COMO | The Impact Issue 2023

N OVE MBER 2023 | T HE I MPACT ISSU E | A PU B L ICATION OF TH E COM O COM PA N IE S

W E N DY WIEDERHOLD Impact COMO award recipient for Most Impactful Board Member with True North

THE IMPACT ISSUE

Join Columbia Orthopaedic Group and Welcome Home in our goal to

HELP

Monthly pledges provide a stable and predictable source of funding, enabling us to plan and expand our programs efficiently and effectively. You can choose an amount that comfortably fits your budget, ensuring that your support is consistent and reliable.

OUR

Regular contributions allow us to implement sustainable initiatives that create lasting change in the lives of Veterans and their families we serve.

MISSION

Welcome Home works to Honor Veterans and restore lives, with a vision to end Veteran homelessness.

ENDURe

Your generous support will directly provide safe and stable, shelter, permanent housing, employment services, access to healthcare and other benefits, and other critical wrap-around supportive services for at-risk and homeless Veterans, offering them a chance to rebuild their lives.

Help can’t wait when you are facing homelessness.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO CHANGE LIVES

BY BECOMING A MONTHLY DONOR! A $100 monthly gift will cover hot, wellbalanced meals for one Veteran each month.

Minimum monthly commitment of $20 to receive a t-shirt.

A $50 monthly gift will cover critical transportation needs to the VA, job interviews, and housing searches for our Veterans for three months.

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Meet the MU Health Care Cardiothoracic Team The MU Health Care cardiothoracic team has shared vision and passion, as well as individual drives for the way they approach healthcare, their teams, and their personal interests.

Here’s a brief look at those shared and individual interests.

John Markley MD Division Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery The cardiopulmonary physiology is intuitive, operations can have powerful positive effects on survival and quality of life, and the field is constantly evolving to the benefit of the patients.

We partner not only with the entire care team, but specifically with you, our patient to ensure you have all the tools for success. Some of our new treatments include Impella 5.5 for failing hearts, allowing more patients to have surgical options and more patients to be treated, and state of the art TEER repair.

When I’m not caring for our patients, I enjoy being involved in veterans’ affairs, fitness, hi-end home audio/theater, target shooting, and taking care of my yard.

Lindsey Saint MD Assistant Professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery Surgery is magic! I consider myself lucky to be part of a field that not only offers patients an improved quality of life - a chance to actually feel better! - but also a measurable mortality benefit with each and every intervention we perform.

We leverage the expertise and experience of a variety of cardiovascular subspecialists in a synergistic, patientcentered approach that optimizes outcomes for each individual patient.

We are an institution that not only prioritizes excellent patient care, but also pushes the boundaries of current treatment options through research and education.

On a personal note, my husband is the single best human being I know. We have a beautiful, blended family with four awesome kids, two enthusiastic dogs, and two ambivalent cats.

Lindsay Tyrer Physician Assistant, Cardiothoracic Surgery Patients with cardiac diseases often suffer distressing symptoms that impair

Scan the QR code or visit our website: muhealth.org/conditions-treatments/heart-vascular-care/cardiothoracic-surgery for

their quality of life. This coupled with the fear of having a life-threatening cardiac event make our patients extremely vulnerable. I love getting to work with amazing surgeons and cardiologists to get our patients on a path to living longer healthier lives.

The best part of our team is the collaboration between everyone. We are a small but mighty team that is always willing to help each other, no matter the task.

When a patient comes to MU Health for treatment of a cardiac disease requiring surgery, they can expect quality care from start to finish. They will have a large team of healthcare workers teaming up to help them reach their goals and get them back to living their best life.

I’m not originally from here, but I love Columbia and could not imagine working or living anywhere else. Outside of work, I enjoy cheering on our Mizzou Tigers and sailing with my husband around various lakes in Missouri.

Ivy Tobin Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Cardiothoracic Surgery Teamwork, flexibility, and camaraderie are the best aspects of our team.

Patients can expect to have the best and most skilled cardiac surgery team when they have their heart cared for at MU Health Care.

We have a new chief of CT surgery and a new cardiac surgeon, together with our chief’s leadership and their combined skills, we will transform the cardiac program and the way we care for our patients. We have APPs that have positive attributes and goals to give the best care for our patients.

My husband tells me that my hobby is working. But that happens when you love your job, right? I have a good size

vegetable garden and flower garden as well that I do maintain every spring, summer, and fall. I also love to cook

Olivia Hopkins Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Cardiothoracic Surgery I’ve always been interested in challenging myself and having an exciting career. I picked cardiac surgery because I know the impact I could have when it came to saving people’s loved ones or prolonging someone’s life. The heart is what keeps a person going and I’ve always found it fascinating how it all works and the intricacies that go along with cardiac surgery.

Everyone has their job/role on the team. To be successful we all must move as one and not skip a step. I feel like the team always brings their “A” game and puts the patients over anything else.

I pride myself on knowing the patient.

They’re not just another surgery to me.

They’re someone’s Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, etc.

I’m also the ultimate Soccer Mom. My four daughters are all in competitive soccer. You can find me at a tournament, practice, or at a workout. I cheer loudly and love every minute of it. I also love to read, hang out with my wiener dogs, and be with my husband and kids. We love being outside or taking trips in our free time or when we have a free weekend.

Jussuf Kaifi MD Associate Professor, Thoracic Surgery I have a passion to help improve the lives of cancer patients and their families who often face a devastating diagnosis. Providing complex surgical

care for cancers of the chest is extremely satisfying and builds long-term relationships with patients and their family members that I very much enjoy.

We provide surgical care to the entire spectrum of benign and cancerous conditions of the lungs, mediastinum, esophagus, and chest wall. We tailor the best approach to the individual patient’s condition, including minimally invasive, robotically assisted and endoscopic approaches.

Outside of my work, I like watching sports and playing drums, but mostly enjoy spending time with my family, dog, and two cats.

Sebastian Wiesemann MD Assistant Professor, Thoracic Surgery Since childhood I loved working with my hands, doing woodworking, building my own skateboard ramp, etc. After finishing medical school surgery was therefore my obvious choice. After finishing my residency in general surgery, I was offered a fellowship in thoracic surgery.

Modern treatment in lung cancer is often multidisciplinary and involves not just surgery but also medical treatment like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. At MU health we have a great team of experts. We also have three robots that help us perform minimally invasive surgeries with more detailed visualization of the surgical field and easier navigation of our surgical instruments.

I manage to “get away” every morning when I take to the beautiful MKT trail to bike to the hospital, no matter what time of the year. Nothing is more fun for me than going on vacation with my family, no matter whether going on a road trip through the U.S. with our camper or on a ski vacation to the Rocky Mountains.

more information on Cardiothoracic Surgery | For appointments, call 573-884-3278 (Cardiac/Heart) or 573-884-4854 (Thoracic/Lung)

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

President Erica Pefferman | Erica@comocompanies.com

EDITORIAL

Director of Sales | Charles Bruce Charles@comocompanies.com

Editor-in-Chief | Kim Ambra Kim@comocompanies.com

OUR MISSION

Digital Editor | Jodie Jackson Jr Jodie@comocompanies.com

DESIGN Creative Director | Kate Morrow Kate@comocompanies.com Senior Designer | Jordan Watts Jordan@comocompanies.com

MARKETING Director of Account Services Amanda Melton Amanda@comocompanies.com Marketing Representative Sarah Hempelmann Shempelmann@comocompanies.com

Dr. Ashley Emel DC, CACCP, Webster Certified

Dr. Jennifer Sutherland

DC, FASA, Webster Certified

Adjusting your health in the right direction.

2516 Forum Blvd. #102 (573) 445-4444 compass-chiropractic.com

MARKETING

Publisher | Erica Pefferman Erica@comocompanies.com

Marketing Representative Becky Roberts Becky@comocompanies.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Lana Eklund, Anthony Jinson, Chris Padgett

To inspire, educate, and entertain the citizens of Columbia with quality, relevant content that reflects Columbia’s business environment, lifestyle, and community spirit.

CONTACT The COMO Companies 404 Portland, Columbia, MO 65201 (573) 499-1830 | comomag.com @wearecomomag

SUBSCRIPTIONS Magazines are $5.95 an issue.

Subscription rate is $54 for 12 issues for one year or $89 for 24 issues for two years. Subscribe at comomag.com or by phone.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Candice Ball, Beth Bramstedt, Adonica Coleman, Lauren Sable Freiman, Taylor Hill, Jodie Jackson Jr, Hoss Koetting, Amanda Long, Michelle Terhune, Jennifer Truesdale, Emmi Weiner, Dr. Brian Yearwood

KEEP AN EYE O UT FO R RECEN T IS S UES AT LO CAL STO CKISTS ARO UN D TOWN!

COMO Magazine is published every month by The COMO Companies. Copyright The COMO Companies 2023. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Letter from the Editor

Dear Local Nonprofit Heroes

T

his letter is for you. I wanted to take a moment to send you a big, heartfelt “thank you!” for all the incredible work you do in our community. You folks are like the real-life superheroes who wear capes of compassion and wield the mighty power of making a difference.

First, let me say that you have an uncanny ability to turn serious issues into moments of hilarity. Reflecting on all the nonprofit events we attended this past year, so many great moments come to mind. One in particular was Job Point’s comedy night where our own Charles Bruce made his comedy debut!

The laughter and camaraderie that night were infectious, and I am fairly sure we all discovered some fun new facts about certain members of our community.

But it’s not just the laughter; it is the warmth and togetherness you bring to our lives. The community fundraisers and galas you host have become some of my favorite moments of the year.

I also want to express my gratitude for the ways you tackle the most pressing issues in our community with grace and determination. Your food drives to combat hunger, winter coat giveaways to warm up those in need, and the educational workshops you offer are nothing short of inspiring. You take on the world’s problems with a smile and a can-do spirit, reminding us that together, we can overcome any obstacle.

Your commitment to inclusivity and diversity is truly heartwarming. The way you bring together people from all walks of life, regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs, is a testament to the strength of our community. Whether it’s a cultural festival, a panel discussion on social justice, or a community art project, you make sure that everyone’s voice is heard and valued.

You take on the world’s problems with a smile and a can-do spirit, reminding us that together, we can overcome any obstacle.

And of course, your support for local artists and musicians is something I deeply appreciate. The community art shows and music festivals you organize not only showcase incredible talent but also bring a unique sense of culture and creativity to our town.

In a world that sometimes feels a bit too serious, you all remind us that laughter, love, and community spirit are the best tools for making a better world. So, thank you, local nonprofit organizations, for being the heart and soul of our community. You are not just making our town a better place; you’re making it a place where laughter echoes in the streets, where compassion knows no bounds, and where the warmth of togetherness shines brighter than ever.

With heartfelt thanks,

ON THE COVER Wendy Wiederhold, Impact COMO award recipient for Most Impactful Board Member with True North.

Photo by Anthony Jinson

N OVEM B ER 2023 | TH E IM PACT ISSUE | A PUB LICATIO N OF THE COMO COMPA NIES

W E N DY WIEDERHOLD Impact COMO award recipient for Most Impactful Board Member with True North

XO,

KIM AMBRA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE IMPACT ISSUE

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Advisory Board

Representing Voices from All Different Walks of Life.

We take pride in representing our community well and we couldn’t do what we do without our COMO Magazine advisory board. Thank You!

Beth Bramstedt A ssociate Pastor C h r i s t i a n F e l l o w s hi p C hu rc h

Heather Brown Strategic Partnership Of ficer H a r r y S Tr u m a n VA H o s p i t a l

Kris Husted Senior Content Editor N PR M i d w e s t N e w s ro o m

Amanda Jacobs Owner J a c o b s Pro p e r t y M a n a g e m e nt

Chris Cottle Wa l k M a n a g e r A lzh e i m e r ’ s A s s o c i a t i o n G re ate r M i s s o u r i C h a p te r

Darren Morton Program Direc tor Tu r n i n g P o i nt

Sam Fleury A s s i s t a n t V i c e P r e s i d e n t , S t r ate g i c C o m m u ni c a t i o n s , C o l u m b i a C o l l e g e

Alex George Owner Sk ylark Book shop

Megan Steen C h i e f O p e r a t i n g O f f i c e r, Central Region B u r re l l B e h av i o r a l H e a l t h

E xe c u t i v e D i r e c t o r Unbound Book Fes tival Author

Chris Horn S r. R e i n s u r a n c e M a n a g e r A m e r i c a n Fa m i l y I n s u r a n c e

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

Nathan Todd Business Services Specialist F i r s t S t ate C o m m u n i t y B a n k

Jeremiah Hunter

Wende Wagner

A ssistant Police Chief C o m m a n d e r I nv e s t i g a t i o n s B u r e a u C o l u m b i a P o l i c e D e p a r t m e nt

Direc tor of Resource Development The Boys and Girls Club o f t h e C o l u m b i a A re a

COMO MAGAZ I NE

T H E IM PACT IS S U E | N OVEM BER 2023

15 EDITOR’S LETTER

16 MEET OUR ADVISORY BOARD

19 ART & CULTURE The World is Better with Music

21 COMO CREATURES Paws for Effect

23 GUEST VOICES Dr. Brian Yearwood

24 SHELTER FROM THE STORM Boone County Coalition to End Homelessness

36 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT Deep Roots

46 A CHANGE FOR GOOD The Food Bank Market

51 GUEST VOICES Cookin' with Hoss

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54 FRIENDS & FAMILY Grateful to Give Back

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GUEST VOICES Adonica Coleman

74 THE LAST WORD

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A GREEN LIGHT

IMPACT COMO 2023

With ARPA funding, several agencies will partner to tackle homelessness through the Opportunity Campus.

