Founded by Stephen Black, Impact Alabama: A Student Service Initiative was incorporated in June 2004 and has been involved in direct service to the community since August 2004. Impact is Alabama’s first nonprofit dedicated to developing and implementing substantive service-learning projects in coordination with universities and colleges throughout the state.

Impact presents a vision of Alabama in which its young citizens understand, appreciate, and engage actively in civic and public life—contributing their diverse talents to solve local and state problems, influence public policy, pursue the common good. To fulfill this vision, Impact has created three “signature initiatives,” FocusFirst, SpeakFirst and SaveFirst.

1) Engage students in addressing human and community needs within structured service opportunities designed intentionally to promote student learning and leadership development.

2) Enhance students’ senses of social and political responsibility, as well as their sense of ability to affect systemic change.

Impact is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works collaboratively with higher education institutions and their surrounding communities in order to develop and implement social justice projects that work to achieve fundamental and systemic change throughout the State of Alabama.