MCHF Teams Up with Donors on Volunteer Training Funds

In spring of 2013 MCHF was approached by the Missouri Conservation Pioneers to set up an account to provide funding for Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) volunteer training and support. The Pioneers had one stipulation - that the funds provided would be matched prior to disbursing. At the same time, Aaron Jungbluth, a volunteer at Rockwoods Reservation, a Conservation Area owned and operated by MDC, who is employed at Boeing contacted MCHF with a donation of $1,500, which was payment from Boeing as part of incentive for employees to volunteer. Aaron wanted to support an MDC program, unsure of what that might be. After discussing with Rick Thom, MCHF Executive Director at the time, he decided to donate his funds toward the volunteer fund, with the same idea - placed in the account and then have both the Pioneers funds and his funds be matched to double the donation.

MCHF provided information during its annual campaign and received a few donations, along with additional matching dollars from the same volunteer from the past, Aaron Jungbluth. Still in need of about $1,500, MCHF was trying to determine how to bring in the additional funds. A surprise telephone call to Donna Richards, Communications Specialist for MCHF, from Jeff Blades of GO! St. Louis® is going to do just that. GO! St. Louis® is a local non-profit organization that encourages individuals and families in the St. Louis region to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle year round. The organization accomplishes this through community collaborations, school based programming and the creation of new and fun fitness events. They are sponsoring an event called KT82. Registrants paid a fee upfront to be placed in a lottery and $5 of that, successful or not, would be donated to an organization chosen by GO! St. Louis® . And, they chose MCHF. MCHF will receive $2,080 from GO! St. Louis® ; $1,610 will be placed in the volunteer account. The remaining funds will be used for the MCHF partnership grant program. For additional information on GO! St. Louis® and the event, visit http://gostlouis.org/kt82-trail-relay/.

MCHF is happy to announce that the volunteer fund now has over $7,500 available for staff of MDC to use to cover volunteer training and travel statewide to continue to support programs that would not be possible without the volunteers. A process is being developed for the distribution of these funds and will be made available to MDC staff fortunate enough to have volunteers provide services for their facility operations and programs.