Two Impact Grants Awarded

By Neil VanBoeningThe Blue Springs Cemetery Association and the Wymore Food Market are the beneficiaries of the latest round of Wymore Blue Springs Area Fund (WBSAF) Impact Grants. The recipients were chosen from public charity applicants who are committed to creating positive change in southern Gage County. The total dollar benefit is $1,700 to enhance those communities.The WBSAF is an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF), whose mission, per their website, is to “unleash abundant local assets, inspire charitable giving, and connect ambitious people to build stronger communities and a Greater Nebraska.” The NCF website states, “Through philanthropy, the NCF team helps communities develop strong local economies, high quality of life, and abundant leadership and volunteer opportunities…Our affiliated funds are led by those who best know the needs of the community-the people who call it home.”The funds for local Impact Grants are from a portion of the investment earnings of the WBSAF Unrestricted Endowment Fund, which currently has over $85,000.00. This Fund consists of donations from individuals and Memorial Fund donations since their November 2015 inception. Continued donations to this Unrestricted Endowment Fund will allow for larger-sized future Impact Grants. The Blue Springs Cemetery Association is awarded $1,200 to enable the Association to purchase equipment to more efficiently provide the final place for inurnments, which is becoming the burial practice of choice more frequently. The Association maintains and improves Nebraska’s oldest recorded cemetery. This grant provides for purchase of a digger to accommodate placement of urns, mower blades, rock to preserve the lanes, and paint to maintain the border fence. If desiring to personally assist the Association, please contact President Gale Hardin. A $500 Impact Grant is awarded to the Wymore Food Market to purchase food monthly from the Lincoln Food Bank for “30 to 60 kids and their families” each month. The Wymore Food Market distributes to families comprised of youth from the Southern Public School District, ages one to 18 years, on the third Wednesday of each month at the Wymore Methodist Church. This is when funds are near depletion for those who receive monthly income at the first of the month.The Food Market volunteer labor is from three local congregations: Our Savior’s Lutheran, Wymore Methodist, and Immanuel Stateline Lutheran. A majority of the financial support comes from the same three congregations plus generosity of the Gage County Foundation. To personally assist this charitable program, contact Rod Goes. A volunteer WBSAF Fund Advisory Committee works actively to increase charitable giving and award grants to local worthy causes and projects that are addressing emerging needs and future opportunities in our community. Learn more about WBSAF, to donate in any manner, make a referral to an NCF financial planning professional or to discuss making either a present or future positive impact on local communities, contact chair-elect Jared McKeever or https://www.nebcommfound.org/give/wymore-blue-springs-area-fund/.

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