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News Release
Date: May 1, 2008
For Release: May 5-9, 2008
Greensburg Future Fund
Assists Rebuilding Efforts
Within hours of the May 4, 2007 Greensburg tornado, South Central Community Foundation (SCCF) established the Greensburg Future Fund (GFF) for the purpose of helping Greensburg rebuild their community. “We recognized that many organizations were providing disaster relief for Greensburg,” said Jack Galle, chairman of the SCCF Board of Directors. “However, this fund was different because it was designed to accept charitable donations for rebuilding. Donors were given the option of directing their gifts to education, healthcare or community rebuilding. As of April 15, 2008, “Donations from across the United States, even Norway, have totaled $ 930,308,” reported Denise Unruh, SCCF Executive Director.
The South Central Community Foundation was the appropriate organization to help donors reach their charitable goals for Greensburg. “Since SCCF had been in place for 13 years, out-of-state donors had confidence that the Foundation would use 100% of the donations for Greensburg as promised,” Unruh explained. SCCF covers seven counties including Kiowa County. Galle noted, “We were pleased to be in a position to act quickly while the nation was focused on Greensburg and people were eager to help.”
The Greensburg Future Fund Committee is composed of Kim Alderfer, City of Greensburg; Chris Ballard and Monica Hayse, Kiowa County SCCF Board Members; Stacy Derstein, Education; Kelly Gindlesberger, South Central Kansas Tornado Recovery Organization; Mitzi Hesser, Healthcare; Randy Kelly, Business; Fred and Nancy Kerr, former SCCF Board Members; and Denise Unruh, SCCF Executive Director. This committee quickly established guidelines for requesting funds from the Greensburg Future Fund and were given the authority to disperse grants of less than $50,000. By June 2007 funds were being granted to assist with demolition expense.
Another role of SCCF is to bring people together and to work with other agencies in addressing community needs, including the South Central Kansas Tornado Recovery Organization and the Public Square Steering Committee. SCCF helped provide and serve a meal for the June 28, 2007 Community Visioning meeting in Davis Park. On February 5 and 6, 2008 a national conference was hosted in Greensburg. Many hours were devoted to planning and helping present the Greensburg Resource Conference with USDA Rural Development. This conference helped identify all available recovery assistance to support the Greensburg area’s recovery and to assist in cooperative efforts.
Following is a list of grants made from the Greensburg Future Fund as of
April 15, 2008:
|
Mennonite Disaster Service - Demolition Expense |
$10,000 |
|
|
South Central Kansas Tornado Recovery Organization (SCKTRO) Clean-up Efforts |
10,000 |
|
|
Community Visioning Retreat Meeting Expenses |
2,549 |
|
|
Mennonite Disaster Service - Building Materials for Homes for Low Income Families |
65,000 |
|
|
Kiowa County Memorial Hospital Office Equipment |
3,330 |
|
|
USD #422 |
||
|
Counseling Materials |
602 |
|
|
Laptop Computer Cases |
3,500 |
|
|
Track Equipment |
3,000 |
|
| Watertower |
12,500 |
|
|
Make A Difference Day #1 |
396 |
|
|
South West Nursery - Park landscaping |
1,500 |
|
|
Colorblends - Park landscaping |
925 |
|
|
Kiowa County Fair Expenses |
3,000 |
|
|
Sonshine & Rainbows Childcare Center Temporary Facility |
14,805 |
|
|
City of Greensburg Business Incubator Land |
158,000 |
|
|
Park Landscaping |
1,596 |
|
|
Main Street Conference |
871 |
|
|
Delmer Day Elementary – 6th Grade |
500 |
|
|
South Central Kansas Tornado Recover Organization |
|
|
|
Salaries and Expenses |
10,000 |
|
|
Administrative Expenses |
22,000 |
|
|
Greensburg Resource Conference |
2,112 |
|
|
5-4-7 Arts Center of Greensburg |
65,000 |
|
|
Three Suburbans for USD #422 (funded by General Motors) |
123,686 |
|
|
Lighthouse Worship Center Emergency Fund |
2,946 |
|
|
Youth For Christ Building |
15,000 |
|
| Total |
$532,818 |
|
Another $ 172,500 has been committed for projects, but not yet granted. SCCF is proud of the recovery efforts made by the people of Greensburg and the surrounding area affected by the May 4 tornado. The citizens of Greensburg have made good decisions for their future in the most difficult year of their lives. There will be on-going needs in the Greensburg area.
Donations may continue to be made to the Greensburg Future Fund, P.O. Box 8624, Pratt, KS 67124. The Greensburg Endowment Fund has also been established and the previously established Kiowa County Endowment Fund continues to grow. An added benefit for donations to the Greensburg or Kiowa County Endowment Funds is that for every $2 donated through December 31, 2008, the Kansas Health Foundation will donate $1 for the SCCF Kiowa County Children’s Fund. An endowment fund is a permanent fund whose assets are invested to generate income every year forever to be used by the beneficiary nonprofit organization(s). Donations are eligible for charitable income tax deductions. The total amount contributed to the Greensburg Endowment Fund currently stands at $ 35,017, the Kiowa County Endowment Fund has $ 51,500 and the Kiowa County Children’s Endowment Fund has $ 43,881.
For additional information, please call SCCF at (620) 672-7929 or e-mail: sccf@southcentralcommunityfoundation.com.
Would you like to contribute online? Click here!
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107 West Second/ PO Box 8624
Pratt, KS 67124
(620) 672-7929
Fax: (620) 672-7669