New Fund Established
A New Fund?
The Phillips County Community Foundation (PCCF) has established a new fund, Phillips County Kids Thrive, dedicated to supporting the success and well-being of local children who may otherwise fall through the cracks.
What Does It Do?
The fund is designed to meet a wide range of unmet needs, including school-related expenses such as rental fees, classroom supplies for courses like wood shop, family and consumer sciences, art, or music, as well as meal assistance. It may also provide essential items like hygiene products, warm clothing, and weekend food support. The goal is simple: to help students facing challenges through no fault of their own.
How Does it Work?
To identify and respond to needs, PCCF is partnering with the Phillips County Ministerial Alliance and administrators across all county schools. Teachers, who are often most aware of students in need, will play an important role in the process. To ensure support reaches those who need it most in a thoughtful and confidential manner, this fund does not accept public applications. Assistance is provided through referrals from trusted community partners such as teachers, school administrators and members of the Ministerial Alliance.
A key component of the fund is maintaining student confidentiality. Assistance will be provided discreetly to ensure that no child or family feels embarrassed or singled out, allowing support to be delivered with dignity and respect.
PCCF committed $5,000 to launch the fund. Additional contributions include $1,500 from the Phillipsburg Rotary Club, a generous $5,000 gift from an anonymous donor and over $10,000 from several community members and businesses. Several other donors have also expressed interest in supporting the effort. The Foundation’s long-term goal is to grow the Kids Thrive Fund into a permanent endowed fund that will serve Phillips County for generations to come.
Request forms will soon be available on the PCCF website and in each school office. Once submitted, requests will be reviewed promptly by the Kids Thrive Fund Board to ensure timely assistance.
As a field-of-interest fund, all payments will be made directly to nonprofit, educational, or governmental entities on behalf of the student.
Current Kids Thrive Fund Board members include: Ron Boeve, Jr., Executive Director of PCCF; Nancy Turner, retired teacher and PCCF Board member; Lizz McClelland, self-employed; Jim Lanier, retired special education teacher and Rotarian; Kent Culbertson, Vice President at First National Bank & Trust and Rotarian; Deb Weishaar, Phillipsburg High School teacher; Mitzi Weinman, Phillipsburg District Technology Coordinator; Kim Senske, Mid America Real Estate Salesperson; and Lee Lower, PCCF Administrative Assistant.
The Phillips County Community Foundation (PCCF) is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Phillips County by building permanent charitable funds, supporting local initiatives, and connecting donors with meaningful opportunities to give. Through grants, scholarships, and community partnerships, PCCF works to address current needs while creating a lasting impact for future generations.
For more information or to contribute to the Kids Thrive Fund, please contact the Phillips County Community Foundation at 785-540-4110.
For more information about this fund on the PCCF website - please look under Programs & Impact in the top menu bar.