A Time for Giving
During the holiday season, the old adage, “It’s better to give than to receive,” is passed around tenfold. Holiday songs even echo this call to action with wishes of good tidings and goodwill toward men. With a chill in the air and festive heart, it’s a time many of us feel generosity toward each other. In the Columbia area though, it seems that time for giving occurs all year round.
Approximately 1,200 nonprofit organizations are registered in the Columbia and Boone County area. These organizations have missions and offer services including health services, empowerment, career training, art and culture, education, human services and animals. According to a preliminary report received by the Community Foundation of Central Missouri, in Boone County alone, nearly a quarter of a billion dollars funneled through the nonprofit sector for goods and services in 2014. This revenue was generated through income for services, foundation grants, federal, state and local dollars, and individual donations.
Aside from monetary donations, the community volunteers and offers assistance through donations of blood, food, clothing and time. The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, for example, had more than 44,000 volunteers in 2014, which doubled their work force. “Volunteers are so essential to the work that we do,” says Lindsay Lopez, executive director at the food bank. “We are so grateful for the volunteers that we have.” The food bank also distributed 33 million pounds of food in 2014, which positions them as one of the largest food banks in the country.
The American Red Cross of Central and Northern Missouri annually holds the largest blood drive in the country at the University of Missouri. The Red Cross brings in resources from all over the country to support the three day blood drive that typically collects 5,500 units of blood. University of Missouri alumni associations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and throughout the state hold blood drives in conjunction with this event.
The Heart of Missouri United Way provides support to more than 50 local social service nonprofit agencies through advocating and volunteering. As advocates, the United Way helps bring awareness to community issues their partner agencies work with on a daily basis. “I am inspired by the amount of talent, time and treasure that our community gives back each year,” says Andrew Grabau, executive director at the Heart of Missouri United Way. “I see this generosity daily through my interactions with community volunteers, the business community, our strong faith community and community leaders and stakeholders. The 2014 Heart of Missouri United Way campaign raised $2.8 million dollars from the community.
Nonprofits in the area work together to help serve the population. “I think the community is incredibly generous, and I feel a personal responsibility to help connect dots in this community, so they understand how the agencies actually work together rather than competitively,” says Susan Reeves, director of advancement at Great Circle.
In addition to events held throughout the year by local nonprofits, several events occur during the holidays. A community-wide campaign of end of the year gifts called CoMoGives is held December 1-31 online at www.comogives.com. CoMoGives is a product of the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. This year marks the third year for the event with 71 local organizations participating. In 2014, 53 organizations participated and collected $264,000. The event is donor directed, and individuals can visit the website to donate to the organization of their choice.
“Find that charity that resonates with you, and find a way to be supportive of it because we need everybody’s help to really make a difference,” Lindsay says. Here is how the local community gives back to a few of the nonprofits in the area:
American Red Cross of Central and Northern Missouri
www.redcross.org/mo/jefferson-city
The mission of the Red Cross is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Blood drives are just one of the five service lines of the Red Cross in addition to disaster relief, preparedness, health and safety, services to armed forces and international services.
The Central and Northern Missouri chapter serves 29 counties and has 429 volunteers. “We have a staff of six covering 29 counties,” says David Griffith, executive director. “We couldn’t do that without our volunteer force.” Of all services delivered across the country, 95 percent are delivered by volunteers.
In 2014, the Red Cross helped 261 families under the disaster relief service line in the central and northern Missouri area, who were affected by a house fire. The Red Cross helps connect them with partner agencies in the community, such as the United Way, to help facilitate their road to recovery. “I think that’s the key thing,” David says. “We’re not just giving handouts, we’re giving a hand up, and they have to own that recovery themselves.”
Including the 5,500 units of blood acquired on Mizzou’s campus, The Red Cross collectively accumulated 42,199 units of blood in central and northern Missouri in 2014.One unit of blood has the potential of saving three lives.
Under the service to armed forces line, the Red Cross is the only organization that can communicate directly with commanders in the field. In times of crisis, they can communicate messages to your deployed family members. The Red Cross also supports veterans at the VA Hospital in Columbia, VFWs and the American Legion, and those members at Ft. Leonard Wood and in National Guard Units. Last year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program collected and distributed nearly 7,000 holiday cards to active duty military and veterans. This year, Holiday Mail for Heroes will have a card signing in the Columbia Mall on December 5.
In 2014, $290,000 came from individual donations in the Eastern Region and another $200,000 came in through grants and foundations. “The gifts alone speak volumes to me,” David says. “We appreciate all donations; it shows their support and that they believe in what we’re doing.” Recently, Storage Mart became a $50,000 Ready 365 partner. Ready 365 engages companies and corporations to donate ahead of a disaster.
