One Good Turn

Those in need often turn to nonprofits for help, but where can nonprofits go when they could use a helping hand? In Springfield, many turn to barbecue.

The Rotary Clubs of Springfield Missouri hosted the 16th-annual Rock‘n Ribs BBQ Festival April 24-25 at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. The Kansas City BBQ Society-sanctioned competition with 75 teams and tunes from local bands are the icing on the cake for the event’s true mission: helping local children’s charities.

“Sixteen years ago, we rallied three Rotary clubs to start the event; it’s continued to grow ever since,” said Brett Sheets, Rock’n Ribs committee chairman and a member of the Rotary Club of North Springfield. “None of us could do it on our own, but the seven of us working together can help a lot of people.”

The 2014 event raised $140,000, bringing the event’s 15-year total to $1.4 million.

According to nonprofit database GuideStar, there are more than 1 million 501(c)3 organizations nationwide, each with different needs. Donations from the public and grants from private foundations provide financial support, but no charity can survive solely on deep pockets and a worthwhile mission. Area leaders say nonprofits need the help of other nonprofits to survive, and in some cases, owe them their very existence.

Service above self
Area Rotary clubs are well known for hosting the annual barbecue event, but Springfield Metro Rotary President Becky Spain said it’s not about the recognition.

“You can get a lot done if nobody cares who gets credit for it,” she said. “It takes down a lot of barriers.”

Benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, Great Circle, Boy Scouts of America, Good Samaritan Boys Ranch, Harmony House, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Ozarks Regional YMCA, proceeds are split evenly among the organizations. Julie Conway, director of development and public relations for Good Samaritan Boys Ranch and a Springfield Metro Rotary member, said last year the boy’s home collected $20,000, bringing its total since 2003 to more than $200,000 from the event.

“All charities need help,” she said. “Why should Rotary duplicate services when it can simply help support the great charities we have in place already?

“I think this event says a lot about our community. Look at the impact we can make when we all work together.”

Spain said Metro Rotary also has partnered with nonprofits, such as One Sole Purpose, to support the club’s signature organization, McGregor Elementary.

“We were able to provide a new pair of shoes and three pairs of socks for each child,” she said. “We paid for half, and One Sole Purpose paid for half. Together, I hope we made a difference for those kids.”

Nonprofit startups
Beyond helping fundraise, one Springfield nonprofit actually is helping start entirely new nonprofit organizations.

Based on the Junior League of Springfield’s redefined mission focusing on child abuse and neglected prevention, Isabel’s House was born in 2007.

“We wanted to focus our efforts and fill an unmet need in the community,” JLS President Katie Moore said of the crisis nursery. “We worked with a lot of community partners to make this happen.”

JLS partnered with Burrell Behavioral Health, the city of Springfield, CoxHealth, Community Partnership of the Ozarks, Missouri State University, Mercy, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and United Way of the Ozarks on the project.

Isabel’s House now functions with its own board of directors – of which two JLS members sit on – and according to its website has helped more than 2,300 children and roughly 1,000 families since its inception.

“All nonprofits start out of a need,” Moore said, noting JLS has given more than $4 million to the Springfield area. “By recognizing those needs in our community, we can help.”[[In-content Ad]]