June 27, 2023
The Let’s Get to Work Fund supports aid for individuals with transportation-related barriers to employment
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks recently granted $220,000 to 13 agencies in the final grants from the Let’s Get to Work Fund for the 2022–23 grantmaking cycle. Over the last three months, seven agencies were selected to receive the $150,000 in ARPA funds that the CFO received from Greene County to provide assistance exclusively to residents of the county:
- City of Springfield/Workforce Development: $25,000
- Community Partnership of the Ozarks: $25,000
- Council of Churches: $20,000
- Drew Lewis Foundation Inc: $25,000
- Help Give Hope: $20,000
- The Kitchen Inc: $10,000
- Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation: $25,000
The remaining $70,000 supported the following agencies serving areas in a 14-county region:
- Elevate Lebanon (Laclede, Dallas, Camden, Pulaski and Wright counties): $10,000
- Live 2 Give Hope: $10,000
- Missouri Ozarks Community Action (Pulaski, Camden, Miller, Maries, Phelps, Gasconade, Laclede and Crawford counties): $10,000
- Missouri Works Initiative (Springfield area): $10,000
- Ozark Action Inc. (West Plains area): $10,000
- Springfield Dream Center: $20,000
Since opening the fund in late 2021, the CFO has granted $900,000 from the Let’s Get to Work Fund to reduce transportation-related barriers to employment thanks to gifts from David and Stacey O’Reilly, the O’Reilly Charity Golf Classic Fund, Bass Pro Shops, the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation, Thompson Sales Co., an anonymous donor and other generous donors, as well as $250,000 from the CFO’s reserves.
Grant dollars will be used exclusively to support individuals with transportation 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.
Individuals cannot apply to the CFO directly, but can work with nonprofit agencies supported by the Let’s Get to Work Fund 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.