Recognizing the people, places, and events serving as change agents in Columbia.

COMOMAG.COM

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AN AMAZING SETTING FOR YOUR PERFECT WEDDING THE ROOF LOUNGE

KATY BALLROOM

THE CAPEN ROOM

Ranging from 280 to 2,400 square feet, our venues feature state of the art audio-visual equipment, a gorgeous atmosphere, and our professional staff to ensure your perfect experience.

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

COMO

The World is Better with Music

ART & CULTURE

In the Columbia Community Band, 'Those Who Come to Play, Love to Play.'

BY CANDIC E BALL

T

he Columbia Community Band is exactly what its name declares: the band is based in Columbia with musicians living in the community. The band's mission is a labor of personal passion and collective creative energy, connecting with and finding places for musicians who love to play, and they pride themselves on finding places for musicians who love to play — and for those who love to listen to their music.

Music director Denis Swope assumed his current role in 2020, but he’s been involved with the CCB for many years as a musician, as both a trumpet player and a percussionist.

“My high school band director, John Patterson, at the time, was music director, so I had a relationship with the band,” Swope says, explaining that his connection to and fondness for the band has grown throughout his tenure.

Terry Fetterly, CCB’s president, has been with the band since its inception. She plays the clarinet, and her husband, Gordon, plays the trumpet. They met when they were with the Mizzou marching band. A few years after getting married, the two rarely played until they were dining at a local restaurant and saw Terry's former high school band director, John Patterson at another table. Patterson invited them to join his conversation with Butch Antal, who was founding the CCB. "They said, ‘You guys should join,’ and I thought, 'That would be wonderful.'”

And it has been wonderful, she says. The band began as an adult education class through Columbia Public Schools in 1981, and its members started by taking a class and performing at rehearsals and recitals.

Ultimately, the CCB grew into its own independent organization, growing from an initial roster of about 20 volunteer musicians to a group of around 80 today.

The Fetterlys have watched the band grow, not just in number but in experience and perspective. Terry Fetterly says the oldest member of the band sits beside her in her section, at age 88 — "God, I hope I’m still playing at that age,” Fetterly says — but that there are also many young musicians. Mizzou grads often bring their own flavor to the band.

Fetterly attributes the band’s growth to its passionate directors and to the musicians who have helped the band grow, “because people love to play music,” she says. “I think it’s just because people who come to play, love to play.”

Both Swope and Fetterly say that the dynamic of ages and backgrounds is an integral part of their sound.

“It’s such a special group, and always has been,” Swope says. In his current position, he likes to choose performance pieces surrounding a theme. “Sometimes

I like to find pieces that will fit well with the ensemble, and we try to do traditional things, like marches and overtures, but I also like to throw in some new stuff, for both our band members and our audiences, so that everyone gets something new out of what they hear.”

The CCB performs a minimum of three indoor concerts every year, and it's also a staple at many local events. The concerts are always free and open to the public.

The next performance is at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 3, in the Hickman High School auditorium. The CCB also offers a scholarship for young musicians in honor of former director Keith House. The scholarship is given annually to a mid-Missouri high school student who intends to pursue participation in a band-related ensemble at the college level.

To get involved, you can apply to join the band, donate to its cause, and learn more about what the CCB does via its website.

THE COLUMBIA COMMUNIT Y BAND 573-446 -2263 columbiaband@gmail.com facebook.com/COMOCommunityBand ccbonline.org

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Give the gift of hope for a brighter future.

HO W TO

GIVE & GET BACPK NA TAX CREDITS WITH

MA KE A GI FT e 0 or mor

n of $50 Make a qualified donatio ember 31, 2023 Dec ore bef nt to Job Poi

67,572 families have been lifted out of extreme poverty in Bangladesh since 2004.

2

Learn more at psdintl.org

MA KE AN IMP AC T access to Your gift ensures everyone has educational and vocational opportunities at Job Point.

TAKE A BREAK

A tax break that is! You can get a tax credit for 50% of your gift toward your Missouri State Income Taxes.

psdintl.org info@psdintl.org

(573) 474-8560 | info@jobpoint.org

Join us!

Spring 2024 Girls on the Run season starts midFebruary with our season ending with a 5k on May 11th!

We are looking for coaches, sponsors for schools, and board members to inspire the next generation to be joyful, healthy, and confident!

Learn more at heartofmissourigirlsontherun.org Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run is honored to be picked as one of Columbia Metro Rotary beneficiaries at their trivia night. Come show your love for service and empowerment by joining us!

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

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1

METRO ROTARY ANNUAL TRIVIA NIGHT

Friday, Feb. 2nd • columbiametrorotary.org/trivia-night

Paws for Effect Paws 4 A Cause shifts its mission to help make service dogs more accessible to those in need.

BY E MMI WEINER

P

aws 4 A Cause has been a part of the Columbia dog rescue scene since 2017. Historically, it has hosted 5K runs and similar events but switched to supporting other rescues by helping get adoptable animals to community events.

The organization allocates its funds to The Spay Neuter Project, Columbia Second Chance, and other rescues.

“We used to do our own events and we found that the cost is so high to do that,” explains Jenny Kolan, founder and pres-

Top and bottom left: Contestants in Paws 4 A Cause’s 2019 Halloween costume contest.

Bottom right: “Pet the Pup for a Buck” fundraiser at Earth Day to help raise money for Paws 4 A Cause’s Cinco Dog Mayo event.

ident of Paws 4 A Cause. “It’s better to go to other events that are already happening so we’ve been doing Earth Day and Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival. Basically, we just bring adoptable animals from one of the other rescues.”

COMO

COMO CREATURES

For the fi rst time, Paws 4 A Cause took in a litter of seven puppies this year. The puppies were raised by volunteers within the organization and brought to different events to both present the animals for adoption and to help raise money for their care.

“We would do events then donate our proceeds to those organizations,” Kolan adds. “But going forward, since we’re actually going to be taking in animals, we will be raising money for our organization as opposed to for others.”

The litter of seven puppies was available for adoption with an adoption fee of $150 that covers all of the veterinarian care, vaccinations, and spay/neuter surgery.

“We wanted the cost to be low enough that, for most people that like looking to adopt, price wouldn’t be a deterrent,” Kolan says.

Th is shift from raising money for others to raising money for itself reflects a shift in the organization, which is now transitioning into training service animals for children with autism and individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“At this point, we started the process of doing the formal training,” she explains.

Professionally trained service dogs can cost up to $20,000. Paws 4 A Cause hopes to make the life-changing dogs accessible to more people in the community. The idea is to hand-select dogs from shelters and rescues in the area to go through service dog training and then deliver the dogs to families at a reasonable price.

“We’ll be picking based on temperament from other rescues,” Kolan said.

Applications for service dogs are not open yet as Paws 4 A Cause is still refi ning its process and going through training. Dogs will be placed on a case-bycase basis.

While the organization doesn’t have any events planned for the rest of this year, it is gearing up for events and implementing the changes next year. At this time, their biggest needs are money and time. Those interested in helping can find out how to donate or volunteer by contacting Paws 4 A Cause directly.

PAWS 4 A CAUSE paws4acauseinc@gmail.com paws4acauseinc.wixsite.com/give

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Gift Card Drive We collect $5 - $50 Walmart gift cards all year long to ensure that each person we support receives a little something special on their birthday and during the holidays.

Give the gift of love and let them know you are thinking of them!

G IF T

Scan the QR code or visit woodhaventeam.org/giftcards to help bring joy to the holidays!

Your gift helps ensure that each of the people we support will receive a gift for the holiday and their birthday throughout the year OT H E R WAYS TO S U P P O R T W O O D H AV E N :

• Donate

• Car Donation

• Volunteer

• Van Taylor Society

• Wish List

• Best Choice Program

• Paper Good & Supply Drive • Gift Card Drive

• Advocate • Leave a Legacy

CARD

MA I L YO UR GI F T C A R DS TO : 1405 Hathman Place, Columbia, MO 65201

w o o d h ave n t e a m . o rg

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

COMO

Nonprofit Organizations Make Columbia and Its Public Schools Better

BY D R. BRIAN YEAR WO O D

A

dvocacy, volunteering, funding, and sharing resources are all ways our community’s nonprofits invest in our lives.

They often bridge the gap among the diverse needs of our scholars, families, and schools.

Columbia Public Schools has been fortunate to be the beneficiary of the goodwill and works of numerous community nonprofits through their investment in educational resources, resource infrastructure, and extracurricular activities. These organizations frequently offer educational programs, tutoring services, and mentoring initiatives that complement classroom learning. They also advocate for educational access and opportunities, mobilize community support, and raise awareness about issues affecting our schools. These nonprofits enhance the work we do to meet and keep up with evolving educational standards and needs.

Recently, I was able to join representatives from the United Way in launching this year’s Read Across Columbia initiative in support of increasing literacy among our scholars. Through the support of the United Way and its partners, they are working to remove barriers to literacy by getting kids their very own books. More than 2,600 books were provided to 650 scholars at our schools this fall. The organization believes every child can learn to read, and to support our literacy efforts it is providing books for them to have in their homes.

Supporting continued learning outside of the classroom environment is key to scholar success. Organizations like Grade A+, Boys and Girls Club, and Big Brothers Big Sisters provide access to tutoring, mentoring, and the social-emotional enrichment our scholars may need.

Similarly, we are working to mobilize our community nonprofits to help us reach our at-risk population.

The organization Responsible Intelligent Scholars Excelling (RISE), has partnered with Columbia Public Schools to help troubled scholars and teens develop healthy responses to traumatic experiences that may be at the root of poor academic performance and behaviors that seem destined for a collision with law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

We’re starting at one school with hopes to expand as needed across the district.

Group sessions with eight to 10 sixth graders, seventh graders, and then eighth graders take place during students’ elective courses. If a student has been expelled or suspended or is homeschooled, there are group sessions for them at the RISE office.

The program entry process is facilitated by another important nonprofit in our community: Powerhouse Community Development. Parents must apply for their children to be in the RISE program, and the process typically starts when the school principal notifies the parents that their child could benefit from RISE. The parent or parents also go through the intake process.

The goal is for our community to help be advocates of change for our young scholars to guide them to better choices and help them move on the pathway to being successful in school and in life.

In addition to addressing academic and social-emotional needs of our scholars, basic needs must be met for them to be successful in the classroom. The Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri and Powerhouse have been important collaborators with Columbia Public Schools on this front. The district has partnered with the Food Bank for decades. The Food Bank provides access to healthy food for our families, but also fills the gap for scholars through Buddy Packs and school food pantries. Buddy Packs provide meals and snacks for hundreds of elementary scholars to take home at the end of each school week, meeting that

VOICES

gap. Buddy Packs are pre-packaged bags with a variety of food each week, with items like easy-to-make meals, cereal, and peanut butter. At upper-level schools, food is discreetly provided through school pantries.

Meanwhile, Powerhouse partners with Columbia Public Schools to provide access to meals when school is not in session.

Most recently, Powerhouse helped establish meal sites districtwide during the October teacher professional development days so children would still have access to healthy meals. More than 1,500 meals were served over the three days.

Our scholars and educators also benefit from the support of organizations like the Assistance League of Mid-Missouri (ALMM). The organization outfits our scholars in need in brand new clothes each year through its Operation School Bell program.

Each scholar is personally shopped for so they receive items they will love. The organization also provides mini-grants for our educators. This year alone, ALMM provided more than $130,000 in grants to educators through its Links to Learning program.

The Columbia Public Schools Foundation is key to providing access to opportunities for our scholars that the district might not otherwise be able to provide.

Since its inception, the organization has provided more than $1 million in grants and gifts to the school district to support one-of-a-kind field trip experiences, innovative activities such as eSports, and funds for new teachers to outfit their classrooms.

By no means have I managed to capture all the goodwill, generosity, and support provided by the many nonprofits in our community. It’s unbelievable and something that immediately sets our community apart from any other in the nation. Columbia is a kind, giving, and supportive place and I’m amazed at the goodness in others daily.

Nonprofit organizations are valuable partners for our schools. Ultimately, they enrich the learning experiences and the lives of our scholars, and we’re grateful we have these servant leaders in our community.

