Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is again teaming up with Ozarks Food Harvest and the Walmart State Giving Program to tackle the chronic hunger problems that affect our region.

The 2^nd Annual Ozarks Million Dollar Hunger Challenge kicked off at a news conference at Ozarks Food Harvest today. The Walmart Foundation State Giving Program pledged a $125,000 grant toward a 1:1 match with regional food pantries served by Ozarks Food Harvest.

The participating food pantries were selected in 27 communities that have CFO affiliate foundations so that those foundations could offer fundraising support, community grantmaking awards or other types of assistance to partner with their local food banks.

“This is a great way to address hunger across one-third of the state of Missouri using a great trio of partners,” OFH President and CEO Bart Brown said.

He also discussed a new analysis of local “food insecurity” levels that support anecdotal information and a 2010 Hunger Study. The analysis shows that many people facing “food insecurity” have income and/or resources that make them ineligible for assistance programs. Many of them are people who have lost jobs, but still have homes or cars that count as assets.

“More and more clients who come to food pantries are the unemployed middle class who need assistance,” Brown said. “Technically, they’re not poor, but they don’t have any money.”

Through Ozarks Food Harvest’s buying program, the $250,000 in potential funds from the challenge grant and matching funds will leverage about $1 million worth, or 2.5 million pounds, of food for the participating pantries, food banks and mobile food banks.

The first Million Dollar Hunger Challenge was completed last year when 19 CFO affiliates raised $105,000, which was matched with $100,000 from the Walmart State Foundation.

CFO President Brian Fogle said this represents another example where charitable dollars are filling the gaps created by decreased public funding at all levels. He said this model works well because it directly serves residents in the communities where the money will be raised.

“That is philanthropy at its best,” Fogle said.

Becky Wood, Walmart’s Senior Foundation Manager from Bentonville, Ark., said the company’s State Giving Councils are comprised of local associates who determine the best use of foundation resources for  their states.

“It’s great to be a partner with you in Springfield,” she said.

The Hickory County Community Improvement Foundation has successfully completed the Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks. The Cooper Campaign is a matching grant program offered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks that provides matching funds for local community grant making. In order to meet the challenge, the Hickory County Foundation raised $10,000. The Cooper Challenge provided a dollar for dollar match to funds raised locally for a total of $20,000 for the Hickory County Community Improvement Foundation.

Pictured above: (left to right) Walter Darling, Pam Jackson, Alisa Carter from the Hickory County Community Improvement Foundation accept a check from Winter Skelton representing matching funds for the Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks.

The Hickory County Community Improvement Foundation received its matching check today from CFO representative Winter Skelton. The Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks is a dollar for dollar challenge grant in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks that is part of an overall regional effort to enhance community grantmaking endowments, establish administrative/operations endowments, and promote appropriate and best practices by community foundation board of directors. This initiative is made possible through the generosity of the Harry Cooper Supply Company. See more photos and news from the Cooper Campaign here.

Hickory County is gearing up for big fall packed with exciting events as part of a grassroots fundraising effort to support the Hickory County Community Improvement Foundation’s (HCCIF) goal to raise $25,000 for the Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks. This money will be matched dollar-for-dollar through the Cooper Campaign.

First on the agenda for Hickory County is the Hickory County Schools Give Big fundraiser. Led by their student councils, schools in Weaubleau, Wheatland, Hermitage and Skyline will compete against each other to see who can raise the most money for the HCCIF. On September 27, the Hickory County Health Department will host a four person scramble golf tournament. On October 11, aspiring entertainers and hobbyists will have the opportunity to participate in the “Got Talent?” Talent Show taking place at Hermitage High School. Following that event, the Hickory County Swap Meet will raise money for the campaign on October 25. Additional fundraisers being held include a bowling tournament, concert, Christmas family photographs, and others.

Of course, a plan of this magnitude requires plenty of dedication and cooperation. Leaders from the HCCIF are getting some help in the form of a volunteer to coordinate the larger fundraising campaign. Debbie Smith of the Hickory County Health Department, an important HCCIF partner, will oversee the effort.

“This kind of opportunity doesn’t come along every day, and we need to take advantage of it,” Smith told Hermitage’s newspaper, The Index, in a 9/3/08 front page profile outlining the work of the HCCIF and their Cooper fundraising efforts. “I realize that local businesses and citizens go above and beyond when it comes to supporting this community, but this is such a special situation that has the potential for long-term benefits for the entire community, so it’s very important for everyone to be involved.”

Read the full newspaper article here.