b' relationshipwithThe Here, Auveen Bell the co-founder and CEO of Blossom Ireland, shares how The Ireland Funds has invested in its success:BlossomIrelands Ireland Funds began back in 2014 when we received our first grant of 3,000. Our program at that time was little more than an idea at the kitchen table .We had built up no evidence of its impact, we had no proof that it would work but we had the power of our convictions and we believed 100% in what we were aiming to do. The Ireland Funds backed that belief, something no other funder did at the time.In addition to the financial boost it gave us, it also reassured us that our idea had potential. We knew what we were doing was right.We knew it was making a difference.We received two further small grants from The Ireland Funds in 2015 Blossom Ireland and 2016 of 3,000.In 2017 we were absolutely delighted to be awarded 100,000 for the Flagship Grant. The financial support along with the endorsement from The Ireland Funds has been instrumental in allowing the expansion and development of the program to-date. The security that came with that Flagship Grant has allowed us to develop Creating New Possibilities fora program that is filling an important gap in educational provision for young peo-ple in Ireland with intellectual disabilities and one that is having very visible and Those with Intellectual Disabilities measurable impact for them.Thanks to the platform which the Flagship Grant provides, we were also introduced to a private trust who donated 75,000 p.a. from 20182020. Having two multi-annual grants has enabled us to change how we think and to increase our ambitions for the Personal Empowerment Program.Our main target over the 2-year period of the Flagship Grant was for 14 par-ticipants to have completed the program. We achieved this and more. By 2021 we anticipate that we will have worked with 70 young people and their families along with over 20 employers and community-based organizations. In 2020 we will pilot Blossom PEP in a school. Should this prove to be a success we can then potentially access young people in all schools across Ireland to learn the vital skills to prepare them for adulthoodsomething schools are very often under-resourced to do. However, in order to achieve this we are seeking a small number of investors who are interested in supporting our work. If you are interested in learning more about our Program, please do not hesitate to contact The Ireland Funds at US 212-689-3100 or Auveen Bell at auveen@blossomireland.ieOne thing we pride ourselves in is being innovative in everything we do. We dont ever sit back and say, Thats done now.We constantly test.We constantly Wewouldliketotakethisandevaluate.We constantly adapt and change as we see fit. A funder like The Ireland Funds allows you to do that and in fact, encourages it. opportunitytothankeveryonein The Ireland Funds both in Irelandaround the world who have supported us enormously on our journey from the kitchen table to one where we are planning to give every young person with ID a chance to live a life like any other. connect 202023'