The Community Partnership Fund – The Community Partnership located in Rolla, Mo., established this fund to promote awareness of community needs and to work together with citizens and organizations to achieve better results for children, families, and communities. This is  a component fund of the Meramec Regional Community Foundation.

Council of Churches Investment Fund I – This fund will hold long term monies for the Council of Churches.

Council of Churches Investment Fund II – This fund will hold immediate funds for the Council of Churches.

Council of Churches Investment Fund III – This fund will hold funds with a 2 to 5 year time horizon for the Council of Churches.

Fair Grove United Methodist Church – Burnie and Emma Belle Huff Fund – Fair Grove United Methodist Church established this fund to hold a planned gift from the Huff family.

Forget Me Not Fund – Amy Hernandez and the Forget Me Not Ball committee established this giving circle fund to assist with their efforts to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association. This is a component fund of the Community F of the Lake.

Owensville Area Capacity Building Fund – This fund will support projects and programs that enhance the quality of life in the Owensville area. This is a component fund of the Meramec Regional Community Foundation.

Ozark Foster/Alternative Care Higher Education Fund – Alex and Cathy Primm established this scholarship fund which will assist students who currently are or have been in foster or alternative care pursue higher education. The scholarship is for the CFO’s entire service area.

Vichy Fire Department Fund – This fund will assist the fire department to accept charitable donations and hold short term monies. This is a component of the Meramec Regional Community Foundation.

Wyatt’s Fund – Sam and Missy Frink established this fund to support autism spectrum and/or sensory integration disorders for the Gasconade County R-1 School District. This is a component fund of the Community Foundation of the Hermann Area, Inc.

Jerry and Sharon Berkstresser Fund – Becky Berkstresser Brill established this family and community fund to honor her parents and help simplify her charitable giving. This is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri.

Dignity Now Endowment Fund – This is a fund which support the long terms needs of Dignity Now. It is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Taney County and is a new Agency Partner in the social services category.

O’Day Family Mausoleum Maintenance Fund – John Baldwin O’Day has established this fund which will distribute to the City of Springfield for the public beautification and historic preservation of the O’Day Family Mausoleum located in Hazelwood Cemetery. Should the available to spend be more than the City of Springfield needs for this task, the remaining available amount will granted to Ozark Greenways for the maintenance and improvement of the greenway trail network in Springfield-Greene County.

Ozark Actors Theatre Endowment Fund – This fund will support the long term sustainability of the local theatre in Rolla, Mo. It is a component fund of the Meramec Regional Community Foundation, and is a new Agency Partner in the arts category.

Skyline R-II Youth Empowerment Fund – This fund will support youth programming. This is a component fund of the Douglas County Community Foundation.

Bixler Foundation – David and Julie Bixler established this family and community fund to assist with their personal giving.

Bluebird Gardens Charitable Fund – This corporate fund was estalsihed by Charlotte Wiggins, manager of Bluebird Gardens, to assist with the charitable giving. This is a component fund of the Meramec Regional Community Foundation.

Brell Family Charitable Fund – Dr. and Mrs. Brell established this fund as part of their estate plan. Upon their passing, it will distribute per their wishes with 20 percent staying at the CFO for children’s healthcare needs and to other child-related charities in Springfield/Greene County.

The Dustin Scholarship Fund – Bailey Simpson established this scholarship fund to assist students in the foster care system pursue a post-secondary education. Bailey is 16 and is a Central High School student. She plans to fundraise toward the $10,000 goal.

Healthy Half Pints Fund – This fund will begin a pilot program to provide kindergarteners and first graders at four elementary schools with an afternoon milk snack. A joint effort by CFO, Musgrave Foundation, North Point Church and the Pendleton Family Foundation.

Kansas City Chiefs Joplin Recovery Fund – This corporate fund allows the Kansas City Chiefs to make grants to organizations helping to support Joplin tornado recovery efforts. This is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri.

LakeExpo.com Charitable Fund – Brent Simpson, owner of LakeExpo.com, established this corporate fund to help simplify his company’s charitable activities. This is a component fund of the Community Foundation of the Lake.

Rieder Family Fund – Larry & Kathie Rieder established this family and community fund to assist with their family’s giving. This is a component fund of the Stockton Community Foundation.

Meramec Regional Community Foundation President Laura Antolak (left) listens to Secretary-Treasurer Richard Cavender, at a recent organizing meeting in St. James.

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks welcomes the Meramec Regional Community Foundation as its 42^nd affiliate.

This represents the CFO’s first collaboration with a planning commission: The Meramec Foundation is a new venture within the Meramec Regional Planning Commission, which serves eight counties in central Missouri – Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington – and 32 cities within those counties.

The MRPC provides economic development assistance, housing assistance, planning and development expertise, solid-waste management, emergency-management planning, grant writing and administration, small-business loans, transportation planning, and other communication and community-building services.

The newly created Foundation will support community charitable grantmaking within its service area. The Community Foundation’s existing affiliates within this region will continue to operate their own asset-building and grantmaking programs based on their specific priorities.

Meramec Regional Community Foundation President Laura Antolak said the Foundation was a natural outgrowth of the services provided by the regional planning commission.

CFO President Brian Fogle said he expect the existing affiliates within this area to continue doing their important work; the new Foundation will provide a means to expand to other underserved areas that aren’t being reached by existing community foundations.

The organizing board members for the Meramec Regional Community Foundation are: President Laura Antolak; Vice-President Russell Scheulen; and Secretary-Treasurer Richard Cavender. Each county in the Meramec region will have a representative on the MRCF board and appointments are underway.