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 Willow Springs Community Foundation is pleased to announce that they met their goal of raising $26,000 as part of the Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks. This money will matched dollar-for-dollar through the Cooper Campaign. Representatives from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks were on hand to present a check for the matching funds on Friday, July 17, 2009. The local match was made possible thanks to the generosity of Steve and Ginny Norman.

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.

Pictured above, from left: Lou Wehmer, Gary Funk, Phill Knott, Joe Schneider and Sheila Burtchett.

Jack Hood, President of Hood-Rich, Inc., an architectural and engineering firm in Springfield, made five donations of $1,000 each to support the unrestricted grantmaking efforts of five Ozarks communities. The regional affiliate foundations receiving grants are: the Houston Community Foundation, the Stockton Community Foundation, the Taney County Community Foundation, the Willard Children’s Charitable Foundation, and the Willow Springs Community Foundation. This gift qualifies for a $1,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks.

“Our firm has truly enjoyed working in these communities. We appreciate the opportunity to do business in the region, and the Cooper challenge program is a great way for Hood-Rich to give back to each community,” said Mr. Hood. Hood-Rich, Inc. has been providing architectural, engineering, surveying, and interior design services to the Missouri Ozarks since 1961.

Businesses of all sizes have worked with Community Foundation of the Ozarks or one of the 40 regional affiliate foundations to give something back to their community. Because donations to unrestricted grantmaking funds and operational endowments are being matched through the Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks through the end of the year, it’s a great time for Ozarks business to get involved. (more…)