Mt. Vernon Community Foundation announces local grant recipients

More than $53K to be distributed to area organizations thanks to generous non-profit affiliate
 The Mt. Vernon Area Community Foundation will celebrate Apple Butter Makin’ Days by handing out $53,939 to 16 local entities providing help in feeding, clothing and serving the less fortunate.
The money, which will be presented Oct. 11, nearly equals last year’s total of $54,043.
It also brings the grand total awarded by the foundation since 2006 to $222,214.
Bethany Patterson, president of the foundation’s board of directors, noted that a donation of more than $1 million to the foundation’s grant making account by the late R.C. and Pat Downing of Halltown has ballooned the amount of money given in the past three years.
Besides Patterson, the foundation’s board of directors includes vice president Steve Fairchild, treasurer Joey Orr, secretary Micki Turner, and members Jim Parnell, Tom Wilks, Marie Short, Sherry Rouner and Max Springer.
The foundation received 20 grant applications this year. Three members of the board, Turner, Rouner and Orr, picked up and organized the applications, making it easier for the entire board to award the grants on Sept. 13.
The 2019 Community Foundation grants in the following amounts are being awarded as follows:
- Mt. Vernon Community Garden for a storage shed, $750;
- Lawrence County Historical Society to help rehab the 1868 county jail, $1,000;
- Mt. Vernon Church of Christ for a clothing/blanket giveaway, $1,500;
- Covenant Baptist Church for the Cleaning Closet, $4,000;
- St. Susanne’s Catholic Church for its food pantry, $8,600;
- Lifebridge Assembly of God Church for the Holiday Central toy giveaway at Christmas, $5,000;
- Emergency Services for Children for its program for Mt. Vernon R-5 children, $7,589;
- Lawrence County Health Department for septic inspections and water well testing, $2,000;
 - Mt. Vernon Community Betterment for building a skate park, $1,000;
- Miller Christian Service Center for its Christmas food baskets and a backpack program, $5,000;
- Halltown Baptist Church for its King’s Renew car repair program, $4,000;
- First Presbyterian Church for its Diaper Pantry, $1,000
- Mt. Vernon Church of Christ for its wheelchair ramp program, $3,000;
- Mt. Vernon R-5 School District’s Summit after-school program, $3,000;
- Mt. Vernon First United Methodist Church for its backpack program, $2,500.
- Mt. Vernon Elementary School for playground equipment, $4,000;
The local foundation is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in Springfield. It operates the license bureau in Mt. Vernon.