For immediate release
For more information, contact
Maria Bancroft
or
Caitlin Jones
ROLLA—Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) awarded Hope Alliance of Missouri with a $500 grant for direct cost support. The checks were presented at MRCF’s March meeting at MRPC in St. James. This year, the MRCF board reviewed a total of 19 grant applications, requesting a total of $9,500 and representing projects in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. Hope Alliance of Missouri was one of three projects selected for funding.
These funds will help supplement the costs of the Friday Backpack Program which provides local students facing food insecurity with food to supplement their weekend meals and Abundant Blessing which helps provide necessities to families in need. These grant funds will be used to help supplement the food cost of the Friday Backpack program or to try and fill in the gaps on needed items such as used clothing, shoes, coats and other items, especially in those sizes that they are currently low or have none of in stock for when those requests arise.
“Grants like the one from the Meramec Regional Community Foundation for Direct Cost Support are vital to our organization because they allow us to fill in needs as they arise, Director Kari Lane said. “Whether it’s helping offset food costs for the Friday Backpack Program or filling in sizes of socks for foster kiddos at Abundant Blessings, extra funds to Hope Alliance of Missouri ensure that we can meet families’ needs.”
The other recipients were the Belle Community Betterment Association for its welcome to Belle sign landscaping project and the Salvation Army of Pulaski County for its Helping Hands for Those in Need program.
MRCF is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010. Its 12-member board includes representation from each of the eight Meramec counties and from MRPC. Jared Niederer of Gasconade County serves as chairman of MRCF.
Currently, MRCF has 50 funds totaling over $4.1 million.
CFO is a public foundation serving the Missouri Ozarks. The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region through resource development, community grant-making, collaborations and public leadership. Formed in 1973, CFO has since grown to include 53 affiliate community foundations and more than 3,500 charitable funds totaling approximately $375 million in assets, as of June 30, 2022.
MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation and providing the initial investment to create a grant program, provides staff support to MRCF.
Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Steve Vogt, representing the city of Belle, serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 33 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.
To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.
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Cutline: Meramec Regional Community Foundation Chairman (MRCF) Jared Niederer (left) presents a $500 community grant to Kari Lane the Executive Director with Hope Alliance of Missouri for direct cost support. Hope Alliance of Missouri is one of three organizations to receive a 2023 community grant from MRCF.
