Want to give back to the community this holiday season? Here are 5 ways to get started in the Springfield area.
As families gather to share their gratitude and prepare for the Christmas and holiday season, the News-Leader put together this guide that includes just some of the ways local residents can share their prosperity and give back to those in need this year — the second Christmas season since pandemic disruptions began affecting so many aspects of Missouri life. To submit a donation opportunity to be added to this list online, email gholman@gannett.com with complete details.
Giving Tuesday: You can help 60 charities
Each year, Community Foundation of the Ozarks publishes a highly comprehensive guide to holiday season charitable giving. Just before Thanksgiving, CFO's Aaron Scott told the News-Leader that he and the foundation team were putting the finishing touches on this year's guide, which features at least 60 nonprofit groups serving a range of human needs. While many are located in Springfield and Greene County, the nonprofits featured in the guide span the southern half of Missouri, Scott said.
The CFO guide, available at cfozarks.org/giving-guide, connects you to Giving Tuesday campaigns from the 60-plus local charitable groups featured, along with other campaigns and particular needs.
Dubbed "the biggest day of generosity" by its international promoters, Giving Tuesday is an effort to get people to give donations and volunteer their time for worthy causes shortly after Thanksgiving.
Scott said that CFO's guide also features tax tips for those interested in making financial donations. The CARES Act of 2020 included a number of tax law changes that Congress extended into 2021, allowing taxpayers to take additional deductions for cash gifts to charities. Opportunities are available for taxpayers who itemize their deductions, as well as for those who don't, Scott said.
Meanwhile, Scott said CFO advises money donors to consider giving "unrestricted" funds to charities for their operations and other needs, instead of earmarking donations for specific purposes.
"Those are going to be a lot more helpful," he said.
More: Share your Christmas with a Springfield family in need. Here's how you can donate
Giving Tuesday: Fight hunger
Another key Springfield-area participant for Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30 is Ozarks Food Harvest, which helps provide food for local families facing hunger. The nonprofit set a fundraising goal of $30,000 for #GivingTuesdayOzarks, which they say will help provide more than 120,000 meals.
Jordan Browning, a spokesperson for the group, said they're seeking monetary donations because they can stretch each dollar much further by purchasing food items for those in need, as opposed to getting resources through in-kind donations.
"We can make sure to supplement our agencies with food that they may not otherwise see, like protein items, which can be really expensive, and fresh produce," he said in an interview a few days before Thanksgiving.
Browning said Ozarks Food Harvest's 28-county footprint covers one-third of the state of Missouri. Demand for food assistance has greatly increased due to the effects of the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, OFH estimated hunger affected one in six children and one in seven adults in southwest Missouri. "Now we're looking at one in five children and one in six adults facing hunger," Browning said.
Like so many other parts of society, OFH is affected by pandemic supply-chain issues. Food orders they could once place for delivery in 30 days now require three to six months of extra scheduling, Browning said.
You can help OFH on Giving Tuesday by visiting ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate.
More: Here's how some Springfield nonprofits think the city should spend $40 million in COVID aid
Miracle Week: Help kids facing health issues
From Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, CoxHealth is asking for donations during "Miracle Week" in support of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
"These are very challenging times for children because of COVID-19, RSV (a cold-like respiratory virus) and mental health issues," said Tim Siebert, executive director of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at Cox, in a news release issued earlier this month.
Each donation of $100 or more allows CMN to give Giggle Boxes filled with toys and games to kids staying in the hospital.
The funding supports a lot of other care, too: The Special Needs Fund helps pay for care not covered by insurance or Medicaid coverage: Think of items like wheelchairs and hearing aids. Family Care Grants direct resources to families with children in the hospital or who need special therapy. This opportunity also helps sustain educational programs to build awareness about helping children living with heart conditions and diabetes and efforts to end drinking and driving and to prevent shaken baby syndrome.
Miracle Week also supports the C.A.R.E. Mobile, a mobile health clinic for children's health screenings and immunizations.
For more information or to make a donation, call 800-856-7978 (open 24 hours daily through Dec. 5) or visit coxhealthcmn.com.
Toy drives
The Springfield area's holiday toy drive tradition continues in abundance this year. Here are two key efforts.
The Drive-Thru Toy Drive offers the chance to make a toy donation to the Salvation Army, visit with Santa Claus and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and Christmas carol-singing around a fire pit. Held at East Sunshine Church of Christ (3721 E. Sunshine St., across from Sam's Club), the event is set for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11 and is open to the entire community.
Adopt a Family for Christmas with Pyramid Roofing is another gift-giving opportunity. Families or organizations can email aclark@pyramidroofingmo.com to adopt a family's Christmas wish list and drop off all gifts, unwrapped, by Dec. 15 at 2956 W. Chestnut Expressway.
Give a used car to help rebuild a life
Catholic Charities of Southwest Missouri calls out each month's "urgent needs" on their website, but the nonprofit network is always looking for used cars in good working order with a clear title free of any liens and a current state inspection. Many vehicles donated go to CCSM clients who are working toward self-sufficiency. To learn more, call 417-720-4213 (the office is closed for Thanksgiving weekend but open next week) or email Mandy Long, chief development officer, at mlong@ccsomo.org.
Reach News-Leader reporter Gregory Holman by emailing gholman@gannett.com. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Here are 5 easy Springfield-area holiday donation opportunities
