MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The recipient of the 100 Plus People Who Care second quarter gift of $25,000 is Christian Help, Inc. of Morgantown.
The Group of 100 or More meets once a quarter for an hour and makes a commitment to make a $250 gift to a nonprofit. Each nonprofit makes their pitch, takes questions, and then votes to determine the recipient. The group has a goal of giving a total of $100,000 over the course of the year with no fees or overhead.
The group chose Christian Help last Monday.
Christian Help Executive Director Colleen Lankford told the group her organization has been working in downtown Morgantown for a little more than 50 years. With nothing more than community support, the organization offers emergency financial assistance, food assistance, clothes for specialized jobs, and events like a Holiday Toy Distribution, Life Skill Classes, Back to School events and Prom Pop-Up Shops.
“We’re very appreciative, and Christian Help is looking forward to investing this funding into our community events and assisting in the community with our daily programming,” Lankford said.
Lankford describes her clients as having fragile budgets; a car repair or a medical bill can create a catastrophic financial situation. The Career Closet offers clothes and shoes so residents can accept new employment opportunities. In many cases the cost of workplace-compliant footwear and clothes can be out of reach.
“One of the things we try to do is to help them not have to spend their paycheck on simply going to work,” Lankford said. “So, through the career closet we can help people get the footwear and attire they need when they have a new job.”
The reboot of the 100 Plus People Who Care will strengthen the total safety net in the Morgantown area, according to Lankford. Under the format of the group, three more nonprofits will add $25,000 to their bank accounts before the end of the year.
“The stronger that every nonprofit is in the community, the stronger lives and support systems are for my patrons,” Lankford said. “So, whomever walked away with support from the program benefited all of our clients.”
At the end of the year there could be as many as eight nonprofits that get the opportunity to present and don’t win. Even the organizations that don’t receive an award still get exposure in front of the Morgantown business and philanthropic community. Lankford believes those contacts will pay benefits for the organizations that aren’t selected in the future.
“There is nothing that was lost in not receiving an award because those 100-plus individuals now know about each organization,” Lankford said.
The Group of 100 also heard from the Monongalia County Child Advocacy Center and Chestnut Mountain Ranch.