April 1, 2020 — The Community Foundation of the Ozarks, Community Partnership of the Ozarks and United Way of the Ozarks are working together to convene nonprofit agency partners and coordinate the nonprofit community’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Springfield and Greene County.

This collaboration of Springfield’s “Philanthropy Row” represents more than 200 nonprofit agency partners serving Springfield and Greene County. The headquarters of all three organizations are located near Jefferson Avenue and East Trafficway in downtown Springfield.

The CFO, CPO and UWO are continuously surveying the needs of their nonprofit agency partners and have published a list of immediate needs, including funding, supplies and volunteer services. To learn more, visit helpozarks.springfieldmo.gov and click on the “Nonprofit Immediate Needs” button. The list can be accessed directly at cfozarks.org/immediateneeds or uwozarks.org.

Community support is critical for local nonprofits, which are experiencing and reacting to an unprecedented increase in demand for services while being unable to host traditional fundraisers. Because the needs of nonprofit agency partners will change throughout the response and recovery to the public health emergency, the list of needs will continue to be updated.

“We are proud to partner with CFO and CPO, and we are fully focused on supporting our partner agencies that are on the front lines responding to COVID-19 and the impact on our most vulnerable citizens,” said Greg Burris, President and CEO of United Way of the Ozarks. “We will get through this only by working together.”

The presidents of the three organizations — Brian Fogle of the CFO, Janet Dankert of CPO and Greg Burris of UWO — meet via a daily conference call to assess agency partner needs and identify collaborative solutions. In additional to creating the combined list of immediate needs, the CFO, CPO and UWO have these current priorities:

• Strongly encouraging landlords to cease evictions from rental housing at this time. With homeless services already strained, keeping individuals and families in their current housing can mitigate additional demands on agencies.
• Approaching local information technology companies to discuss nonprofit needs related to remote service delivery.
• Encouraging citizens to reach out family, friends and remote co-workers on a regular basis to reduce the effects of social isolation.
• Requesting donations of money, supplies and volunteer services. Donations can be made to:
  • The CFO’s COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund: www.cfozarks.org/supportCOVID19fund
  • CPO’s additional needs for agency partners: www.cpozarks.org/covid19
  • United Way of the Ozarks’ Coronavirus Response Fund: www.uwozarks.org or text SGFresponds to 41444
• Developing a series of “how to” videos to teach community members how to do various activities from home.
• Developing a series of webinar-style videos to assist nonprofit leaders in navigating the unprecedented environment created by the pandemic.
• Engaging the faith community to help address the most critical needs of local nonprofits, including supply shortages and the mental and spiritual health of the community.