Springfield nonprofit appoints director in partnership with CPO

A Springfield financial adviser's nonprofit has named its first director as part of a new agreement with Community Partnership of the Ozarks Inc.

Borrow My Angel, founded by Chuck Dow of Synergy Wealth Solutions Inc., now is under CPO’s fiscal administration, said Chris Davis, vice president of prevention and youth support at CPO.

Christopher Bell, suicide prevention coordinator for CPO, has been appointed as director of Borrow My Angel in a dual role that's part of the newly formed partnership, Davis said.

Borrow My Angel maintains its board of directors led by Dow, its chair, while CPO is providing in-kind space, equipment and other back-end support, as well as coordination and implementation support of its programming and daily operations.

Dow established Borrow My Angel as a 501(c)(3) in 2018 to bring encouragement and resources to people impacted by depression or a suicidal crisis, according to a news release. Springfield Business Journal previously reported the concept was based on a song Dow wrote to his late sister in 2010, when “she was at one of her lowest points in her battle with mental illness and depression."

“Community Partnership has worked with us for years on our signature fundraiser and awareness event, Drive Out the Stigma, along with other capacity-building and awareness initiatives," Dow said in the release. "Through this new agreement, we will develop and implement a more comprehensive strategic plan that will expand our efforts and create more positive impact around the incredibly important areas of mental health awareness and suicide prevention."