Kraft, Foster honored for philanthropy

The Association of Fundraising Professionals Ozarks Region Chapter recognized businesses, nonprofits and individuals with awards during its Nov. 18 National Philanthropy Day at Highland Springs Country Club.

Award winners were:

• Kraft Foods Inc., Corporation of the Year;
• Roy W. Slusher Foundation, Foundation of the Year;
• Bill R. Foster, Philanthropist of the Year;
• Bonnie Bell, Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year;
• 417 Magazine, Outstanding Media Organization of the Year; and
• Dr. Patricia Dix of CoxHealth, Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation’s Child Health Advocate of the Year.

“Kraft Foods and the Slusher Foundation are instrumental partners in the fight against hunger in southwest Missouri,” said Denise Gibson, development and communications director at Ozarks Food Harvest, in a news release. Ozarks Food Harvest nominated both organizations for the awards.

The Slusher Foundation has supported Ozarks Food Harvest for more than 15 years, while Kraft Foods has donated more than 1.3 million pounds of food to the nonprofit since 1995, according to the release.

Foster, a multidecade Springfield businessman, community activist and entrepreneur, this year has had his name fixed to the Bill R. Foster and Family Recreation Center at Missouri State University, following a significant, undisclosed donation to the project. Foster also was named Springfieldian of the Year in 2009.

Dix, who serves on the CoxHealth board of directors, is a perinatologist at the Regional Perinatal Center of CoxHealth. She also won the Missourian of the Year Award in 2009, according to her Web site.

Bell of Meyer Communications has been active with Springfield Workshop Inc., an organization that works to form relationships with area businesses to provide jobs for people with disabilities. Bell, who was named one of Springfield Business Journal's 2008 Most Influential Women, also has had involvement with Students in Free Enterprise, from which she received an award for being the most supportive board member.

417 Magazine, published by Whitaker Publishing, has more than 120,00 readers in southwest Missouri and provides coverage of the arts, dining, fashion, travel and individual profiles, according to its Web site.
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