Council of Churches of the Ozarks unveils new HQ, supported by Greene County ARPA funding

The Council of Churches of the Ozarks unveiled its new headquarters facility this week, the first completed project of Greene County's Community Impact Program.

The new 57,000-square-foot facility is located at 3055 E. Division St. Previously, the Council of the Churches of the Ozarks was spread across five different buildings. The new facility serves as a "resource hub ... for families in crisis," CEO Jaimie Trussell said.

The headquarters houses the Crosslines Food Pantry, Ambassadors for Children, Diaper Bank of the Ozarks, Safe to Sleep offices and other services.

The Crosslines Food Pantry is the organization's largest outreach program and one of the largest food pantries in the county, Trussell said. The pantry is a part of the United States Department of Agriculture Commodity Supplemental Food Program, providing food options to low-income individuals.

Trussell said the Crosslines Food Pantry served around 50,000 individuals in 2022.

The Ambassadors for Children program provides services for foster care youth in Greene, Christian and Taney counties. One of the main services within this program is the Kids' Closet Boutique. Trussell said when placed in a new home, foster care youth are able to visit the boutique to choose three new, with-tag outfits, along with blankets, stuffed animals, toys, backpacks and books.

Initially its own organization, the Diaper Bank of the Ozarks merged with the Council of Churches of the Ozarks last year, providing over 1.5 million diapers to families in need, Trussell said.

Other programs housed in the new facility include the organization's include Connections Handyman Service, which provides senior homeowners with free home repairs and upkeep, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, which pairs senior citizens with children through tutoring.

The building that now houses the council's headquarters was previously owned by Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation. The Council of Churches of the Ozarks purchased the building from SRC for a discounted rate, Trussell said.

The Council of Churches of the Ozarks received $1 million from the Greene County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funds for the county's Community Impact Program. In total, the new facility cost $8.1 million, according to a Greene County Commission news release. The additional $7.1 million was fundraised by the organization, starting in September 2021.

The Council of Churches was one of 10 nonprofits awarded ARPA funding as part of the county's Community Impact Program in June 2022.

Greene County received $56.9 million in ARPA funding to support nonprofits recovering from impacts of the pandemic. All ARPA funding must be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024, and all funded projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.

A 'tsunami of need'

Trussell said the organization is "preparing for a tsunami of need" with the opening of the new, larger facility. Additional volunteers are crucially needed.

Folks interested in volunteering with Council of Churches of the Ozarks should complete the Volunteer Interest Form on the organization's website at ccozarks.org/volunteer/. Volunteer positions are open in any of the organization's service areas.

Council of Churches of the Ozarks was founded 53 years ago by Rev. Dorsey Levell. Initially named the Springfield Area Council of Churches, Levell worked with 13 area churches to provide shelter, education and advocacy services to the community. Today, the organization works with over 70 member churches.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Supported by county, Council of Churches of the Ozarks unveils new HQ