Philanthropic Society awards $150,000 in grants to 3 area nonprofits

May 30—Three local nonprofit organizations working to break down barriers for vulnerable groups in the community were awarded grants totaling $150,000 by the Philanthropic Society of the Joplin Regional Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

Loving Grace, Higher Power Garage and Jasper County CASA received $50,000 grants last week from the Joplin Regional Community Foundation's Philanthropic Society, a group formed in 2018 to help address community needs through charitable giving.

The three grant finalists were recognized during the society's annual award banquet luncheon Tuesday at Missouri Southern State University. There were 22 applicants vying for the grants that focused on three priorities in Joplin, Webb City and Carl Junction: housing, community health, and barriers to work and prosperity.

The Philanthropic Society consists of members who donate at least $2,000 in annual dues to the Philanthropic Society Fund, which is distributed back into the community through grants.

Bryan Vowels, chair of the Philanthropic Society, said the goal was to have 15 members its first year, and it has since grown to 100 over the last four years.

"Our job is to provide a little bit of seed money to help create the new program, to redo a program," he said. "I kind of look at it as venture capital money, and we let them take that and run, and do amazing things in the community."

The Philanthropic Society recently expanded to include a project called LAUNCH, a program that engages high school students in their communities with a commitment to match up to $10,000 of the students' fundraising efforts. The goal is to encourage students to participate in philanthropic and charitable initiatives.

"We're going to talk about leadership, and then we're going to transition that to opening up grant requests, identifying the areas where they (the students) want to make a difference in their communities, let them run it, let them go through it," Vowels said. "We'll provide guidance, but then we're getting out of their way and let them decide how to give $15,000 or possibly more back to the community."

Housing

Loving Grace, located at 1414 Euclid Ave., is a transitional home for young women who are homeless, aging out of foster care, are pregnant or parenting a small child. It provides an 18- to 21-month program for those ages 17 to 24 and their children.

Three years after the 2011 tornado, Loving Grace was established for women ages 18 to 24 who found themselves homeless after being separated from their families.

Jessica Pommert, development director of Loving Grace, said they provide care to young women who have been abandoned by critical support systems and offer them services that they can use for a fresh start.

The $50,000 grant will go directly to programs for young women who are learning to become successful adults, as well as for case management services for residents.

"We received $50,000 from the Joplin Philanthropic, and we're so grateful for their support," Pommert said. "I like to say they have our back. Our Joplin community has the backs of the nonprofits in Joplin, and we're really grateful that they see us, they hear us and they rise to meet the needs that we have."

Community health

Jasper County CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, is a local nonprofit that serves as the voice for abused and neglected foster children. Trained CASA volunteers are appointed by circuit court judges to advocate for children and youths who have experienced abuse or neglect, many of whom are in foster care. There are an estimated 400 to 500 children in foster care every night in Jasper County.

Chelsi Scott, program manager at Jasper County CASA, said the $50,000 award will be used to start the Fostering Futures program, which will focus on youths ages 14 to 19 who are in foster care and either wish to be independent or be part of a permanent family.

"We will really tailor our advocacy to add on to what we're already doing — really practical things like budgeting, college applications and job applications," she said.

Out of the 400 to 500 children in foster care nightly in Jasper County, at least 170 are ages 14 to 19, according to Debi Koelkebeck, Jasper County CASA executive director. The group is currently working on building its first location on 20th Street in Joplin to expand its outreach and provide a safe space for children.

Barriers to work and prosperity

Higher Power Garage, a ministry located at 711 N. Schifferdecker Ave. in Joplin, is a nonprofit automotive repair shop that serves people who are struggling financially. It focuses on single parents, widows, disabled veterans and those in recovery programs. The ministry is a first of its kind in the area.

Mike Gideon, president of Higher Power Garage, said the grant funding will allow them to purchase new equipment and hire a client manager who can follow clients throughout and after the repair process.

"We've seen a need here for quite a while," he said. "We also have a few pieces of equipment that we don't have in the shop, so by purchasing an alignment machine and a lift, we'll be able to keep all of our repairs in-house, and it won't cost us anything."

Gideon said it's an honor in itself to be considered as a finalist for the Philanthropic Society's grant awards. He estimated that Higher Power Garage has provided $70,000 in free labor since it opened in June 2020. The ministry also offers free public classes, including a basic automotive course that goes over topics like how to change a tire or the oil.

Past recipients

The Philanthropic Society has provided more than $650,000 in community grants. Past awardees include KCU-Joplin medical school, Wildcat Glades Friends Group, Lafayette House, ASCENT Recovery, Rapha International, Jasper County CASA, Community Support Services of Missouri, KCU-Joplin dental school and the Alliance of Southwest Missouri.