A total of 28 agencies received $150,000 in funding from Lebanon Area Foundation’s Community Cares grant program at the program’s celebration event held in Lifepoint Church Thursday morning.
LAF Board President Jared Gottman in his opening remarks said there had been over $306,000 in requests for funding from the program this year. The program did not have the ability to provide that amount, but Gottman speculated that it might one day be possible.
“But for now, we are honored to announce that, thanks to so many of you in this room, Community Cares will be awarding $150,000 to 28 different nonprofits today,” he said.
In the Record’s article on last year’s celebration, it reported that the program had given $150,000 for 26 local nonprofits (the more accurate term would be agencies).
LAF and Community Administrator Melinda Fries said during her explanation of the selection process, which involves the distribution committee of the foundation, that the focuses this year were addressing food, shelter, and basic needs while also supporting other missions.
“At this moment, our community’s most urgent need is food, so we did actively prioritize food in these grant decisions,” she said, “followed closely by shelter and basic necessities. Families are struggling, and many of our food pantries have seen a record demand and we are aware of that.”
Fries had provided a list of the 28 recipients that included the amounts they received before the program. The names are as listed on the document:
American Red Cross: $1,000 (assisting with direct client needs after a disaster)
Bays Cares – Best Foot Forward Program: $2,000 (purchasing new shoes for Laclede County school-aged children in financially-struggling families)
Conway Senior Center: $5,000 (purchasing food for their Senior Meal Program)
COPE: $8,000 (providing housing and financial assistance for self-sufficient living to Laclede County families)
Crosslines Ministry: $9,500 (assistance with helping families pay rent or utilities when the families have eviction or shutoff notices)
Elevate Lebanon: $5,800 (assistance with general operating support)
Fostering Hope Closet: $8,000 (assistance with expenses related facility utilities, trash service, lawn care, storage unit and snow removal)
Free Store Ministry: $12,000 (cost assistance for property, vehicle, and liability insurance)
Hillcrest Education Center (HRDC): $2,000 (assisting in purchase of safety supplies and tools, essential equipment maintenance, student career interest and personality inventories, and allowing students to earn industry-recognized credentials)
Hughes Senior Center: $9,000 (purchasing food for Senior Meal Program)
Kiwanis Club of Lebanon: $2,500 (purchasing clothes for Laclede County children around Christmas)
L-LIFE Food Pantry: $13,500 (facility rent and utility assistance)
Laclede County Diaper Bank: $2,000 (to help with diapers, pullups, and underwear for Laclede County children and adults in need)
Laclede County Drug Council: $500 (purchasing drug awareness and abuse shirts for those Laclede County students that complete the DARE program)
Laclede County Treatment Court: $3,000 (providing treatment services along with transportation and housing needs for participants in the court for long-term recovery)
Laclede Literacy Council: $1,200 (purchasing kits for English as a second language and naturalization for their clients)
Lane Change, Inc.: $6,000 (cost assistance for individualized counseling and peer support)
Lebanon R-3 Social Services: $2,500 (supporting student needs)
New Life Project: $7,000 (operational cost assistance)
OATS Transit: $1,000 (fuel cost assistance for one bus operating in Lebanon daily)
Project 360 Youth Services: $2,500 (facility utility cost assistance)
Rotary Club of Lebanon: $2,500 (winter coats for Laclede County disadvantaged children of school age)
Share the Fair: $3,500 (covering processing cost of donated meat from Laclede County Fair’s annual sale of market animals)
Shepherd’s Pack: $9,000 (providing food for the weekend for Lebanon R-3, Joel E. Barber C-5, and Gasconade C-4 school districts and Project 360 during school year)
Sleep in Heavy Peace – Lebanon, MO Chapter: $5,000 (providing 17 furnished twin beds for Laclede County children without beds)
Stoutland Senior Center: $5,000 (purchasing food for Senior Meal Program)
The Market at Lifepoint Church: $14,000 (purchasing food and hygiene items through Ozarks Food Harvest)
The Salvation Army: $7,000 (food assistance program)
The celebration also recognized three community partners: The Elm Street Eatery, the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce, and Bradley Brown.
Fries explained the unusual third award for Brown, who could not attend, was special because of his role in establishing Community Cares, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this month.
Brown, a former LAF board member, with his experience with United Way, inspired the Community Cares program, she said.
LAF board member Joy Davis, who was on the board with Brown, accepted the award on Brown’s behalf. She reflected on Brown’s encouragement and thanked the other then-board members at the time, charting the growth of the program over the years.
“I want to personally thank Brad for his vision 25 years ago,” Davis said. She said she was sure he would be honored to receive the award and that she was honored to receive the deserving recognition on his behalf.