Dr. Brian Yearwood is the Superintendent of Columbia Public Schools.

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Shelter from the Storm

Many people are just one crisis away from homelessness.

The partners of the Boone County Coalition to End Homelessness pool their resources to help those seeking shelter.

BY MICHELLE TERHUNE

T

he face of homelessness may not look like the image you have in your mind. Those students wearing backpacks may be couch surfi ng because they can’t afford rent after paying tuition. That mom who drops off her children every day at school may spend her day looking for another place they can sleep that night. Your co-worker who seems like they live at the workplace may, in fact, be doing just that.

Many people are just one crisis away from homelessness, be it a health issue, job loss, or eviction from affordable housing to make way for a new development. That means the face of homelessness could look like any parent, child, student, co-worker, or family in Columbia.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that on any given night in 2022, nearly 6,000 people were homeless in Missouri. And according to Kari Utterback, senior planner for the city of Columbia, statistics for homelessness are vastly underestimated. There is no way to gather information on how many people are living with family or friends, or multiple families overfi lling a small rental.

The Boone County Coalition to End Homelessness is dedicated to finding those who are homeless and connecting them with the services they need, guided by the belief that one person homeless — or on the brink of homelessness — is one too many.

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

UNITED WE STAND The coalition’s goal is “functional zero,” which its website describes as “that point when a community’s homeless services system is able to prevent homelessness whenever possible and ensure that whenever homelessness does occur, it is rare, brief, and one-time.”

There are anywhere from 20 to 30 entities at any one time involved in the coalition, each weaving a piece of the proverbial safety net, and each a necessary component of the organization’s coordinated entry system (CES). The CES requires identifying clients, providing the necessary diversion from homelessness, assessing their needs, and following them through the process from intake to home placement. That follow-through is a vital component of the system.

“Every two weeks, we get together and work through the list,” Utterback says. “We fi gure out who is eligible for a housing voucher, who has a housing plan, who’s been housed, and what issues are coming up. We work through all of that together. It’s a community-wide coalescing every two weeks in this really coordinated effort.”

The coalition also operates Project Homeless Connect twice a year where people experiencing homelessness can connect with resources offered in the community. The January event

MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS • Boone County Community Services • Burrell Behavioral Health • Columbia Housing Authority • City of Columbia • Central Missouri Community Action • Columbia Mobile Aid Collective • Compass Health • Flourish Initiative • Heart of Missouri United Way • Institute for Community Alliance • Love Columbia • Mid-Missouri Legal Services • Missouri Connections for Health • Missouri Department of Mental Health • New Horizons Community Support Services • Phoenix Programs • Room at the Inn • True North of Columbia • The Salvation Army • Turning Point • Stop Human Trafficking Coalition

coincides with the point-in-time count of homeless individuals mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

EVERY SITUATION IS UNIQUE Utterback says the process is driven by multiple factors, including data, providers, and vouchers. Decisions are based on data the coalition enters into Missouri’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). The providers have certain resources, and vouchers come with certain requirements. For example, a voucher may require the client receive supportive services. The coalition partners then fi gure out who can provide those services and help the client access them so they can use a voucher.

“Every provider in the system is trying to make sure the client has options and that this is the option that they want to choose,” Utterback says. “It’s like a triage team. Those who need the most help go to the top of the list. We have certain

criteria those clients meet, and those are the ones who get the vouchers and those are the folks we can serve because we don’t have enough vouchers for everyone.”

Utterback says the coalition currently provides services to a list of 200 people in 170 households. Only about 70 have housing vouchers. Those clients are using their vouchers to look for housing but unfortunately, many landlords won’t accept vouchers or the people who hold them.

The coalition sponsors a Housing Stability Program that provides $500 incentives to landlords if they are willing to rent to lower income tenants with housing vouchers. The program also offers up to $1,000 to the landlord if a tenant’s damage exceeds their security deposit.

Currently, that program has exhausted its funding, although the coalition hopes to begin distribution again in the spring.

The group is also seeking new funders for the program.

“If we could get more landlords to accept housing vouchers, we could cut the number of homeless in half,” Utterback says.

• VAC - Voluntary Action Center

“If we could get more landlords to accept housing vouchers, we could cut the number of homeless in half.”

• Welcome Home

— KA R I U T T E R B A C K Senior Planner, City of Columbia

• Harry S. Truman Veterans' Hospital

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Homeless veterans have the advantage of already being connected with Veterans Affairs services. But Utterback says there aren’t enough landlords willing to accept VA housing vouchers. If there were more, Boone County might achieve “functional zero” with that population.

The coalition is hopeful it will reach that target by June 30, 2024.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ALSO AN ISSUE Despite all the tools the coalition partners possess to fi ght homelessness, there is one problem they cannot fi x — increasing affordable housing options. According to Rent.com, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Columbia is $850 and $1,143 for a two-bedroom.

Only 1 percent of rental properties in the city fall into the $500-$700 range and a 26

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

whopping 66 percent rent for more than $1,000 a month.

To put that into perspective, according to data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, for people to afford rent of $1,000 or more, they have to make about $25 an hour or more at their job. To afford a one-bedroom apartment in Columbia, they must earn $15.02 per hour. That’s a far more likely wage for most people facing homelessness, although Missouri’s minimum hourly wage is only $12. With so few properties available with rents at or below the average, fi nding one is nearly impossible.

Affordability can be tough in a university market where so much of the housing targets the student demographic.

Rent.com statistics show that after the supply-and-demand upheaval caused by the pandemic, rental costs in Columbia

rose by nearly 20 percent in 2022. Although the increase settled to around 6 percent in 2023, that’s still a 26 percent jump that many couldn’t afford to pay when it came time to renew their leases.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS Helping people find a place to go when their lives are turned upside down is what the coalition is all about. Utterback says landlords, developers, funders, and neighbors need to pitch in as well. That’s what any of us would want if we somehow found ourselves seeking shelter from the storm.

BOONE COUNTY COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS 573-874-6264 www.bcceh.org

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JACLYN ROGERS

JOE EAGLE

AI PAINTING PLUS

COMO PREMIUM EXTERIORS

JAKE BAUMGARTNER

SHAUN HENRY

BAUMGARTNER’S FURNITURE

BRENDAN ROST

ROST LANDSCAPING

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HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAINT FINISH — AND OTHER FAQS

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JACLYN ROGERS

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SALES REPRESENTATIVE Jaclyn Rogers, sales representative at Ai Painting Plus, sees paint as more valuable than simply being an accent in a home. “We are painting joy into people’s homes,” she says. Jaclyn is certified as a Psychological Color Expert, which means she has demonstrated mastery in specifying interior paint in residential applications.

By Jaclyn Rogers Find more at aipaintingplus.com

Y

ou’ve put it off long enough, but before you tackle that painting job — a new or additional exterior coat, an interior room that’s been begging for a different color, or maybe just a fresh look for the kitchen or a bedroom — you’ll likely be weighing the pros and cons of calling a professional or rolling up your sleeves for a DIY weekend.

Whether you seek an estimate and expertise from Ai Painting Plus or take it on yourself, there are some basic questions to ask yourself or your painting pro.

What’s the difference between oil- and water-based (acrylic, latex) paints? Oilbased paints have mostly been removed from the market since they are not as environmentally friendly as newer options such as latex paint (water-based) and acrylic (chemical-based). Though oil-based paints do have some redeeming qualities, they tend to become very brittle as they age and, when used on exterior surfaces, have a tendency to mildew.

Meanwhile, today’s latex and acrylic paints now outperform their oil-based counterparts, with excellent qualities such as moisture resistance, mildew resistance, flexibility, colorfastness, and block resistance.

If I buy all of my own materials, will I be able to save money that way? When you work through professional companies such as Ai Painting Plus, we provide the materials which generally get discounts due to the volume of business purchases we make with the supplier. Those costs are included in our quotes.

573-639-2343 AIPAINTINGPLUS.COM

How often will I have to paint? Most paint jobs, when done well, should last between seven and 10 years. Prepping an area for paint is a key factor in how long the paint job will last. In our experience, many DIYers sometimes skip proper prepping, which leads to disappointment (and more work and expense) later.

• Semi-Gloss – More shine and reflective qualities than other finishes. Great for rooms that get a lot of traffic and steam. (It’s mildew resistant.)

Would you need to prime an area before painting it with another coat of latex paint? We don’t always need a primer when we repaint with another coat of paint.

If you’re changing the sheens of paint or making a significant change in colors, we may need to use a primer.

What are the pros and cons of a higher gloss or sheen paint? For starters, this type of paint resists stains and dirt better, so the surface will stay clean for a longer period of time. On the other hand, higher gloss paint will show imperfections in the surface much more than flatter paint. And it’s usually more difficult to do touch-ups with higher-gloss paint.

What are the different kinds of paint finishes?

• Flat (Matte) Finish — Little to no shine at all. Great for covering imperfections, but not the most durable option.

• Eggshell Finish – A low-luster finish that provides a small amount of shine.

Great for low traffic areas such as an entryway or living room.

• Satin Finish – It’s the most popular finish for interior spaces, with a velvety sheen that’s easy to clean.

• High-Gloss – It’s the shiniest, most durable, and easiest to clean; perfect for cabinetry, doors, and certain trims.

What are the benefits of working with Ai Painting Plus? Our success is based on high-quality painting services with exceptional customer service. We understand that your property is one of your largest investments. That’s why we are committed to doing the job right the first time. And we stand behind our work and will make sure you’re happy with the experience and the finished product.

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YOUR GUIDE TO RESIDENTIAL ROOF REPLACEMENT

JOE EAGLE

COMO PREMIUM EXTERIORS

Find more at comoexteriors.com

R

oof replacement for Mid-Missouri homes is one of our most essential services at CoMo Premium Exteriors.

It’s anything but an “elective” exterior project for many reasons. A deteriorating roof can cause lots of problems for your health, energy bill, and even the safety and security of your home. Since that’s the case, here’s some food for thought regarding the crucial topic of roof replacement.

How do you take care of your roof when it’s nearing the end of its life cycle?

Determining the end of your roof’s life can be tough. If you see shingles blowing off when there is wind or you can see the fiberglass matting because the granules have come off, it is a good idea to get the roof inspected. For many people though, nothing may seem out of place and the roof may look fine, but about the 10 year mark it is good to have it inspected.

Roof Replacement Options You may wonder how to select a new roof for your home. Plenty of Americans only ever do this once throughout their entire lives as homeowners, so you’re not alone if you’re unfamiliar with the lay of the land. While there are many ways to replace a roof, CoMo Premium Exteriors focuses on three primary methods, based on material applications.

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Joe has been a staple of CoMo Premium Exteriors for a decade. He brings both experience and knowledge to the role of Director of Sales and leads the sales team to ensure every client receives an accurate assessment and solid information regarding their exterior project. Joe really enjoys meeting new people and helping them resolve any issues with their home, whether it’s aesthetics or functionality.

Born and raised in the Columbia area, Joe is a graduate of Mizzou where he studied business, hotel & restaurant management, and communications and marketing.

By Joe Eagle

When should you replace your roof?

You can expect asphalt shingle systems to last about 10 to 15 years in our area of Missouri. We base that on typical weather conditions (summer heat, snow, ice, windstorms, etc.) and our own experience replacing roofs for over 12 years. A lot depends on the quality of the shingles installed and the installation methods used.

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• Shingle Roofs: Asphalt shingles are the most commonly installed product because they’re cost effective but don’t force you to sacrifice quality, style, or durability. Also, chances are, most of your neighbors have a shingled roof and, depending on your HOA, you may be required to have shingles.

• Metal Roofs: Then there are some homeowners who prefer an even more durable option. This is a good approach for some folks, but we find that the durability gap between metal and shingle roofs is not as wide as it once was. There are, however, many ways to install a classy metal roof system, especially for homes in rural areas.

Today’s metal roofs aren’t the “barn metal” you may be thinking of, instead you can expect a quality metal roof using a “hidden fastener” system that comes in many colors.

• Flat Roofs: Flat roofs are more common for commercial businesses, but we see residential homes utilize them as well sometimes. We can install flat roofs with various materials and treatments such as EPDM, TPO, spray-on roof coating, and modified bitumen.

Many of our clients ask us to recommend asphalt shingle brands, which we’re happy to do. The three that we work with most are Owens Corning, GAF, and CertainTeed.

Each of these shingle manufacturers produce a fine product, but we give a special nod to the Owens Corning brand.

We mentioned in our earlier article why we think they’re a great asphalt roofing shingle.

It has a lot to do with the plethora of color choices, warranty coverage, and advanced tech that they put into their shingles. Their SureNail technology ensures a superior wind resistance compared to other options.

This is just a sneak preview into the entire world of roofing. If you get in touch with one of our representatives at CoMo Premium Exteriors, we can help guide you through the pros and cons of different roofing options.

