For immediate release
For more information, contact
Maria Bancroft
or
Bonnie Prigge
ST. JAMES— The Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) has awarded grants totaling $10,000 to five nonprofit agencies for recovery needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Crocker Presbyterian Church’s Community Care Program was one of the five nonprofits and received $2,500 from the Meramec Regional Coover COVID grant program.
COVID-19 eliminated the church’s ability to fundraise in support of the community food pantry. This grant will allow the church to utilize the funds to resupply the food pantry with necessary items, as well as, create and provide a referral assistance contact pamphlet for listing services that are not supplied by the church.
“The words ‘abundant blessing’ best describe the great impact and heartfelt appreciation felt by members of the Crocker Presbyterian Church, Crocker Ministerial Alliance, and Crocker community, after receiving $2,500 of MRCF grant funding in support of our food pantry’s Community Care Program,” said Debbie Fraski, church elder. “Being awarded these gracious funds will allow us to continue to meet the ever-increasing needs of our community. Hopefully, our combined efforts will lessen the level of stress individuals find within their daily lives!”
MRCF received a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO), which was made possible by the Louis L. and Julia Dorothy Coover Charitable Foundation, managed by Commerce Trust Company in partnership with the CFO. MRCF was one of 30 CFO affiliate foundations to receive Coover grant funding this year and chose to use its award to hold a community recovery grant round for eligible nonprofits. MRCF received 13 requests and was able to fund five.
The other four nonprofits receiving community recovery grants were:
MRCF is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010. Its 12-member board includes representation from each of the eight Meramec counties and from MRPC. Vicki Lange of Osage County serves as president of MRCF.
Currently, MRCF has 54 funds totaling over $3.76 million.
Persons needing more information on MRCF and its philanthropy efforts can contact Bonnie Prigge or Maria Bancroft at MRPC via the phone at 573-265-2993 or via email at bprigge@meramecregion.org or mbancroft@meramecregion.org, respectively.
CFO is a public foundation serving the Missouri Ozarks. The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region through resource development, community grant-making, collaborations and public leadership. Formed in 1973, CFO has since grown to include 53 affiliate community foundations and more than 3,261 charitable funds totaling approximately $310 million in assets, as of June 30, 2020.
MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation and providing the initial investment to create a regional grant program, provides staff support to MRCF.
Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 34 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.
To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.
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Cutline for Featured Image at Top: MRPC Executive Director Bonnie Prigge (left) and Maria Bancroft with MRPC/MRCF (right) present the Crocker Presbyterian Church members with a $2,500 COVID recovery grant. Church members from left to right include: Debbie Fraski, Debbie Beal, Wayne Beal, Norma Marso, Ian Fraski, Katelyn Fraski
