Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

Richard Baptiste, co-chairman of the Pulaski County Salvation Army, accepts the ‘big’ check and the real check for the $250 grant they received from the Meramec Regional Community Foundation.

ST. JAMES—Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) awarded the Salvation Army of Pulaski County $250 for its food and shelter program at the MRCF invite-a-friend luncheon March 7 at #4 Industrial Drive, St. James. This year the MRCF board reviewed a total of 17 grant applications requesting a total of $4,250 and representing projects in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties.

Each year the Salvation Army of Pulaski County works to raise money to be distributed throughout the year to provide food and shelter and help solve quality of life issues for the citizens of Pulaski County. In 2016, they raised more than $80,000 to help more than 1,300 families receive a Christmas basket that contained vegetables, stuffing, gravy, pudding, biscuits, margarine, fruits, carrots, potatoes, cranberry sauce, pies and choice of a game hen, ham or turkey. The grant funds received will be used to provide vouchers to needy families for meals, lodging, gas cards, as well as those in need of Christmas dinners for the 2017 year.

Other recipients, each receiving $250, include:

• Bonebrake Center of Nature and History in Dent County for public bathroom renovation,
• Esther’s House of Redemption in Maries County for the Freedom Outreach Project,
• Newburg Community Revitalization Program Group in Phelps County for the community park,
• Owensville Chamber of Commerce in Gasconade County for downtown benches, and
• Washington County Community Partnership for bathroom renovations.

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. Vicki Nelson, a vice president at Mid America Bank’s Belle branch, serves as MRCF’s chairman. Currently, MRCF has 52 funds totaling nearly $767,576.

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, collaboration and public leadership. Formed in 1973, CFO has since grown to include 49 affiliate community foundations and more than 2,600 charitable funds totaling approximately $253 million in assets.

MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation, 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. A professional staff of 25, directed by the MRPC board, 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.orgor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/