Our roof installation service starts with a free estimate and culminates with reliable warranty guarantees. We will arrive on time to complete the work, and our project managers will keep you informed, start to finish.

Contact us today to learn more about residential roof replacement in Columbia, Jefferson City, and surrounding areas.

Hear more from Joe by scanning the QR code:

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5 WAYS TO GET YOUR HOME READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

WHAT THE

JAKE BAUMGARTNER BAUMGARTNER’S FURNITURE

By Jake Baumgartner Find more at baumgartners.com

I

s the winter holiday season coming earlier each year? You might have noticed some retailers displaying Christmas decorations along with the Halloween pumpkin and Thanksgiving turkey accessories — even before Labor Day in some stores. (But isn’t it challenging to fastforward our focus like that, especially when the AC is still running with temperatures in the 80s or low 90s?)

Now that the thermometer is more in line with the holiday season, the team at Baumgartner’s Furniture has some helpful tips for incorporating some just-right touches to make your home ready for holiday entertaining. If the holidays are about uniting with loved ones and sharing in the joys and splendor of the season, why not add the cheery and bright spirit of the holidays into each room? Just a single accent piece can transform a space from ordinary to festive.

1. Focus on neutrals and metallics You may feel the need to grab every red and green trinket to accurately portray the Christmas and holiday spirit in your home.

However, there are so many other options that will work as well or better with your existing furniture sets and room layouts. Consider that neutral colors and metallic finishes such as silver, gold, or mercury glass can elevate your home’s holiday feel, while also giving your space a soft and sophisticated ambiance.

If you feel the need for something more, add a pop of color. A forest green, deep maroon, or bright blue fits the holiday aesthetic while not overpowering the rest of your home’s holiday decor. Your home remains warm and welcoming while still appearing festive due to a neutral and

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Jake essentially grew up in the furniture industry, as he is the fourth generation involved in Baumgartner’s Furniture. Working very closely with his father, Alan, Jake has been devoted to the stores full-time since 2004. His greatest enjoyment, however, still comes from working closely with the customers. He is married to Sarah, and they have two active boys, Noah and Laine. Jake received his degree in finance from Saint Louis University.

(573) 256-6288 BAUMGARTNERS.COM

metallic theme, and you won’t need to rush to change the décor until late winter.

2. Upgrade your greenery Try dressing up natural-looking ornaments and putting them on display with seasonal flora. Greenery also looks stunning when it’s placed on a mantle or table, surrounded by candles and knickknacks. You can also browse the selections at Baumgartner’s for a complementary side table, recliner, or even bedding that brings out those stunning or subtle changes. Another benefit is foliage like pine or balsam will provide the space with a clean, seasonal fragrance.

3. Think minimalist Sometimes, less is more. Try swapping out a grand wreath adorned with large bows and sparkles for a thin, eucalyptus wreath either hanging on your front door, over your fireplace, or above the kitchen stove. The key is not to draw too much attention from all your other decor.

4. Details, details, details When it comes to decorating a home or a room, some may tend to get caught up in the big picture. However, devoting attention to minor details can make all the difference.

A few suggestions: • Creatively tie a collection of seasonal foliage to the backs of dining chairs • Asymmetrically place luxury holiday decor to create movement and visual interest • Design statement centerpieces for the dining or coffee table 5. Add a rustic flair Who says holiday decor can’t have a little rustic charm? During the holiday season, it’s all about staying warm and cozy so incorporating some rustic elegance is only fitting. By incorporating just a few of these tips, your home will be ready to host many holiday events.

After all, creating lifelong memories is one of the greatest gifts of all.

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LEAVE A LEAF BE?

WHAT THE

SHAUN HENRY

A Columbia native, Shaun Henry found a home at Atkins in 2000 when he started his career as a turf technician. Shaun holds a commercial applicator’s license through the Missouri Department of Agriculture and is a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Mid-America Green Industry Council, and the Missouri Green Industry Alliance. Shaun strongly believes in the importance of a great customer experience where the Atkins staff knows their clients and anticipates their needs accordingly.

Shaun is an MU alumnus and has a degree in plant science.

Find more at AtkinsInc.com

I

love autumn. In years past we spent a lot of time at soccer and football games with our boys. Now it’s more about sightseeing for the fall colors, hanging out by the fire, other outdoor activities, and the anticipation of the fast-approaching holiday season.

Although fall colors are beautiful, the trees eventually drop those leaves.

Photosynthesis and chlorophyll production slow to a stop as they sense the shortening of the days and the amount of sunlight the leaves are getting.

Once they fall, what happens? Once a leaf hits the ground it begins to break down.

Animal, bacterial, and fungal activity help with that. Over time, the leaf releases its stored nutrition (nitrogen and phosphorus) and reverts back to simple carbon dioxide and water. (Good ol’ organic matter!) Aside

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ATKINS

By Shaun Henry

Where do the colors come from?

Yellow and orange fall colors come from a substance called carotenoids. The green color of chlorophyll masks or covers up the color of the carotenoids. Once the chlorophyll disappears, the yellow and orange colors are revealed.

Red and purple leaf colors come from glucose, a by-product of photosynthesis that is trapped inside the leaf. The cooler nights of the fall trigger a chemical reaction in the glucose making it turn red and/or purple.

All leaves would turn brown if not for the presence of carotenoids or chemical reactions occurring. Many oak tree leaves just turn brown. It’s the result of all of the leftover waste from photosynthesis; not as exciting as yellow or red, obviously, but perfectly natural.

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Step 1) Gather leaves. Step 2) Make sure camera is ready. Step 3) Let them fly! from recycling nutrition back to the soil below, during the decomposition process, the leaves can act like a protective blanket, similar to mulch, where they collect and hold moisture for future use by the plant roots that live in the soil beneath it.

Should you leave the leaves where they are or clear them away? It depends. Leaves break down and turn into a natural mulch over time and add fertility back to the soil, plus they can suppress weed development and offer habitat for small creatures and micro-organisms that can benefit the soil.

The organic matter improves the supply and availability of nutrients in the soil in addition to the water-holding capacity improvement. Soil structure (soil particles binding to form soil colloids) improves over time with organic matter additions as well.

If left on the ground, leaves could also be an issue. Many fungal and plant disease

pathogens overwinter in leaf and twig debris. From there the disease pathogens could infect the tree/shrub and others the next spring. Many turf diseases overwinter in leaf litter as well. Other issues for your lawn and the falling leaves include blocking sunlight, water, and air movement, plus promoting the development of fungus, bacteria, and mold.

Smothering out of your turf this fall and winter results in bare spots next spring and summer which typically fill back in with weeds. Leaves that make it into our waterways can negatively impact our local water quality as well.

These are just a few points to ponder for making the best decision for you, your lawn, and your landscape. Or just enjoy the fall colors and let someone else sort it out for you! The Atkins team is here to help. That’s what friends and neighbors do!

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THE IMPORTANCE OF MATURE PLANTINGS

BRENDAN ROST

ROST LANDSCAPING

By Brendan Rost Find more at rostlandscaping.com

W

hen opening a new landscape design, we are often given set criteria for the functionality, budget, and general aesthetic of the space.

We take your vision for the space and apply fundamental principles of landscape design to create functionally beautiful space. The six key principles that we focus on are balance, focalization, simplicity, rhythm/line, proportion, and unity. These principles apply to everything from walls and patios to plantings and lawns and are, at their core, what makes a space look appealing. One of the most important tools to apply these principles in a landscape design is your plantings.

Whether you’re tackling a DIY project at home or renovating an entire campus, plant selection, layout, and the starting sizes of your material will determine the longevity and practicality of the landscape over time. While every project is different, we typically spec more mature plants as the starting sizes in our plans for a host of reasons including:

Instant Impact One of the ways we apply principles of design is through layering plantings.

Creating layers using a variety of heights, widths, colors, and textures builds interest and increases the appeal of a landscape bed. By choosing mature specimens for our installations, we are able to display that layering on day one and gain that curb appeal without having to wait years for it to fill in. A general rule for all new plantings is “sleep, creep, leap;” meaning it takes years for a landscape to become established so having it look good on day one is critical.

Consistent Establishment Transplanting/installing new plants is a stressful process for these plants as they

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Brendan Rost is a Columbia native and son of Rost Landscaping owners Tim and Toby Rost. He grew up playing at the garden center and nursery and has worked in all divisions of Rost Inc. Brendan received his degree in horticulture and design from MU and now works as a designer in the landscaping division. He thrives on building relationships and creating unique landscapes that complement their space.

(573) 445-4465 ROSTLANDSCAPING.COM

acclimate to a new environment. Typically mature plants have larger root systems that are able to withstand short term changes like drought or wet conditions better, and give you more time to make any necessary adjustments in your care routine before environmental stress causes them to expire.

Professional Finish Mature plants look better than immature plants. Like your teenagers at home, many plants go through an awkward adolescent stage where they can appear thin or gangly.

By allowing plants to mature at the nursery, we’re able to correct any deficiencies and ensure that a consistent and quality finished product is being installed.

Blending Often we are asked to add onto an existing landscape. In these installs, there is no

perfect substitute for time. Installing small starter trees and shrubs next to a mature landscape only increases contrast between old and new so we prefer to use larger specimens to better blend the additions and give a more cohesive feel to the space.

While every job is different, we find that utilization of larger plants in our projects is essential to providing that quality finish that keeps us snapping pictures of every project we finish, big or small.

Landlord Property Protection.

Allstate Insurance Agent — Bradley Young, Columbia, MO (573) 514-6407 2500 W ASH ST COLUMBIA, MO

Walk-ins welcome, or request an appointment!

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Your Community Theatre celebrating our 45th season!

Find information about tickets, auditions, and volunteering at

cectheatre.org 1800 Nelwood Drive, Columbia, MO

ARTISTRY

REL ATIONSHIPS

EASE

Capturing life’s colorful moments.

34

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

Deep Roots COMO

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

First Baptist Church celebrates 200 years of history in Columbia.

BY LAUREN SABLE FREIMAN PHOTOS BY CHRIS PADGETT

W

hen William Jewell joined Little Bonne Femme Baptist Church in 1823, the physician became critical of two members of the church who claimed to be physicians. He criticized them, according to documents from the William E. Partee Center for Baptist Historical Studies, by slandering them as “a so-called physician, but in reality only a quack.”

Though Jewell apologized, a short time later he circulated pamphlets attacking one of the men. With that action, Jewell set into motion the founding of what Columbians now know as First Baptist Church.

“Little Bonne Femme Baptist Church granted William Jewell, members of his family, and a few others, letters of dismissal and encouraged them to form their own church,” says Ken Hammann, a First Baptist Church member who has been leading efforts to digitize and document the church’s history.

On November 22, 1823, Jewell and 10 others started Columbia Church, the fi rst church of any denomination in the city of Columbia. At that time, Hammann says, the population of Columbia was 130. Though there are no records to indicate a fi rm date, Columbia Church later became known as First Baptist; likely in the 1800s, Hammann says.

First Baptist moved to its current location on the corner of East Broadway and Waugh Street in 1891, and the current sanctuary was dedicated in 1957. With its rich history in Columbia, Pastor Carol McEntyre says that First Baptist is an especially spiritual place.

“There is a Celtic concept of thin places, where the atmosphere of a location makes it easy to connect with God, almost as if there is no barrier between heaven and earth,” McEntyre says. “People have been praying and singing and worshipping God on this spot for a long time, and it feels holy to be the stewards of that.”

A YEAR OF CELEBRATION In October 2022, First Baptist kicked off a year of celebration leading up to its 200th anniversary on November 22.

McEntyre has served as First Baptist’s fi rst female senior pastor for the past 11 years. The church has hosted concerts and guest speakers and has encouraged and supported acts 36

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

COMO

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

First Baptist Church FOUN D ED : 1823 CHURC H COU NC I L • Rena Tratchel, Church Moderator • Ken Hammann, Church Treasurer • Abby Hartsf ield, Church Clerk • Dolores Shearon • Henry Imler • Jen Boeckman • Cindy Giovanini • Julie Scroggs • Julie Walker • Lynne Lampe • Stephen Hoell • Caryn McClanahan • Rebekah Robertson • Roger McKinney CHURC H COVE NA N T Because we have responded to Christ’s call to follow Him as disciples and because we find this calling too difficult and too important to fulfill alone, we covenant together to support and to pray for one another without ceasing; to be candid in our speech, kind in our attitudes, and caring in all our dealings with one another; to seek the mind and vision of Christ for ourselves and our life together, mindful that our unity does not require uniformity.

Moreover, we covenant to give first priority to our times of public worship and learning; to sustain our common mission by proportionate giving, faithful service and personal witness; to live our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel we profess and of this family of faith; and to seek each other’s forgiveness and God’s when we fail to honor this covenant, trusting God’s Spirit to renew us in stronger faith, brighter hope and broader love.

of kindness. On November 12, a special worship service and banquet will be held at Stephens College, and this Christmas, ornaments with the First Baptist logo will be available for purchase.