Under the preparedness, health and safety service line, 11,146 students were trained in central and northern Missouri last year in lifesaving skills such as CPR and first aid. The Good Samaritan Award is presented during the Annual Heroes dinner to one youth and one adult who stepped up and saved someone’s life in their service. The event takes place in March, and they are accepting nominations for the award in December and January.
“There aren’t many jobs that you have that you know that every day you have affected somebody’s life,” David says. “Truly, every single day I can see something the Red Cross has done to make a difference in someone’s life and to be able to stand with them during their darkest hour.”
Community Foundation of Central Missouri
cfcmfoundation.org
“The Community Foundation of Central Missouri is for anyone who wants to make a positive difference by engaging in charitable giving,” says John Baker, executive director. “We try to match donors to causes they care about, and we have a tagline of ‘Working together. Improving lives.’” The Community Foundation started in 2010 and in calendar year 2015, they will pass on more than one million dollars to local charitable organizations or projects.
Everything in the nonprofit world happens through nonprofits fulfilling their philanthropic missions. The Community Foundation provides funding resources for those missions to be fulfilled, but nothing happens without the charitable donations, Baker says. “We are a great philanthropic tool to have in the community because of our flexibility and the breadth of our reach,” he says. “Our primary goal is to establish funds that will grow overtime and distribute overtime and for those who want to have a long-lasting impact with their philanthropic dollar.”
Part of this is through CoMoGives, which is a product of the Community Foundation, and the rest is from distributions out of the 62 component funds the Community Foundation manages for their donors. In 2013, 30 organizations participated and collected $62,500. This year’s participation grew to 71 organizations with hopes that the donations will surpass last year’s fundraising efforts of $264,000.
Great Circle
www.greatcircle.org
“Essentially, we provide comprehensive, specialized behavioral health services for children and families,” says Susan Reeves, director of advancement at Great Circle. The organization formed in 2009, and their services in the central region are comprised of home and community-based (60 percent), intensive treatment (30 percent) and special education (10 percent). “So there are all kinds of things that are happening to help families be successful in staying together,” Susan says. “We’re working to reduce the stigma surrounding mental and behavioral health and help open doors for people to get the help they need.”
In 2014, Great Circle served 20,536 individuals across all programs throughout the state. In the central region, they provided specialized behavioral health services for 2,780 children and family members. Strong partnerships with area businesses and organizations aid in volunteering time to help Great Circle meet basic human needs, such as tutoring, back-to-school drives, recreational activities and much more.
Great Circle’s largest fundraising events throughout the year are the Golf Classic for Kids and the Diamond Night Gala. The Golf Classic for Kids event raised nearly $50,000 in 2015. Diamond Night was held on November 6, and 450 people attended. The gala is their largest fundraiser supporting service in this region raising more than $100,000. The event celebrates the successes in the transformation of the youth in their care. The gala also has a silent and live auction, as well as a Fund-a-Need-Appeal.
Great Circle also does an end of the year drive to be able to give the 200 children in their care a holiday. During the holiday season, they are looking to recruit people who are willing to do a general drive for the children or adopt a wish list.
“Not only are we meeting basic needs and taking care of people, but I really do feel like we’re doing some amazing things in getting people to where they have the ability to move forward in their lives and to turn the corner, which has long term effects for our community,” Susan says.
Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run
heartofmissourigirlsontherun.org
By using experience-based curriculum that integrates running, Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run has lessons focusing on body image, self-esteem, gossip and team community service. It is not a running club but rather a physical activity-based, positive youth development program for girls in 3rd through 8th grade. “It’s a youth (girl) empowerment program with specific goals to build life skills that equip girls to appreciate their own strengths and to acknowledge and encourage the strengths of others,” says Cheryl Unterschutz, council director. At the end of the 10-week program, the girls complete a celebratory 5K running event.
The program is offered in both the spring and fall to sites in mid-Missouri. This fall, 162 girls took part in the program. “We could not offer Girls on the Run without our committed and amazing community volunteers,” Cheryl says. Fifty-four volunteers worked with the girls at the 11 partnering sites this past fall. The Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run has served more than 400 girls in mid-Missouri during its four year history.
Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run is supported by local individuals, civic organizations and local businesses. Part of the organization is supported through registrations fees, however scholarships are available (33 percent of the fall’s participants received a scholarship).
“Having the opportunity to equip these girls with the tools necessary to stand up to pressure placed on them by their peers and the culture in which we live, I wake up every day knowing I’m making a meaningful difference in the lives of mid-Missouri girls,” Cheryl says.
