others.
An especially proud moment for us came in 2024 when we were presented with the Community Partner of the Year Award by the Winona Education Association. To have our work recognized by the frontline educators of our community was a great honor and a huge boost to our confidence that we were on the right track with our program.
What does success mean to you?
As our children succeed, we succeed. That success might look different for different children, but it will be clear nonetheless. Maybe it’s helping a child who is struggling to read, overcome that struggle. Maybe it’s helping that high school student find a career path they would like to pursue. Or maybe it’s having a child come up and thank us for being there for them during a particularly difficult time. We have been blessed to have experienced each of those successes already in the short life of our program. Those are the rewarding experiences that keep us going, and that keep us excited about our future.
Pricing:
- Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.impactyouthcenter.com
- Facebook: Impact Center