“You only turn 200 once,” McEntyre says.

As a mainstay in the community, First Baptist is meaningful to many people for a variety of reasons.

“For people worshiping on a Sunday, they remember when they were married in this space, or baptized in this space, or their parents got married in this space, or their grandparents were members here,” McEntyre says.

While First Baptist holds so much history for those who worship there, much of the city’s history is tied to the church.

“A church like First Baptist has had a significant impact on the city of Columbia,” Hammann says. “Members of our church were namesakes of Stephens College. William Jewell secured sufficient money to outbid other counties to bring the University of Missouri to Columbia and Boone County. E.W. Stephens, publisher of the Herald newspaper and president of the Board of Curators for MU and other colleges was a member, as was Alpha Hart Lewis, the namesake of our current elementary school.”

In addition, McEntyre says that six First Baptist pastors also served as president of Stephens College.

As part of the anniversary celebration, First Baptist will publish a 750-page book in January, a compilation of all the historical documents and information available about the church and its history. Hammann says the book will then be distributed to libraries, historical societies, universities, the Library of Congress, and to members of the church.

EMBRACING HISTORY As Hammann and other church members have spent considerable time researching the history of First Baptist, they’ve made other discoveries, as well.

While First Baptist celebrates its founders and members who had such a positive impact on the city, McEntrye says they aren’t shying away from acknowledging all of the church’s history.

“As we were researching the church’s history we became aware that a number of our founders and many of our members were enslavers,” Hammann says. “We have done this by looking at public records. For example, there are slave census records for Boone County, and we have COMOMAG.COM

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COMO

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

the will and probate records for one of our founders. We were also able to extract from our handwritten minutes the fact that several of our founders and members had slaves “From the beginning of the celebration we have acknowledged our past sins and recognized that we had a distorted view of the gospel,” she says.

McEntyre says First Baptist has created a Racial Justice and Inclusion team that is now a permanent part of the church structure, and says they see the work of racial justice as “essential work.”

“We certainly have plans to continue to understand our history and lament the sense of the past but also to commit to help change the future, and making that team a permanent part of our church structure was important,” she adds.

First Baptist was built on “progressive DNA,” and many of today’s values are the result of seeds that were planted long ago.

McEntyre says music is a key value that is integrated throughout a variety of worship services. Children are a priority and the church offers many intergenerational 38

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

activities and events. In 1917, the church fi rst elected women to the Church Council. in the 1960s, women were fi rst elected to the Board of Deacons, and in 1977, First Baptist ordained women to the ministry.

“We’ve always had this progressive bent related to gender,” she says.

In 2014, McEntyre says First Baptist officially went through a process to become welcoming and affi rming to the LGBTQ+ community, though she says “the church had long been a place where gay and lesbian people could come be part of the community.”

“Progressive Christian theology is important to us, understanding that it is often Conservative Evangelicalism that gets a lot of press,” she notes.

CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY In addition to providing a spiritual home for so many around Columbia, First Baptist is committed to supporting people in need throughout the community. In partnership with Love Columbia, the church sponsors an Extra Mile transitional

house, a four- to six-month program that provides transitional housing for families with children experiencing housing instability or homelessness.

“It’s a way you feel like you’re making a deep impact on the family,” McEntyre says.

As she reflects on whether the 11 people who met in a home in 1823 would have ever imagined that the church would be so deeply woven into the fabric of the community 200 years later, McEntyre says she is honored to be a small part of that history.

“You have gratitude for the hundreds of people who have taken care of this church and stewarded it all these years,” she adds.

“You also realize that the work of God is through this place, that you are just a small part of it. It is a much bigger story than the chapter that you’re writing.”

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 1112 E. Broadway (573) 442-1149 fbc-columbia.org

SPORTS MEDICINE INJURY CLINIC An early morning walk-in clinic for sports injuries.

We know that sport and exercise-related injuries don’t happen at convenient times, which is why the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute offers an early morning walk-in clinic for injuries suffered within the last week. With on-site services like X-ray, bracing and therapy, we’ve got everything you need to get in, out and on with your day.

Learn more at muhealth.org/sportsinjuryclinic.

OFFICIAL TEAM PHYSICIANS FOR MIZZOU ATHLETICS

A

Green Light

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

With ARPA funding, several agencies will partner to tackle homelessness through the Opportunity Campus.

BY JENNIFER TRUESDALE AND JODIE JACKSON JR

N

ow that the Voluntary Action Center has major funding commitments in place for a campus that will provide shelter, health care, and myriad other services aimed at alleviating homelessness, the next steps in making that facility a reality will include a public campaign to raise cash for construction and the campus’s ongoing operation.

VAC was among the local organizations receiving a share of the city of Columbia’s $25.2 million allotment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, with an award of $3 million for the Opportunity Campus, a multi-agency initiative to combat and address the causes of homelessness in Columbia. The Columbia City Council officially approved the ARPA disbursements on October 3.

Almost one-quarter of the city’s ARPA funding awards are directed at the home-

lessness issue. The city received the money to address the public health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ed Stansberry, VAC’s executive director, said the city’s ARPA award was “the key for us to be able to say that this can go forward.”

A second round of ARPA funding from the county is now in deliberations.

“In the midst of waiting on the local ARPA funding decisions, we've continued to develop our plans with our architects and contractor, and we had a site excavation and paving contract ready and received bids for that,” Stansberry says, adding that the paving contract is for sidewalks and parking areas, not the building foundations. “We’re ready to go once we get all the proper permits in place.”

Though the timeline could shift, Stansberry says construction of the Opportunity Campus, which will consist of two facilities,

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could be complete — “from moving dirt to being onsite providing services” — in 18 months. The construction price tag is an estimated $16 million to $18 million. The state of Missouri has committed $6 million for the project, an amount that must be matched by local contributions. The $3 million from the city is half of that match.

VAC has also requested $3 million from the Boone County Commission, which passed on VAC’s request in an earlier funding announcement.

A second round of county ARPA funding is currently in review and county officials expect to make a decision on those requests in the near future. He estimates the campus will have an annual operating budget of about $1.3 million.

“We will need, of course, a significant amount of private sector support,” Stansberry explains. “We've always seen this as a public-private partnership.” As Stansberry and his team have waited for word on ARPA funding, they’ve been in the “quiet phase” of a capital campaign that will get full attention, starting in the first quarter of 2024.

“We're hopeful that we can reengage the county to take a fresh look at this,” he says. Part of that fresh look will be letters of intent from 10 organizations, including VAC, that have pledged to enter contracts or memorandums of understanding to provide services and support for the Opportunity Campus. Those letters of intent were not available for the first funding request, he adds.

The letters of intent came from Job Point, Burrell Behavioral Healthcare and its partner Clarity, Compass Health, Room at the Inn, Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA), and others. The support from the healthcare providers is crucial for operating an on-site medical clinic and services for physical and behavioral health, as well as substance abuse evaluation and treatment, Stansberry says.

“That will be embedded at the facility for the use of our unsheltered neighbors,” he adds, noting that the clinic will also be available to the public.

The letters of intent helped the Opportunity Campus (OC) planners present a more complete picture of the wraparound and follow-up services, including job training, life skills, food security, meeting basic needs, and resources “to accomplish our goal, which is to get our unsheltered 42

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

neighbors housed as quickly and efficiently as we can,” Stansberry says.

Among other partner organizations, the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture plans to help establish a community garden at the campus site to allow guests to grow their own food “and have some healthy and sustainable options on the campus grounds,” he adds.

While homelessness and the lack of affordable housing is a national crisis and not unique to Columbia, Stansberry says Columbia is now in a better position, especially working with the Columbia Housing Authority — which also received ARPA cash — to address that need.

“We're confident that we'll have some partnerships with the housing authority as we move on down the road,” he says.

There are also efforts underway to get developers involved in discussions about making affordable housing part of future developments. Stansberry says the recent Columbia Chamber of Commerce leadership visit to Madison, Wisconsin, which included a wide segment of local organization representatives, discovered “creative ways” that encouraged developers to participate in affordable housing initiatives.

“We’re optimistic about that side of the equation, but those things don’t happen overnight either,” he adds.

He’s also quick to point out that the public images of homelessness — street corner panhandlers and homeless encampments — also won’t go away overnight, if they go away at all. Stansberry says those elements won’t disappear even when the campus is up and running, emphasizing that the campus is “one piece of the puzzle” in addressing homelessness, job training, affordable housing, and mental health care needs.

One of the main service providers and supporters of the proposed campus, Room at the Inn (RATI), had been a winter-season, overnight shelter that rotated among different churches and locations in the first seven years of its operation. Last fall, RATI found a permanent home when the city purchased the former VFW Post 280 location off Ashley Street and Business Loop 70 East. After providing an estimated 7,500 “cot nights” last winter — an increase of 70 percent from the previous year — RATI opened as a year-round overnight shelter in October, said RATI board president Debby Graham.

Organizations that have pledged to enter contracts or memorandums of understanding to provide services and support for the OPPORTUNITY CAMPUS: BURRELL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH Mental Health services including comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation (CPR), and substance abuse care COLUMBIA CENTER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE Gardening programming CLARITY HEALTHCARE Physical health care, dental CENTRAL MISSOURI COMMUNITY ACTION SkillUp programming, group classes on relationships, financial goals, Getting Ahead in a Just Getting by World and leadership development, utility assistance and weatherization resources COMPASS HEALTH Supplemental physical health, mental health and substance abuse resources JOB POINT Resources to obtain and maintain employment at a livable wage LOAVES & FISHES Evening meal services ROOM AT THE INN Overnight shelter services TURNING POINT Day services VAC Basic needs services

The campus will have a client service building of about 30,000 square-feet and a resource center of roughly 23,000 square-feet.

The resource center will house wraparound services, including the medical clinic, office space for partner agencies, and the VAC agency offices.

The client service building will operate as a low-barrier, 24/7 facility, operating 365 days a year and utilizing Housing First Principles that will provide comprehensive services for individuals experiencing chronic and unsheltered homelessness in Boone County.

Renderings from opportunitycampuscomo.org

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The construction price tag is an estimated $16 million to $18 million.

The state of Missouri has committed $6 million for the project, an amount that must be matched by local contributions.

The $3 million f rom the city is half of that match.

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“All of RATI's shelter operations will merge into the OC when it opens. We anticipate that many of our staff will follow our program to the OC,” Graham says. RATI was set up for 85 guests during last year’s winter season and stayed close to that number during the coldest part of winter.

“What surprised us was that our number never went much below 50 when the weather began to moderate,” she says.

RATI received ARPA funds to purchase a transit van and the nonprofit received an increase in funding in the city’s fiscal year 2024 budget.

“The increase has allowed us to operate year-round as opposed to 12 to 16 weeks during the year,” Graham adds. “I don't have any reason to think that the city will change direction and make a decision in coming years to discontinue funding for shelter services.”

Graham points out that a permanent shelter has been a part of the city's strategic plan for many years, and RATI operated, albeit for a shorter period of time, before it received any city funding at all.

“We began as, and at our heart remain, a faith-based organization with a mission to provide a warm and safe place to sleep,” she adds. “We would continue to provide that service and fulfill our mission, making it all work the way we did for the first 14 years of our existence.”

Kari Utterback, senior planner for the City of Columbia, is the city’s new home-

lessness coordinator. She was also the project lead for community engagement in the city’s ARPA funding process prior to accepting her current post. She’s encouraged with the prospect of the Opportunity Campus as “one-stop” spot for social services, as well as a soup kitchen, a day center, and an overnight shelter for adults, which will happen with RATI, and the Loaves and Fishes and Turning Point programs putting down roots at the campus.

The campus will have a client service building of about 30,000-square-feet and a resource center of roughly 23,000-squarefeet. At the city’s request, the campus will be designed to focus on single adult males and females, which make up about 70 percent of the local homeless population.

“It’s not the end all, be all, but we haven’t added a shelter bed to this community in over 20 years,” Stansberry adds.

He said that careful case management and connecting campus guests with services, job training, and health care will be critical for lifting guests out of homelessness. As a local social service provider, Stansberry says he’s sensitive to the sentiment that the campus and related programs must not be seen as initiatives that increase dependency on social programs.

“We’d like to be able to put ourselves out of business in five years. We don't think that is going to happen, but we don’t want to be training folks to be great homeless people,” he says. “We want to be moving them out of that situation.”

Welcome Elizabeth!

Elizabeth is a KC native who worked as a nurse at KU Med for 5 years before moving to Columbia with her husband. Elizabeth joined Plastic Surgery at MU, after graduating as a Nurse Practitioner in 2021. Elizabeth has a special interest in cosmetics including injectables, aesthetic treatments, and skin care services. She’s excited to share her aesthetic knowledge and expertise with the community.

