Non-profit organizations say they’re blown away by the support garnered during the daylong fundraiser Give Ozarks on Tuesday. Now, it’s time to put that money to good use.
“We were just really overwhelmed by all the people that decided to give to us,” said Christine Temple, communications coordinator with Ozarks Food Harvest.
Over 250 donors contributed Tuesday to the organization’s mission of feeding kids. All of these donations will go to OFH’s Weekend Backpack program.
“We provide food for kids to take home over the weekend because we just hear from school administrators that some of the kids in their schools aren’t eating over the weekend. Their parents just don’t have enough food at home, so this food really fills in the gap.”
According to Temple, this program reaches over 1,600 kids per week during the school year.
Joining OFH in the excitement of Tuesday’s success is The Springfield Ballet. Adam Bennett is the executive director.
“The main push this year as last year is we have been working on a new set for ‘The Nutcracker,’” said Bennett.
Funding will continue the ballet’s annual productions, as well as a new set, costumes and repairs.
Bennett said he’s grateful of citizen support not only for the arts, but for the some 225 non-profit organizations that participated during Give Ozarks.
Community Partnership of the Ozarks now has funds to “continue our services, and hopefully be able to provide expanded services as needed” according to its Executive Director Janet Dankert.
Dankert added that “Part of what we believe is so important with Give Ozarks is that it allows everybody across the community the chance to give to many organizations that they support.” She also added that the Community Foundation of the Ozarks did a “fabulous job” with Give Ozarks this year.
Learn more about Give Ozarks’ participating agencies and funding amounts here.
