Lost & Found raising funds for new headquarters

Lost & Found Grief Center officials were on hand at Askinosie Chocolate this morning to announce a $2.1 million capital campaign to raise funds for a consolidated center.

Over $1.2 million has been pledged toward the campaign, which would fund the purchase and renovation of a 9,000-square-foot commercial building at 1555 S. Glenstone Ave. The facility would consolidate the organization’s services and more than double the nonprofit’s current space in two buildings at 1006 N. Cedarbrook Ave. and 2840 E. Chestnut Expressway.

“We’ve now reached a place where we’re in two different facilities. We need to join all of that under one roof. We need additional space to grow,” said Karen Scott, executive director and co-founder of the nonprofit with Shawn Askinosie of Askinosie Chocolate.

Scott said the capital campaign would allow the organization to add services for families dealing with terminal illness.

Owned by Warren Davis Properties, the vacant Glenstone property under contract by Lost & Found has a 2014 taxable appraised value of $$722,000, according to the Greene County assessor’s website. The asking price on WarrenDavisProperties.com is $1.25 million.

The campaign represents the largest in the 14-year-old grief support organization’s history. Gifts so far include a $250,000 donation from the family of John Gentry, president of Positronic Industries Inc.; $600,000 in pledges and donations from the Lost & Found Board of Directors; and a $100,000 challenge pledge from Bill and Virginia Darr. At the news conference this morning, Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks presented a $25,000 grant.

“We are more than 60 percent on our way to meeting that goal,” said Gentry, who is co-chairing the campaign committee with Richard Walters of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP. “Today is kind of our coming out, our announcement to the public. We, of course, need to procure that remaining 40 percent, so we’ll be going to the community for that money.”

Founded in 2001, Lost & Found provides free grief counseling for children in 20 southwest Missouri counties. Board Chairman Tom Singleton said this morning the move would allow the organization to double the amount of children it serves to 500.