Republic Community Foundation bestows $12,500 in grants

The Republic Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awarded four grants totaling $12,500 to Republic organizations dedicated to supporting middle school students living in the Republic area. The four organizations were: Republic Middle School, People Helping People, Destiny Church, and the University of Missouri Outreach Extension. All of the grants were presented on Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Republic Middle School received a grant of $5,000, which was presented during the school’s Winter Pep Assembly. The middle school also received a $500 Active, Balanced Lifestyle grant from the Republic McDonald’s. According to a posting on the school’s website, the funds will be used to “establish after-school clubs, programs, and activities for our middle school students.”
The foundation also awarded a $2,000 grant to People Helping People, an organization dedicated to “providing for the children and the families of the Republic-area community.” The organization has a food pantry that families in a crisis can access up to three times a year, and a clothing bank where those in need can shop for clothes once-a-month, free of charge. Additionally, People Helping People supports Tiger Totes, a backpack program which provides food for school children over the weekend, a school supply drive, and a Christmas assistance program, where families in need are adopted by donors to provide gifts for children and are also provided a food basket from the pantry.
A grant of $4,100 went to the University of Missouri Outreach Extension. MU Extension supports area youth through their 4-H program, including the Jot-Em-Down 4-H Club in Republic.
Finally, there was a grant of $1,400 awarded to Destiny Church of Republic. The church has five groups, including Destiny Youth and Destiny Kids.
Giving is nothing new to the Republic Community Foundation. In the 2018 Fiscal Year, they gave out more than $16,000 in grants, including $5,500 to People Helping People; $3,500 for the Tiger Totes program and $2,000 for operating expenses, $1,500 for Pharm Help, and $1,100 to the Republic Pregnancy Care Center. They also gave out a total of $4,725 to Republic Schools, including $700 to the Republic FCCLA, $1,000 to the Republic Tiger Pride Band Boosters, $500 for the ROAR Run, and $1,600 for the McCulloch Leadership Team.