Greene County Commission awards ARPA funds to 31 nonprofits

An additional 31 nonprofit organizations in Greene County will receive American Rescue Plan Act funds for various projects. The Greene County Commission approved a total of $4,800,007 for the organizations on Thursday.

Twelve other nonprofits were awarded approximately $5.9 million in county ARPA funds in the first round of funding on Oct. 11, 2022.

Here’s who was awarded funding on February 9 and what they plan to use the money for:

• $100,000 to Advocates for Healthy Community (Jordan Valley Community Health Center) to implement the ‘Family Connects’ program which provides services to mothers and infants after birth, post-natal and pediatric care, nurse training, and transportation costs
  
• $150,000 to AIDS Project of the Ozarks to maintain and expand mental health services by funding the salary of a psychiatrist and other positions, if possible
  
• $86,400 to the Betty & Bobby Allison Ozarks Counseling Center to fund two additional full-time therapists
  
• $200,000 to Care to Learn for resources to meet the health, hunger, and hygiene needs of Greene County students
  
• $20,000 to Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to continue to provide housing, gas, and utility assistance, sober living fees, and meals for families
  
• $276,940 to the Child Advocacy Center for personnel support to match caseload needs and prevention education programming
  
• $150,000 to Community Foundation of the Ozarks to fund the ‘Let’s Get to Work’ program that assists people getting back into the workforce
  
• $90,000 to CASA for the salary of a Clubhouse Director
  
• $450,000 to the Developmental Center of the Ozarks to purchase and replace assistive and mobile technology
  
• $275,000 to the Drew Lewis Foundation to renovate six homes purchased in the Grant Beach area for individuals at or below 200% FPG or Zone 1 area citizens
  
• $250,000 to Drury University to preserve and renovate the Benton Avenue African Methodist Episcopal Church and Civil Rights Museum
  
• $60,000 to Dynamic Strides Therapy to cover the salary of one new employee
  
• $300,000 to the Ebenezer Historical Society to rebuild a one-room schoolhouse into a community center
  
• $32,000 to the Fair Grove Historical and Preservation Society to preserve a historical area including retaining wall repair, pavilion lighting, and construct rail fencing
  
• $158,845.65 to the Family Violence Center (Harmony House) to add an Outreach Victim Advocate to work in partnership with the Republic Police Department and fund initial startup costs including furniture and equipment
  
• $352,928 to the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch to assist with the construction of a 36,000 square foot donation center to help older youth aging out of foster care by providing furniture, appliances, and other home essentials
  
• $100,000 to I Pour Life to fund the ‘LifeStrengths’ program for at-risk youth
  
• $133,000 to the James River Basin Partnership (additional partnership with three other organizations) to develop a homeowner education program and replace up to 15 septic systems
  
• $187,000 to the Lost & Found Grief Center to expand existing services, provide on-campus grief support groups and grief education, and increase staff education
  
• $150,000 to Mercy Hospital to expand its behavioral health program
  
• $100,000 to Missouri State University to expand and renovate Blunt Hall
  
• $75,000 to NAMI of Southwest Missouri to hire one additional staff member for one year
  
• $45,000 to New Growth Ministries International Church to expand its ‘Practical Needs’ program by upgrading the kitchen and offer dedicated case managers for household assistance
  
• $184,926.76 to North Point Church to cover costs of the Dream Center Academy, RISE, and other adult education and stability programs
  
• $105,000 to SeniorAge Area Agency on Aging to purchase a freezer truck to deliver meals to seniors
  
• $45,000 to the Springfield Regional Arts Council for overhead costs of the Creamery Arts Center and technology, transportation, and equipment costs for community events
  
• $390,995 to the Gillioz Center for Arts & Entertainment to replace failing HVAC equipment with ultraviolet sanitizing light systems
  
• $91,971.59 to The Victim Center to hire a full-time adult therapist to address a waitlist
  
• $150,000 to the United Way of the Ozarks to create the Springfield-area Talent Attraction & Retention (STAR) Project to increase workforce and talent attraction capacity
  
• $50,000 to the Vietnam War Memorial (American Legion Post 639) for building maintenance including improving floors, kitchen, parking lighting, and wiring
  
• $40,000 to the Vision Rehabilitation Center of the Ozarks to replenish the benevolence fund for specialty vision services

One hundred eligible nonprofits applied for county ARPA funds totaling $21,713,454.68 in requests, the county said in a news release.
ARPA funds are designed to help with recovery efforts of organizations and small businesses that were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the county said.

The county used federal ARPA guidelines to determine award eligibility. Nonprofits had to be located and serve citizens in Greene County and must have experienced an impact by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Greene County has received a total of $56.9 million in ARPA funds to support recovery efforts from the pandemic.

All ARPA funds must be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024 and all projects funded by the county must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.