Agencies receive $275,000 in first grants from Let’s Get to Work Fund

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has granted to 10 agencies from the Let’s Get to Work Fund to reduce transportation-related barriers to employment. The following agencies received a total of $275,000:

*Coalition of Charities: $30,000 to assist individuals in Barry, Lawrence and Stone counties;

*Community Partnership of the Ozarks: $30,000 to assist individuals — including employees of nonprofit agencies — in Barry, Christian, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Laclede, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney, Texas, Webster and Wright counties;

*Drew Lewis Foundation: $30,000 to assist individuals and RISE program participants in Greene, Christian, Lawrence, Barry, Dent, Newton, Vernon and Miller counties;

*Help Give Hope: $30,000 for its Used Car Program to assist families in Greene, northern Christian and western Webster counties;

*Live 2 Give Hope: $10,000 to assist individuals in Laclede, Camden, Miller, Morgan, Moniteau, Dallas, Texas, Pulaski and Wright counties, with a focus on those in the foster care community;

*Missouri Ozarks Community Action: $10,000 to assist individuals in Pulaski, Camden, Miller, Maries, Phelps, Gasconade, Laclede and Crawford counties

Ozark Action Inc.: $30,000 to assist individuals in Douglas, Texas and Wright counties;

*Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation: $30,000 to assist individuals in Barry, Christian, Dallas, Greene, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney and Webster counties;

*Springfield Business Development Corporation: $60,000 to assist current employees or job seekers of businesses located in the United Way of the Ozarks’ 14-county service area; and

*Texas County Food Pantry: $15,000 to assist individuals in Texas County.

Individuals cannot apply to the CFO directly, but can work with these agencies to receive assistance for transportation-related needs. Businesses can access funds through the Springfield Business Development Corporation, a nonprofit subsidiary of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit cfozarks.org/transportation.

Nonprofits that work with clients who identify transportation issues as impeding their ability to get and keep jobs can access funds through the CFO’s grant application process at cfozarks.org/applyforgrants. Grant applications will be reviewed and approved on an ongoing basis until funds are depleted. Donors can help extend this program by donating to the Let’s Get to Work Fund at cfozarks.org/donate.

To apply for a grant from the Let’s Get to Work Fund, agencies must be within the 14-county area of southwest Missouri where the service areas of the CFO and United Way of the Ozarks overlap: Barry, Christian, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Laclede, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney, Texas, Webster and Wright counties.

Funds can be used for needs such as car repairs, new tires, gasoline cards, licensing fees or taxes, transportation services such as bus passes, ride-sharing services, taxis, purchase or repair of bikes/e-bikes, or vehicle purchase down payments.

The Let’s Get to Work Fund, announced on Dec. 8, 2021, opened with a $375,000 commitment from the CFO, donors David and Stacey O’Reilly, and the O’Reilly Charity Golf Classic Fund.

Founded in 1973, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks is the region’s largest public charitable foundation serving a network of donors, 53 regional affiliate foundations and nonprofit partners across central and southern Missouri through with assets of $394 million as of June 30.