Follow Elizabeth on Instagram: @elizabethsundvold_np

Elizabeth Sundvold, APRN, FNP Cosmetic Nurse Practitioner Surgery Associates Clinic 573-882-2277 | 1000 West Nifong, Building 2, Suite 200

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A CHANGE FOR GOOD The Food Bank Market reflects an innovative rebranding effort.

BY AMANDA LONG PHOTOS BY LANA EKLUND

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A

n on-site medical clinic is just one of the new features that showcases the ambitious rebranding and relocation of the Central Pantry’s food bank operations from Big Bear Boulevard to the former Moser’s Foods store on the Business Loop.

The new Food Bank Market, previously known as Central Pantry, opened to the public on November 1 at 705 Business Loop 70 West. The Food Bank Market will partner with other organizations, alongside food distribution, to make other services available in one place. And because food insecurity is often coupled with other economic and health challenges, the new facility will include medical care provided onsite by Compass Health.

“Our goal is to better address the needs of the whole person for neighbors working toward food security,” says Lindsay Young Lopez, CEO and president of The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri. “Food banks are accustomed to being creative and adaptable so we know how we plan to use the space, but there are ways we don’t even know about yet that this new facility can be utilized to serve the community.”

An official ribbon-cutting event is scheduled for May 2024. The food bank’s administrative and warehouse work at 2101 Vandiver Drive will continue at that location.

More than 10 years ago The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, which serves 32 counties in mid-Missouri, created a new resource known as the Central Pantry. The program offered supplemental food for the residents of Boone County experiencing hunger. Today, Central Pan-

try serves as a resource to nearly 10,000 residents each month, a number that has continued to increase every year.

“Food insecurity is very prevalent in Boone County, throughout the state, and throughout the country,” says Young Lopez. She notes that one in seven children and one in eight adults are defined as “food insecure” or regularly lacking access to healthy food.

As the Central Pantry worked to meet the community’s increasing need for supplemental, nutritious food, Young Lopez and the Food Bank’s administration were limited in the resources they were able to provide due to the setting and smaller size of the 14,000-square-foot facility off Vandiver Drive.

She says the Food Bank is committed to providing nutritious foods and that nearly 65 percent of the food provided is perishable produce, meats, dairy, and canned and frozen vegetables. She adds, “There is a direct correlation between access to healthy foods and the health of the clients we serve.”

In the spring of 2021, The Food Bank purchased the Business Loop location with the help of generous donations from local entities such as the Veterans United Foundation and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Renovations began in winter 2022, followed by a capital campaign launched in May 2023. As of mid-October, the campaign had raised nearly $6.5 million of the $7 million goal.

The Central Pantry’s new home, renamed as The Food Bank Market, is a 40,000-square-foot facility nearly three

times the size of the current location and is both accessible and visible from the nearby access to Interstate 70.

“Th is new space is a change for good,” Young Lopez says. “The rebrand of The Central Pantry to The Food Bank Market will help the community understand the tie to The Food Bank, as well as eliminate the stigma related to the term ‘pantry.’

We are really proud of the innovation we are creating.”

THE TOUR Visitors will enter through one of the two front doors into the Sharing Room, which will be accessible to everyone, regardless of income or county residence. In an effort for sustainability, the room offers perishable food items, acquired from grocery stores and other businesses. The food needs to be distributed and used to avoid going to waste. Additionally, the products received that can’t be used are shared with agriculture partners in the community for livestock feed or compost.

The Sharing Room opens into the 5,000-square-foot main retail space that is lined with coolers and fi lled with natural light from large windows. The registration desk is positioned at the entrance where volunteers can check in clients and answer questions. Two small rooms to the left offer space for private consultation

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and meetings with visiting services such as Work Force Development; the Women, Infants, and Children’s (WIC) program; and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

“Our model is more like a grocery store than any other pantry in Missouri,” Young Lopez explains. “We will display available products on pallets, so they are easily visible, and implement the choice model where clients get a cart and choose the foods they want as opposed to a prepacked box.” She adds that the market is the only food bank in the state that charges nothing for the food provided to clients, partner agencies, and schools.

Connecting to the retail area is an 8,000-square-foot freezer and cooler that provides cold storage for The Food Bank Market as well as the entire Food Bank service region.

“It is a tragedy to have access to those highly-demanded perishable items, but not have anywhere to store them,” Young Lopez says. “Recently, we had to turn down a truck full of frozen meats because we did not have room.”

Just off the freezer/cooler is the gleaning room, a large bright room where team members sort and check fresh produce for quality. The adjoining warehouse is the largest section of the facility at more than 11,000 square feet. The room includes a distribution center for the Buddy Pack and School Pantry Programs that provide food to 7,500 children at nearly 200 schools each week during the school year.

Centrally located in the facility is the volunteer support area featuring a full kitchen and a dedicated breakroom for lunch, virtual or in-person training, and storing belongings.

“We are so reliant on volunteers — they are very deserving of a space like this, and we are excited to be able to provide it,” she adds.

The adjacent 2,700-square-foot community room is available by reservation for public meetings or training.

Young Lopez says the clients served by The Food Bank have a higher incidence of chronic illness and obesity, making nutrition education a key component of programs.

“We added a full-time registered dietician to the team two years ago,” she notes, adding that the dietician uses items that are offered in the pantry and for creating recipes that are handed out on recipe cards.

To further that mission, a demo kitchen was included in the renovation that opens directly to the main shopping floor allowing clients to walk up to get samples, talk to the nutritionist, and get recipe cards.

Young Lopez says the pantry plans to offer training and even cooking competitions in the kitchen, which has a strategic layout that includes mobile worktables, a commercial dishwasher, and four stoves.

Even the outdoor space will serve a larger purpose. The surrounding 100,000 square feet of parking area will be available for mobile screening services such as a dental bus.

“We are so pleased to be a part of this corridor and we want to be a good community partner,” Young Lopez says. “Our goal is to provide a resource where people can come and have access to service with no cost to them.”

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The LGLBAF was founded

by Rebecca Highland and Amy Greenwood, Larry’s daughters, so other families don’t have to go through what our family went though when our dad was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia.

We provide support, education, and resources to those affected by Lewy Body Dementia while cultivating relationships with healthcare professionals to foster early diagnosis and treatment.

DO YOU KNOW THE SYMPTOMS? • Hallucinations

• Anxiety

• REM Sleep Disorder

• Poor regulation of bodily functions

• Delusions • Paranoia

• Shuffling walk

For more information on LBD and the resources available, scan the QR code or visit LewyBodyAwareness.org.

LarryGrosslbaf@gmail.com • 573-673-4349 FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: Larry Gross Lewy Body Awareness Foundation The Larry Gross Lewy Body Awareness FND is a registered 501(c)3 organization.

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

COMO

VOICES

COOKIN' WITH HOSS

BY H OSS KOET TING

A

s the mercury in the thermometer starts to fall, and the days become shorter, there is some primeval urge in many of us to change our diet. Not "diet," as in trying to lose weight, but "diet" as in the types of food we eat. For the past few months, a salad and grilled chicken may have been acceptable fare, but we are now craving roasted meats, starches, and sauces.

This probably has some instinctive explanation, where in primitive times we would need to pack on a little more energy reserve to make it through the rough winter months. But today, in our climate-controlled world, it just doesn’t make sense. I must admit, though, that I fall victim to that very urge, and enjoy nothing more on a cold day than tucking into a satisfying feast of comfort food.

This is okay once in a while, but if one were to make a habit of it, more frequent and lengthier visits to the health club would be necessary. There is, however, one category of food that can satisfy your craving and also be relatively healthy — and offer considerable latitude in ingredients.

Many of us were introduced to this type of food as youngsters coming out of a red and white can and being somewhat thin and lacking ingredients, but today, even the canned versions offer considerable substance and taste.

I refer, of course, to the general category of “soup.”

There are numerous sub-categories of soup: consommés, bisques, stews, chowders, chilis, gumbos, potages, broth soups, and cream soups, to name a few. What no doubt began as a vehicle to either use leftover or to make more palatable tough and less desirable cuts of meat has become almost an art form. One can start with a basic concept and modify the ingredients and flavor profile in a multitude of ways.

At the Market, I made all of the soups that we served, and sometimes this could be a daunting task. In the colder months, we would go through almost three times more soup as in warmer months, and even with making six- to eight-gallon batches, it was almost a daily job to keep four soups ready. To prevent boredom, we would try to keep a little variety in our offerings. With the exception of the seafood andouille gumbo, which we always offered, we tried to mix up the flavors and styles of the other three soups. And, other than making sure you don’t have conflicting flavors in the soup, there is almost no limit to the variations that can be made starting with basic soup recipes.

There are only two rules that must be followed with just about every savory soup you make: 1. Always use a good quality, rich stock. 2. Always use plenty of vegetables in your mirepoix. From there, use basic recipes as guidelines and let your imagination go for some truly tasty winter warmers!

This recipe is one that I came up with when I had a good crop of habanero peppers that needed to be picked before the frost got them.

Jim “Hoss” Koetting is a retired restaurateur/chef who enjoys gardening, good food, good bourbon, and good friends.

POTATO HABANERO CHOWDER INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes • 1/2 cup diced carrots • 1 cup diced celery • 1 cup chopped onion • 1 qt. chicken stock • 1 pt. heavy cream, half-and-half, or non-dairy creamer, depending on richness desired • Roux, for thickening • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley • 1 small seeded habanero, or more to taste • 1 tbsp. Hoss’s Steak Seasoning • Sliced scallions and shredded cheddar, for garnish DIRECTIONS

• Bring the stock to a boil, add the celery, onion, and half of the potatoes.

• Boil for 15 minutes, add the remaining potatoes and carrots, simmer for 15 more minutes.

• Add cream or substitute, thicken slightly with roux, add parsley and seasoning; and adjust as necessary.

• Take a cup or so of the soup, place in a food processor or blender, add the habanero, and puree.

• Add back to soup, adjust heat to taste.

• Top with scallions and cheese.

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Location, location, location.

ESTATE LOTS

One to one and a half acres featuring a mix of slab and walkout lots, rolling topography and mature trees, the options are endless.

Mike Huggans | 573-268-6840

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

Boone Realty

573-876-2809 33 E. Broadway, Ste. 200 Columbia, MO 65203

COMO

VOICES

The Transformative Power of Nonprofits: My Personal Journey

BY A DONICA COLEM A N

W

hen my family moved to Columbia back in 2007, I hadn’t had much experience or exposure to the nonprofit sector. Little did I know that a chance encounter in 2009 would introduce me to a world of selflessness, compassion, and community support that would change my life forever. This pivotal moment occurred when I met Pamela Ingram, the founder and director of a small nonprofit called Granny’s House, operating out of the Douglass Park low-income housing area.

Granny’s House was more than just a nonprofit; it was a safe haven for young kids in the community, a place where they could find support, mentorship, and a sense of belonging. Through numerous conversations with Granny Pam, I shared my interests and aspirations. It was during one of these conversations that she extended an invitation that would become a turning point in my life. She asked me if I would like to volunteer with a group of girls, aged 13-18, who met every Friday at Granny’s House.

Without hesitation, I accepted her offer, not realizing that this was the beginning of a journey that would shape my passion and dedication to nonprofit work.

Volunteering at Granny’s House opened my eyes to the incredible impact of nonprofit organizations on the lives of individuals and communities. I witnessed firsthand the dedication of people willing to give their time and energy to help those in need without expecting anything in return, except the satisfaction of making a positive difference in someone’s life.

Over the years, my involvement in nonprofit work has grown, and my awareness of the extensive nonprofit scene in Columbia has expanded. I’ve had the privilege of

working with various local organizations, and I am still in awe of the philanthropic nature of this community. The agencies and organizations that exist to serve our neighbors in need are an integral part of what makes Columbia such a great place to live.

One common question in the nonprofit world is, “What’s your In memory of Pamela Kay Smith Ingram ‘why’ for supporting nonprof1.14.51 – 11.29.22 it work?” For me, the answer is simple. I am fortunate to have the resources to contribute, but that wasn’t always the case. There were touched. These organizations are powered times in my life when I could have been by individuals who believe in the power of the person in need of the very services that collective action to drive positive change. nonprofits provide daily. This realization In a world where we often hear about the fuels my passion for this work and keeps it challenges and problems we face, the nonburning bright. profit sector stands as a testament to the Nonprofits play a crucial role in our socihuman spirit’s capacity for kindness and ety, addressing a wide range of social issues compassion. Each act of service, every doand community needs. They serve as the nation, and every volunteer hour dedicated safety net for individuals and families facto a nonprofit has the potential to change ing adversity, offering support, resources, lives and uplift entire communities. and hope for a brighter future. They fill For me, my involvement with nonprofgaps where other entities might fall short its has not only enriched my life but also and help create a sense of belonging, and given me a profound sense of purpose. It’s foster a shared purpose among volunteers, a reminder that we are all interconnected, donors, and recipients of services. They and our actions, big or small, can make a also can serve as advocates to help raise meaningful impact. Nonprofits are the awareness about important issues and heart and soul of a compassionate society, work to influence policy changes that will and I’m grateful to be a part of this incredibenefit their target populations. ble movement. Thank you, Granny Pam! Nonprofits also contribute significantly to the local economy by providing jobs and generating economic activity, which helps strengthen our community.

