People Are Awesome: CFO extends deadline to apply for $1.7 million in scholarships

Linda Leicht
·7 min read

93-year-old volunteer honored

Volunteers are key to helping Ozarks Food Harvest sort more than 100,000 pounds of food per week to sent to a network of 270 faith-based and community charities across 28 counties.

But one of those volunteers has made an unmeasurable difference. At 93 years old, Don Landon has contributed more than 2,000 hours of service in the past seven years.

The Food Bank’s staff honored Landon with a short ceremony as his name was moved to the 2,000-hour branch of the Charles Foltz Gift of Time Tree. The tree was named in honor of Foltz, a long-time OFH volunteer, and is used to honor individuals who have contributed 1,000 or more hours of service.

Anyone interested in volunteering can apply and schedule sessions online at ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer. For volunteer program questions, contact volunteer recruitment coordinator Dillion Smith at 417-865-3411.

CFO extends scholarship deadline

Students across the region now have until April 14 to apply for $1.7 million in scholarships administered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. The CFO extended the deadline to accommodate students who have experienced delays related to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Students can begin the process at cfozarks.org/applyforscholarships.

This year, students will complete the CFO’s new universal application, allowing them to more efficiently apply for scholarship opportunities. The universal application is a comprehensive online form with a series of questions unique to each student. Based on their responses, the universal application will pair students with the scholarship opportunities for which they qualify. The new system will save students time while identifying scholarships they might not have known about.

In addition to scholarships for graduating seniors, the CFO has opportunities for current college students and students attending technical or graduate programs. Amounts range from $200 to $10,000, with many scholarships renewable for two to four years.

The CFO holds about 480 scholarship funds that will provide about 900 scholarships for students across central and southern Missouri for the 2024-25 school year. Scholarship funds are established by individuals, families or organizations with a wide range of intentions, such as supporting students who graduate from the donor’s alma mater or pursue a certain field of study.

Information about the CFO’s scholarship opportunities and application process is available at cfozarks.org/scholarships.

Eat lunch, learn a lot

The public is invited to a “Lunch-and-Learn” event April 5 to learn about Elevate Entrepreneurs, a program of Elevate Branson.

The event is sponsored by the city of Branson, the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation and Transformation Ozarks. Genesis Eakes with the Maxwell Leadership Foundation, will be the featured speaker.

The session and lunch costs $15. Only 100 spots are available.

The event will take place 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Branson Chamber at 4100 Gretna Road.

To register, visit https://elevatebranson.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/elevatebranson/eventRegistration.jsp?event=133&.

Elevate Work session starts March 25

The next Elevate Work session begins March 25. The classes meet weekly 6-8 p.m, with dinner served at 5 p.m.

Evening sessions include free transportation, child care and dinner.

The nine-week session is free, with a $20 application fee.

To learn more, contact Donna Monkey at donna.mcconkey@elevatebranson.org.

Evangel students take service trips

More than 160 Evangel University students, faculty, and staff have or will participate in service trips to a variety of locations throughout the 2024 spring and summer semesters. Of the 19 experiences sponsored by Evangel’s Global Cultures & Compassion program, four are domestic and 15 are international. Service and learning trips are a core component to the Evangel academic experience. Four of the international experiences took place over Evangel’s spring break.

A group of 10 students participated in a six-team women's flag football tournament through the Catalonia Federation of American Football (FCFA) in Spain, and volunteered in different areas at the International Church of Barcelona.

Also in Spain, a group of nine Evangel students partnered with Malaga International Church to prepare a new church building for the English-speaking community. Four Evangel students worked and trained alongside refugees in Cyprus to receive certification with the Specialty Coffee Association. As part of the experience, students raised the funds needed to cover the cost of the refugees’ training. This certification will allow the refugees to secure future employment in the coffee industry where their families eventually settle.

Seventeen members of Heartsong, EU’s traveling worship team, performed in 10 services during an eight-day period in Rome and outlying areas, served in an outreach event and provided educational assistance in worship workshops and coaching sessions. Additional trips included an LA Films experience; Washington, D.C., studies; as well as Alaska, Cambodia, Vietnam, Europe, Costa Rica and more.

SDC Foundation helps students

Through Silver Dollar City Foundation’s Care For Kids grant during the 2022-2023 school year, Kirbyville School District was able to: meet 146 medical, vision and dental needs; assist six families with rent, utilities or transportation needs; provide clothing or shoes to 38 children; provide financial assistance for school activities for six students; provide school supplies to 50 students; and made food available to take home on the weekends for 223 children.

In addition to Care For Kids funds, Silver Dollar City Foundation has provided a Hope Grant to Kirbyville for the past two years. The district uses the funds to help offset the cost of their preschool, reducing the cost to families to just $5 a day per child. Before the grant, parents often couldn’t afford to send their children on a daily basis and now the preschool stays full.

Through Care For Kids funds and the partnership with the 14 Stone and Taney county school districts, Silver Dollar City Foundation was able to provide funding to meet more than 4,000 needs of children and families last school year. Each school district also had the opportunity to apply for Hope Grant funds to be used to best meet each district’s individual needs.

To learn more about Silver Dollar City Foundation, visit SilverDollarCityFoundation.com.

Arvest awards grants in Branson

Arvest associates recently presented Branson area organizations with $35,000 in total grants on behalf of the Arvest Foundation.

In total, eight area organizations received funding during the last six months, including:

  • Elevate Branson for the organization’s Go Green Initiative to install solar panels at its main building;

  • Hollister School Foundation to help fund the school’s book vending machine program;

  • Faith Community Health Center to purchase pediatric care items;

  • Skaggs Foundation to be used for the Helping Hands Grants;

  • Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks to support operating costs for the organization’s afterschool and summer programs;

  • Chances of Stone County to be used for the Club DayBreak Program

  • Unite Table Rock Lake for various support; and

  • Reeds Spring School Foundation for various support.

Head Start kids get new shoes

Shoes from the Heart and Homestate Health teamed up to give new shoes to Stewart Head Start kids. State Rep. Crystal Quade joined in, helping kids try on their shoes.

Shoes from the Heart, a non-profit organization headquartered in Macon has ensured that at-risk children have access to new shoes since its inception in 2012 and has expanded its reach to encompass every county in Missouri and 21 additional states across the nation.

By providing new shoes to the children of Stewart Head Start, Shoes from the Heart and Homestate Health aim to uplift spirits and empower young minds as they embark on their educational journey. Rep. Quade’s involvement highlights the importance of community partnerships in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations and fostering a brighter future for all.

To learn more, visit shoesfromtheheart.org.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: People Are Awesome: CFO extends scholarship application deadline