Donald Dodd - Publisher
Phelps County Community Foundation is creating a buzz around the community. We have published a few stories in our print and online editions and have a series of posts on social media to help educate the public on exactly what PCCF is. Stories like this take a while to catch on, so you may or may not know that the organization, a couple months shy of a year old, is already having an impact.
PCCF spent an enormous amount of time putting together a Phelps County Community Impact Report that assesses strengths and challenges. The report will be unveiled at its kickoff and fundraising banquet Jan. 31. PCCF has already made donations or worked on several causes, including some that will have a positive impact on law enforcement and education. You will read more about those in future editions of Phelps County Focus in print and online.
So, what is Phelps County Community Foundation, you ask?
The best description I have heard so far is from one of the board members, who says it is “like United Way on steroids.”
That’s a pretty good way to put it. There used to be a United Way of Phelps County that served Rolla, St. James, Newburg and Edgar Springs. United Way didn’t undertake many projects, they mostly raised money and funded organizations and projects that could not – or at least had a hard time – raising funds on their own. A volunteer board of directors oversaw the strategic direction of United Way, which was a part of the community for over 50 years.
United Way was built on the belief that “together, we can accomplish more than any individual or organization can alone,” they used to say.
That sounds a lot like today’s Phelps County Community Foundation.
The impetus for PCCF came from the TKD Foundation, created by Kim and the late Ted Day to, as TKD’s mission states, “help people through charitable giving in areas of community, education, healthcare and entrepreneur/non-profit incubator projects.”
A bunch of meetings and roundtables occurred beginning in February 2022, and months later PCCF was created with a similar mission. In March of 2023, the first board meeting of the PCCF was held.
PCCF organizers reached out to Community Foundation of the Ozarks to create a funders collaboration in Phelps County to not only raise funds, but have a means to distribute them. Clearly and simply put, PCCF is here to raise funds and distribute them to those in need.
Its mission statement: “The mission of the Phelps County Community Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.”
PCCF funds are under the Meramec Regional Community Foundation, meaning donations are tax-deductible and ensuring administration through Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
The Phelps County Impact Report mentioned earlier will be a blueprint for how funds are used.
“As the Phelps County Community Impact Report is unveiled, it's not just a document; it's a blueprint for the future, a reflection of the community's hopes and challenges, and a roadmap for collective action,” according to PCCF.
That impact report will be released at the Jan. 31 kickoff banquet and then on the PCCF’s website. The banquet is set for 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Lions Club Den. The banquet is more than a fundraiser. It is setting a course, garnering support, educating the community on what PCCF can do and plans to do.
The report provides a report card to the community, highlights strengths and weaknesses, tells a broad picture of the overall community and offers opportunity for improvement, according to PCCF. No doubt the report will also help guide the board in how to distribute funds raised. The board consists of president Marla Stevenson, chair elect Ben Tipton, secretary Richard Cavender, treasurer Kim Day and board members Mike Woessner, Tracy Jenkins, John Money, Lorrie Hartley, Nate Cohen, Bonnie Prigge and myself.
To learn more about the Phelps County Community Foundation, go to phelpscountycommunityfoundation.org. To contact someone with PCCF email information@phelpscountycommunityfoundation.org, fill out the contact form on the website or call (573) 426-4220.