Adonica Coleman is the My journey into the world of nonprofits founder of The COMO 411 has taught me that it’s not just about fiand owner of A2D Events. nancial contributions; it’s about personal connections, the time spent, and the lives COMOMAG.COM

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Grateful COMO

FRIENDS & FAMILY

TO GIVE BACK

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COMO

FRIENDS & FAMILY

Maya Kahn overcame a life of trafficking and abuse and now spends her time serving others.

BY BETH BRAMSTEDT | PHOTOS BY LANA EKLUND

Content Warning: Please be advised, the following story references topics including sexual assault and physical violence.

F

inding a spark for life after living in darkness is a powerful metaphor, but those life-changing concepts have literal meanings for Maya Kahn.

Kahn drives regularly for the Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking Coalition, taking women and their children to work, home, and doctor’s appointments. She also serves as the volunteer coordinator for The Love Seat and fosters pets for the Central Missouri Humane Society.

“All I want to do is help and volunteer,” says Kahn. “Th is is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my 56 years of life ... It’s such a fulfi lling feeling. I’ve gone from never wanting to [serve] to wanting to do it all the time.”

What is her motivation?

“I just want the chance to tell my story,” she says. “To tell people that you don’t have to be perfect to be accepted.”

Working with the trafficking coalition gives Kahn a chance to plant that seed with women she meets because they are talking to someone who is not just giving a speech, but someone who has been through it.

“I’ve lived it and I’m telling them there’s hope. If they’re living in darkness, they can find a spark like me,” she says.

And Kahn has lived through a lot.

She grew up in Trinidad. Her father and grandfather were Muslim, but her mother was not. Her grandfather did not accept her mom, which made Kahn’s life worse, she says. She describes her childhood as being full of hatred and anger.

“I was told a thousand times that they never wanted me, that I was a mistake,” Kahn says. “My grandfather was a Muslim priest and he tried to strangle me when I was 9 years old. My uncles were police officers who would come and molest me. My dad was an alcoholic and would beat me. I couldn’t trust anyone.”

The darkness continued and at age 12, Kahn’s grandfather tried to marry her off to a 43-year-old man. She says the man died before the marriage was official.

Her goal was to get out of there.

As soon as Kahn could leave Trinidad, she went to Canada, got two jobs, and started going to community school.

“I started to educate myself. I got married to a teacher who would teach me math. I started working in a bank and eventually became the assistant manager without a degree or anything,” she says.

Eventually, her husband wanted kids, but her body was so damaged from the abuse that she struggled to get pregnant, and then lost her only son when he was born prematurely.

Maya with pastor Jeremy Linneman.

Maya with her first discipleship, Do Swenson.

Maya with Ann Boyd.

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COMO

FRIENDS & FAMILY

“I’ve lived it and I’m telling them there’s hope. If they’re living in darkness, they can find a spark like me.”

Kahn says her husband pressured her to the point of verbal and emotional abuse.

Then, after losing four members of her family, Kahn fell into a deep depression again and wanted to end her life.

“I felt like there wasn’t any reason to live. I lived in darkness for a long time,” she recalls.

Eventually, Kahn came to the Columbia area to start an online business with a man she had known for seven years.

He became very controlling, and she was scared that leaving would be worse.

“I was in a trafficking situation, held against my will, outside of Columbia,” she says. “After three years, I was able to get out of there. The police brought me to Columbia and took me to True North. I was at another low point in my life. I was so scared.”

Kahn says she wanted a spiritual connection but didn’t know where to start.

She asked if there was “a Buddha place” nearby. A woman at True North told her where to go, and Kahn started walking.

She accidentally walked in the wrong direction, however, and ran into Scott Claybrook, pastor of Legacy Point Church. He was on the sidewalk talking to a woman about Jesus.

“My whole body started to shake, and I couldn’t control it,” Kahn says.

It took her until June the following year before she attended Legacy Point.

“The same thing happened again, and I thought, ‘There’s something going on here,’” Kahn adds. She left feeling at peace and she kept going. “I started binging the Bible,” she says. “I would be up all night 56

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

watching videos on YouTube. The more I learned, the more my heart followed.”

Before coming to Columbia, she knew nothing about Jesus.

“I never believed in Jesus because in all the pictures I saw, Jesus was white,” she says. “I was told he was a white person’s God.” Kahn eventually began attending Trinity Community Church, where she was baptized five years ago. Before her baptism, she had a vision of an experience that happened in Trinidad when she was 7 years old.

“There was an old cemetery near my home,” she recalls. “My father was beating me and grabbed a big stone to hit me with. I started running and headed for the cemetery. There was a cross statue with a dome under it. I squeezed under the dome and sat for six hours until it got dark, and my father was passed out.”

She continues, “I didn’t know where I was hiding. But I realized then that I was sitting with Jesus’ feet on my head. I heard a voice say, ‘I had you. I was looking after you.’ That’s the day I decided to give myself to Jesus and serve Him.” And so Kahn spends her days giving back.

“Maya has been an absolute blessing in our congregation,” says Pastor Jeremy Linneman of Trinity Community Church. “She is full of joy, peace, and quiet strength. Her faith in Jesus is deep, personal, and empowers her ministry across town. She is a regular reminder of the supernatural power and goodness of God.” Kahn had been praying, wanting to

work with women who have been abused.

“I asked God to use me,” she says. “In 2020, I met [Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking director] Nanette Ward, and she said, ‘I’d love to have you.’”

Next, Kahn discovered The Love Seat, and she was captivated by the people there.

“I just wanted to be there, to be around these people,” she says.

Sherri Hockett, general manager of The Love Seat, met Kahn four years ago when she came to volunteer.

“Maya has a heart to serve and always wants to help,” Hockett explains. “Jesus has supplied her with so many wonderful things in her life and she is grateful.”

Michelle Casey, associate director of the Central Missouri Humane Society, met Kahn about five years ago when Kahn found an injured dog — later named Crash — on the side of the road.

“Her heart broke for this dog. She called 911 and sat with Crash for hours until they could find her,” Casey says.

Crash had extensive injuries, including multiple broken legs. Thanks to Kahn, Crash healed up and now runs on all four legs and has a forever home in St. Louis.

“If Maya hadn’t found him, we couldn’t have intervened, and he wouldn’t be alive,” says Casey.

The story became so powerful that Crash became a mascot of sorts and was featured at the 2019 Whiskers and Wine fundraising event. Kahn continues to foster for the humane society.

“Maya has an underlying sense of empathy like she’s seen the bad in the world and is trying to put some good back in it,” Casey adds.

How is Kahn doing now?

“After finding the Lord, I don’t feel the loneliness,” she says. “There are still issues because there are still scars. But now, I want to help, to give. The light is getting brighter and overcoming my darkness.”

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THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

Recognizing the people, places, and events serving as change agents in Columbia.

BY TAYLO R H I L L | PHOTO S BY A NT HO NY J I NS O N

Columbia is built on the generous contributions of nonprofit organizations, volunteer work, philanthropic events, and numerous endeavors that bring the community to life. These community-impacting efforts are led by passionate individuals looking to make a difference without seeking anything in return.

It is our honor at COMO Magazine to shine a light on those who have made lasting impressions on our community.

Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our 2023 Impact COMO award recipients and honorable mentions.

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Luke Neal Young Life Columbia 60

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Most Impactful S T A F F M E M B E R

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uke Neal was once a teenager searching for meaning and purpose when his Young Life leader stepped in and helped him develop a relationship with Jesus. Now, Luke has worked for Young Life for over 20 years, showing up for high school kids in the same way.

“Young Life meets kids wherever they are in their lives and introduces them to Jesus Christ,” says Sherry Colwell. “Luke quite literally meets kids exactly where they are at, whether that be on a sports field, in the student section of the bleachers on game night, endless coffee gatherings and lunch dates — you name it, Luke is there.”

Neal realizes the importance of having mentors, noting, “There are about 5,500 high school students in our community. If the statistics are true, most of them are lonely, hurting, and anxious. They need adults to walk alongside them in order to navigate this difficult phase of life.”

As the area director, Neal has a variety of roles and responsibilities, including fundraising events, donor development, board recruitment and care, volunteer recruitment and training, event planning, strategic planning, community outreach, and direct work with students. All of this is done to ensure high school students are able to have a safe place to grow in their faith, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Neal adds, “I was put here on this earth to make a difference in the lives of others. At the end of my life, I will not find joy in reflecting on how green my yard was, how big my house was, or how many vacations I went on. But I will find great joy in the people that I met and how God was able to use my small sacrifices to impact those around me.”

Colwell adds, “Th is is an incredibly time-consuming position and Luke always has a smile on his face. He is shaping the youth of COMO’s future. It is incredible to hear the stories of the lives he has changed and how far he has reached.”

HONORABLE MENTIONS

T im Scott Welcome Home

Tim Scott, a Marine Corps and Missouri National Guard veteran, has served the Welcome Home mission as the operations supervisor for more than three years.

“Tim exudes all things optimism, teamwork, and patriotism,” says Megan Sievers, Welcome Home executive director.

“Our core values at Welcome Home are to serve with honor, serve with compassion, and serve with excellence. If I had to choose a single person who lives out those values every single day, it is Tim.” “I get to wake up every day and make a difference in our veterans' lives,” Scott says. “Th is is not a regular job. Th is is our mission to end veterans' homelessness.” Scott says he loved his role of leadership during his time in the military and he feels honored to still be a part of a mission that supports and takes care of his brothers and sisters.

“I was put here on this earth to make a difference in the lives of others.”

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Sherri Cawley Heart of Missouri CASA

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Most Impactful V O L U N T E E R

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herri Cawley has worked with Heart of Missouri CASA for a little over two years providing services to children in the foster care system as a court appointed special advocate.

“There is so much chaos and transition in the foster care system. We get to provide that calm and consistency that all children need and deserve,” Cawley says.

Laura Bragg tells stories about three siblings that Sherri is the CASA volunteer for, especially about the oldest child, E. “In an overburdened system, being willing to show up can make a world of difference. Sherri helps bring stability and calm to many stressful circumstances,” Bragg says. “Sherri is constantly bringing normalcy to E's childhood. She brings big smiles and hugs and stories. She has attended school family days, showed up to offices with pizza and to sit with E while he waits to find out where he will sleep that night, and drove all the way to St. Louis to help him transition to new places. Most recently, when E found out he would be changing homes, his only question for his case manager was, ‘Will I still be able to see and talk to my CASA when I move?’ Sherri was there to give him the ‘Yes’ he needed to hear in that moment.”

Cawley says she is guided by empathy and compassion.

“I have consistent interaction with the children and spend that time getting to know everything I can about them,” she explains. “I ensure that their needs are being met and that they are receiving the services they need and deserve. I listen to the children. I take back to the court all the information I have gathered as well as the child’s wishes and make recommendations based on what will facilitate the children’s safety and well-being.”

Cawley ensures the voices of the children she represents are heard and that she shows up for them, traveling more than 1,400 miles in the past two years to provide stability and make a difference in their lives.

“Sherri [brings] normalcy to E’s childhood. She brings big smiles and hugs and stories.”

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Teri Wiederstein

Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Teri Wiederstein has been volunteering at Habitat for Humanity ReStore since she moved to Columbia with her family two years ago.

“As soon as she arrived in town, she started looking for a place to use her talents,” says Ashley Switzer, Habitat’s communications director. “Teri comes to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore every single day we are open, has taken on an incredible amount of responsibility by managing all of our purchased products, reorganizing and creating systems to keep things organized, and has worked tirelessly to make sure our ReStore is as efficient and beautiful as possible.”

Wiederstein notes that 80 percent of Habitat for Humanity’s workforce in Columbia is volunteer based, which motivates her to show up every day.

In return, she receives great satisfaction. Ashley adds, “She not only makes our store efficient, but she is also the kindest, loving, loyal, and supportive person you will ever meet.”

Sophia Piral

First Chance for Children

After overcoming several barriers in her personal life, Sophia Piral was looking for support and found First Chance for Children. After benefitting from the organization, she joined the Family Leadership Council and says, “Being part of the FLC, we decided to increase the consideration of the needs of families of color, especially immigrant families, and that moved us to plan two amazing Spanish-resource fairs, consider the translation of family enrollment forms to other languages, and plant the seed for the staff to create more activities for non-English-speaking families.”

Piral has since started to lead play support groups of Latin American and Spanish-speaking families called Sonrisas and became a board member helping lead the strategic planning.

