http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/greene-county-s-blue-ribbons-and-red-flags-report-identifies-areas-critical-need_69005.mp3
The report gave Greene County “blue ribbons,” or good marks, in areas like innovation, where the community was able to meet a goal of building affordable housing. The community has also improved its urban agriculture with locally grown food and community gardens.
But Louise Knauer of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks says the red flags came as no surprise. CFO was one of five organizations to help with the report.
“Well, unfortunately a lot of our red flags are chronic red flag issues. Particularly as it concerns, children and poverty, and child abuse and neglect; some of those issues that the community continues to work on, and in some cases has redoubled its efforts recently,” Knauer said.
The real goal behind the report is to identify these red flags to local organizations, in the hope that they will make decisions based on these critical issues.
“I think it helps organizations focus funding resources, strategic plans, and priorities. For us at the Community Foundation, we tie it, to a large degree, to our grant making. That we give preference to proposals that address community focus issues. So I think it’s widely used in a number of ways,” Knauer said.
The report goes into detail about all aspects of the community’s blue ribbons and red flags, with statistical data and pictures of the community at work. The full report it can be found here.
The report was created with support from:
Community Foundation of the Ozarks
Junior League of Springfield
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Springfield-Greene County Library District
United Way of the Ozarks
For KSMU News, I’m Anna Thomas.