June 20, 2023
Nearly $23,000 in grants to area organizations from Field-of-Interest funds
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks announced annual grants from a group of Field-of-Interest funds established by donors to support specific areas of need ranging from animal welfare to veterans wounded in wars.
From the Lennie Cloud Fund for the Hearing Impaired, Ash Grove School District received $500 to support a sign language life skills class and the Arc of the Ozarks received $500 for purchasing hearing aids for a hearing-impaired individual. The fund has granted more than $11,000 to assist deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals since it was established in 1999.
Ozark Trails Council received $500 from the Smith Atwell Girls Recreational Grant Program to support summer camp scholarships for Scouts BSA Girls. The Jessie C. Smith and Jan M. Atwell Fund, which supports the program, was established in 2005 to empower and encourage girls and young women in Greene County to be involved in athletic and outdoor recreational opportunities.
Animal Angels Network received $1,500 from the St. Francis Fund for its Rogersville-area Spay & Neuter Project. The fund was established by Dr. Gloria Galanes, faculty emeritus with Missouri State University and a past board chair of the CFO, to support animal-welfare needs in Springfield and Greene County.
First Baptist Church of Strafford received $2,500 from the William E. Eslick Fund for Southern Baptist Churches for the construction of a gazebo to host community events. The fund supports capital projects for Southern Baptist churches located in Greene County.
Branson Hollister Senior Center received $2,000 from the Wounded War Veterans Fund for the Veterans Rhythm Guitar Project. The late John Brockschmidt and his wife, Barbara, established the fund in 2008. It has since granted more than $29,000 to agencies that serve the needs of wounded war veterans in southwest Missouri.
Finally, from the Hearld Ambler Fund for Senior Centers, with additional support from the Julia A. Boyce Memorial Fund, Fair Grove Senior Center received $2,000 to purchase a dining room display cooler, Northview Center received $2,344 to upgrade drinking fountains, Shell Knob Seniors Inc. received $9,000 to purchase a double oven and the Nixa Senior Center received $2,000 to purchase two desktop computers.
In addition to co-founding the CFO in 1973, Hearld Ambler was the first managing partner for BKD, the accounting firm now known as FORVIS, and led the firm from 1976 until his retirement in 1986. For many years after his retirement, he dedicated his volunteer time to helping senior citizens prepare tax returns through SeniorAge Area Agency on Aging’s Tax Counseling for the Elderly program. For his extensive service to the community, Ambler was recognized with the Humanitarian Award in 2016.
“Field-of-Interest funds allow our donors to channel their unique interests and passions into their charitable giving,” CFO President and CEO Brian Fogle said. “We are proud to provide flexible resources that help donors attain their giving goals and create positive impact on the lives of so many folks in our region.”
The CFO holds a variety of Field-of-Interest funds that support a wide range of charitable needs. Several funds make single annual grants, while others — like those that support cancer patients and their families, such as the Paisley Collins Memorial Foundation and the Shelly Sachs Foundation — provide support throughout the year.