“She uses her education, academic research, knowledge, experiences, skills, energy, network, and resources to create opportunities for children and families to thrive,” says Charity Quinn.

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Dan Hanneken in2Action 64

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Most Impactful E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R

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an Hanneken started in2Action 11 years ago to provide a community of support for men leaving prison and re-entering society. When reflecting on the organization’s growth, Hanneken says, “in2Action opened its doors in February of 2012 with a $64,000 budget, one staff, and seven beds. Today, in2Action has over 50 beds, 20 full time positions, and our 2023 budget will surpass $3 million.”

Heather Hargrove describes Hanneken as “the ultimate example of lived experience.”

“His story is nothing short of amazing,” Hargrove explains. “The gentlemen that have come through and have yet to enter the program see a new path is possible and have hope. While he is making major advancements with the mission and organization, the basis of his every day is faith and love with those he serves.”

Hanneken says he is most proud of the results and impact in2Action is seeing.

“While the data indicates we are reducing three-year recidivism rates from 43 percent to less than 5 percent, those are just numbers,” he says. “It’s the change in the individual lives of those we serve that make me most proud.”

Hanneken adds that integrity guides how he directs the organization, noting, “For us, this means committing to the research and what is known to be effective. It means focusing on the need first and not the budget. It means operating with transparency and reporting out to the community. It means respecting the dignity of each and every person we serve.”

Hargrove adds that Hanneken has worked hard to foster meaningful relationships with various community organizations and provide funding for the organization, adding that most recently, he successfully applied for American Rescue Plan Act funds from both Boone County and the city of Columbia. In addition, in2Action has been awarded a highly competitive $2 million Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration federal grant to fulfi ll his dreams of an improved space for the Reentry Opportunity Center, workforce development training, and respite housing.

“ The basis of his every day is faith and love with those he serves.”

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Tricia Koedel

Day Dreams Foundation

Tricia Koedel became the fi rst executive director of the Day Dreams Foundation in summer of 2021.

“Th rough conscious efforts to build relationships in the community, I’m pleased to witness an increased awareness of our organization and our mission,” Koedel says.

“Not only has this led to a dramatic increase in the number of scholarship applications we have received, but we’ve made great inroads with businesses, organizations, and individuals wanting to support our mission.”

Rick Matheny adds that the total gross annual revenues are 220 percent higher now than the year before Koedel started.

“It's impossible to quantify Tricia's resourcefulness and her skills as a leader, forward-thinker, and organizer,” he says.

“The combination of these attributes along with her passion for the mission, her drive, and her heart for the kids that we serve is immeasurable.”

Terri Gray

Ronald McDonald House

Terri Gray has worked for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mid-Missouri for 12 years, leading the charity in opening new houses and developing programs such as the Happy Wheels Cart, the Lunch on the House program, and a new family room opening in 2024.

Gray says that the majority of funding comes from signature events and donations which she and her team have to work hard to raise, adding, “Knowing that RMHC MidMissouri is bigger than any one person keeps me grounded and focused on the mission and on those we are here to serve.”

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Wendy Wiederhold True North of Columbia 66

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Most Impactful B O A R D M E M B E R

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endy Wiederhold has volunteered for True North of Columbia for the last eight years and has been on the board of directors since 2018, serving as the vice president since June 2019.

“I am motivated to serve and give back because I believe that everyone deserves to have a happy and fulfi lling life,” Wiederhold explains. “I have been fortunate in my own life, and I want to use my time and talents to help others who may not be so fortunate.”

Wiederhold has dedicated much of her professional and personal life to advocating and raising awareness for True North’s mission, most recently serving as the keynote speaker at the Men as Allies and Little Black Dress fundraisers, ending her own silence and sharing personal stories.

“Both times I spoke, I was able to immediately witness the impact on others, our community, and in my own healing,” she adds. “It is my passion to continue to educate, break through the misconceptions, and equip our community with the resources and steps we each need to take to make a difference.”

Dr. Ashley Emel, honored as the most impactful board member for Impact COMO 2022 — also representing True North — says Wiederhold’s dedication and knowledge “has undoubtedly contributed to the betterment of True North of Columbia. Her focus on addressing sexual assault on campus and her willingness to go above and beyond to support the organization's objectives make her an asset to the board and to the community she serves.”

Emel continues, “With Wendy's active involvement and commitment, True North of Columbia is better equipped to fulfi ll its mission of supporting victims and fostering a safer environment for everyone.”

Wiederhold praises the strong leadership throughout Columbia and wants to ensure work is done to continue strengthening diversity, inclusivity, and empathy.

“It is my hope that we can continue to learn from the input of many and not just of the few,” she says. “By creating community programs that understand our differences, and providing support for underrepresented groups, we can build strategic bonds among community members and ensure that every individual feels valued and heard.”

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Tootie Burns

North Village Arts District

Tootie Burns has served as the North Village Arts District (NVAD) president for the past four of the 13 years she has been a volunteer, having a front row seat to the NVAD’s extensive growth. Burns is especially proud of the impact of First Fridays and the North Village Art Walk on the community.

“One misconception might be that NVAD is only an organization for artists,” she explains. “We try to support all businesses in our area. NVAD is also proud to have a significant economic impact for our city.”

When reflecting on Burns’s impact, Lisa Bartlett says, “Th is service that she gives every day has made a difference in the lives of our citizens, by bringing art to the forefront and educational opportunities to both young and old. It’s important for communities to value art and culture and Tootie has made an impact in both for Columbia.

L. Stephen Gaither

Friends of Mid-Missouri Fisher House, Inc.

L. Stephen Gaither, a U.S. Air Force veteran, served as the public affairs officer at Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital for over 40 years and in his retirement has now served as the board chair for the Friends of Mid-Missouri Fisher House for the past five years.

“Th rough the efforts of our board and Truman VA management as well as the generous fi nancial support of the midMissouri community, the Fisher House was constructed, furnished, and opened to serve families in July of this year,” says Heather Brown, who credits Gaither as being a “tireless leader.”

“He is a shining example of what a great volunteer and leader in our community should be,” she says.

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John Baker, executive director of CoMoGives

CoMoGives Community Foundation of Central Missouri 68

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Most Impactful F U N D R A I S E R / E V E N T

C

oMoGives is an annual online fundraiser that supports various nonprofit organizations around mid-Missouri, including Columbia.

The fundraiser was founded and is run by the Community Foundation of Central Missouri (CFCM).

John Baker, the executive director, says the CFCM board of directors voted in 2012 to lead an online giving campaign, and CoMoGives began in 2013.

“That fi rst year we had 30 brave organizations saying, ‘yes’ to what was then an untried giving format in Missouri, and we collected a total of $62,400,” Baker says. CoMoGives now has 173 organizations for 2023, with a fundraising goal of $2 million. The campaign runs from November 28 through December 31.

Carolyn Sullivan describes CoMoGives as “a labor of love that requires a lot of resources,” but the fundraiser generates critical unrestricted revenue for area nonprofits and continues to grow year after year. As a result, CoMoGives benefits the nonprofit organizations and the tens of thousands of people the nonprofits serve.

Baker says that without the work of the foundation, CoMoGives would not be possible.

“We are thankful for and rely on all of our partners, and we consider partners to be our board members, donors, nonprofit organizations, professional financial and legal advisors, marketing leaders, back-office partners, and even the city of Columbia, who continues to support CFCM and has done so since 2010,” Baker says. “A community foundation needs its community to fulfi ll its mission — we have no purpose without those from whom donations come and to whom grants go.”

In the past 10 years, CoMoGives has been able to raise some $9.4 million.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Taste of the Tigers

Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri

Taste of the Tigers is an event put on by the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri as a fundraiser to support those in need. Katie Adkins, the director of communications, says, “As a tailgate-inspired event, Taste of the Tigers is a celebration of food and drink. It highlights the power food has to sustain, inspire and connect us — and reminds us of the importance of sharing these important resources with our neighbors.”

Partnering with Mizzou Athletics and local food and drink vendors, this event has been the most financially successful event in the Food Bank’s history, raising over $250,000.

“Columbians may be familiar with our work in Boone County, but supporting the Food Bank means you’re helping neighbors here at home and across our 32-county service area,” says Adkins. “In 2022 alone, we shared the equivalent of 24 million meals with the help of hundreds of partner agencies and schools.”

Blitz Build

Habitat for Humanity

“A community foundation needs its community to fulfill its mission...”

Ashley Switzer, director of community outreach for Habitat for Humanity, says Columbia was selected for the honor of hosting the Blitz Home Builders in 2023 for a Blitz Build event. A team of experienced builders from across the country came to Columbia to help Habitat and local volunteers build four houses in 10 days, launching the Boone Prairie Subdivision that will serve families with 143 homes in north Columbia.

“Affordable housing is a huge concern in Columbia and across the nation,” Switzer explains. “This event means that four families will be able to own their own homes, have a safe and decent home for their children to grow up in, and affect the generational wealth change that happens when investing in themselves through property.”

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New Chapter Coaching Carolyn Sullivan, president and CEO 70

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Most Impactful P H I L A N T H R O P I C C O M P A N Y

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ith roots in mid-Missouri, New Chapter Coaching was founded in 2008 to support nonprofit organizations locally and across the country.

President and CEO Carolyn Sullivan says, “Our mission is to maximize nonprofits’ capacity to achieve their missions and improve quality of life for those they serve. We achieve this mission through a wide range of capacity-building programs and services including strategic planning, team building, leadership coaching, training and workshop facilitation, roundtables, and more.” The company has donated over $22,000 of pro bono services and cash donations to deserving nonprofits and has committed to re-investing 3.5 percent of the company’s profits into the community each year.

Violet Vonder Haar says, “Under the exceptional leadership of Carolyn Sullivan, New Chapter continuously fosters an environment of inclusivity and diversity. Their advocacy for POC and LGBTQ+ individuals stands as a testament to their commitment to supporting and building a strong, inclusive, and diverse community.”

In 2022, New Chapter Coaching hosted the first National Nonprofit Leaders Conference in which it invested over $20,000 of its own resources.

Olivia Swanson says the conference served 85 nonprofit organizations, providing immense impact. Aside from the numerous monetary contributions the company has made, it also looks to celebrate the nonprofits through the annual Make it Happen Awards.

For the last eight years, New Chapter Coaching's Make It Happen campaign has given outstanding people and organizations the appreciation, recognition, and praise they deserve, as well as a cash donation, by celebrating the dedicated staff, board members, and their organizations in the nonprofit community who “make it happen” every day, says Lawrence Simonson.

At its core, New Chapter Coaching is for the community.

“Team is everything when you’re trying to create a better world, and credit for all the good New Chapter Coaching has done in our community and beyond is shared with many dedicated people who have given gifts of time, talent, and treasure to others,” Sullivan says.

HONORABLE MENTION

Broadway Brewery

Broadway Brewery is known for its homegrown, phenomenal food. With a new year-round collaboration with the Food Bank, the brewery is bringing this experience to neighbors in need.

Katie Adkins says that 22 percent of proceeds from the collaboration go directly to the Food Bank to help fight local food insecurity.

“The funding will make a significant difference as we work to bring fresh, nutritious food to neighbors — and the opportunity to raise awareness in our own community is just as valuable,” Adkins says.

Walker Claridge, Broadway Brewery president, says, “Seeing food go from seed to plate and intimately being involved with the process, all the way to the end point of diner satisfaction and the sense of community that comes with the dining experience, fuels my drive. Now with our partnership with the Food Bank, it’s our hope that we can provide that same experience for people in need.”

“Our mission is to maximize nonprofits’ capacity to achieve their missions and improve quality of life for those they serve.”

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COMO

THE L AST WORD

IMPACT COMO REWIND Walk down memory lane with us and revisit the COMO Impact honorees of the last four years.

2022 Most Impactful Staff Member

‘22 Jerrell Morton ‘21 Kerrie Bloss ‘20 Lucy Bromer ‘19 Sherry Major

Most Impactful Volunteer

‘22 Catherine Armbrust ‘21 Dr. Ellis Ingram ‘20 Heather Lobough ‘19 Anna Marie Knipp

Most Impactful Executive Director

‘22 Kelsey Hammond ‘21 Elizabeth Herrera Eichenberger ‘20 Larry McDaniel ‘19 Nikki McGruder

Most Impactful Board Member

‘22 Ashley Emel ‘21 Eric Morrison ‘20 Barbra Horrell ‘19 Ann Merrifield

Most Impactful Fundraiser/Event

‘22 Cranktivus ‘21 COMO Chopped ‘20 Rock Bridge Lions Club Charity Picnic ‘19 Tigers on the Prowl

Most Impactful Philanthropic Company

‘22 Veterans United Foundation ‘21 UScellular ‘20 Boone Electric Community Trust ‘19 The Networks of Mid-Missouri 74

THE IMPACT ISSUE 2023

2021

2020

2019