Heart of Missouri United Way
www.uwheartmo.org
As advocates, the United Way helps bring awareness to community issues their partner agencies work with daily. “We also provide opportunities for capacity building within the agencies and provide financial support for agencies in supporting specific areas of our community,” Andrew says. In addition, the United Way also helps align volunteer opportunities between agencies and the community.
“United Way promotes an understanding of the larger issues involving poverty and how we can work with the community at better addressing the root causes with strategic programs,” Andrew says. By supporting 31 United Way funded local agency partners, more than 51,835 needs were addressed last year.
“Simply put, community volunteers are the backbone of the Heart of Missouri United Way,” Andrew says. “We could not do our job without their year-round participation and dedication. The community in the greater Columbia area is highly involved. More than 130 companies and 200 volunteers helped engage the community in the Heart of Missouri United Way campaign in 2014, which raised $2.8 million.
“What is most fulfilling is knowing that we are making a difference in our community with all of the various stakeholders we interact with,” he says. “We are a convener between the partner agencies, their clients, our business community, city and county governments, and the community at large. We bring the community together around a common call to action to make a difference and be a part of something greater to benefit everyone in our community.”
Job Point
www.jobpointmo.org
“We primarily educate and train folks with skills and then help them find and maintain jobs,” says Steve Smith, interim president and CEO. “Basically, helping people get and maintain jobs is our bottom line goal.” Job Point celebrated 50 years of service this year and held several events to show appreciation in the community. They held a day of service, which helped 50 individuals in the community find placement in jobs such as yard work. They also put on a concert in Stephens Park and held a carnival for children in the community.
Job Point serves more than 500 clients each year teaching hard skills, such as HVAC installation or Certified Nursing Assistant courses, and also soft skills, such as being on time, dressing appropriately and controlling your emotions. In addition, Job Point also helps with resumé preparation, mock interviews and appropriate dress. Most of Job Point’s clients are referred to them and most receive scholarship or the services provided are paid for by several different sources. Steve adds that people in the community put in a lot of time and effort whether they are a board member, committee member or a supporter. In 2014, funds that came from the Columbia area including fees for service, grants and donations, which totaled roughly $400,000.
Steve says the most rewarding and inspirational part of the year is at the graduation ceremony and getting to celebrate the success with their clients. “Another focus is helping employers fill jobs in the community and obviously taking folks and helping them be self-sufficient citizens,” he says.
The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri
sharefoodbringhope.org
“Our mission exists because we want to ensure that we are able to feed people who are hungry in our service region,” Lindsay says. One in five people in this community throughout Missouri and across the country are considered food insecure, which means they may not know where their next meal is coming from.
The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri serves 32 counties, which covers 18,000 square miles. The food bank serves 114,000 people monthly, and their 17 fleet vehicles help distribute food to people who need it. In 2014, 44,000 volunteers helped the food bank, and effectively doubled their workforce of 54 employees. In 2014, the food bank also distributed 33 million pounds of food, which positioned them as one of the largest food banks in the country. Throughout the 32 county service region, they work with 130 partner agencies, which are on the front lines of delivering food to people in their area.
“Columbia is an incredibly generous community and of course I would encourage everybody to get involved with the food bank because I believe in the mission,” Lindsay says. “Volunteer or participate in a food drive or make a contribution.”
The food bank is part of a network of 204 food banks across the country called Feeding America. Of the six food banks in Missouri, they are the only one that provides food at no charge, and they are one of 14 in their food network of 204 that provides food for free.
The food bank’s Buddy Pack program provides food to children to help supplement their meals on weekends and holidays. The food bank works with 150 partner schools and provides 7,500 Buddy Packs on a weekly basis – 1,700 in Boone County alone. The food bank partners with 38 schools and early learning centers and three school pantries in Boone County who identify students in need.
The food bank sponsors two large food drives. The Partnership Against Hunger happens the Tuesday before Thanksgiving every year in collaboration with Schnucks grocery stores in Columbia and Jefferson City and in partnership with Walmart throughout the service area from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. The One for One Holiday Food Drive takes place December 16 from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. in the parking lot at the intersection of Providence and Broadway.
“Hunger knows no season,” Lindsay says. “We are so appreciative of people being in the spirit of giving during the holiday season, but hunger is an existence all year long, and we hope that people will remember that when the holidays are over.”
Other Holiday Nonprofit Events:
Voluntary Action Center: Annual Holiday Program
Great Circle: Holiday Gift Drive
Rainbow House: Annual Adopt-A-Family Program
Room at the Inn: Emergency Homeless Shelter
Salvation Army: Kettle Drive
Salvation Army’s Harbor House: Cold Cot Program
Coyote Hill Christian Children’s Home: Annual Christmas for Kids Program
The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri: One for One Holiday Food Drive
American Red Cross of Central and Northern Missouri: Holiday Mail for Heroes