Corley Memorial Trust announces 58 grant awards Friday

Jun. 21—Bob Corley legacy's of giving back continued Friday when another round of grants was awarded to community organizations.

This marked the fifth year of grants from the W.R. Corley Memorial Trust, and 58 community organizations shared $280,000.

That amount was the most the distribution committee has awarded. During the past five years, more than $1 million in grants have been handed out.

About 70 organizations applied during the spring application season.

Chuck Brown, trust officer at Southwest Missouri Bank, got a workout walking around the room with 58 checks, handing them out to community organizations.

"Bob was quite the character," Brown said. "He loved life and had a zest for life, a real Renaissance man. He made his money in Southwest Missouri and made his decision to give back his money to Southwest Missouri through a perpetual trust."

Corley was born in Columbus, Kansas, and was a lifelong Joplin resident. He died in 2019 at the age of 98.

"As you drive around Joplin, you'll see his name virtually everywhere," Brown said. "He was incredibly involved with the university, both hospitals, Lafayette House, Salvation Army, the United Way, the Humane Society, Connect2Culture, Spiva Center for the Arts. Basically any charity in Southwest Missouri, Bob supported."

That included a special emphasis on the homeless and disadvantaged populations.

This year's grants went to a variety of groups, including Solace House for hospital beds, the Joplin Historical Society for the Joplin Historical & Mineral Museum for a Route 66 anniversary exhibit, and the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Missouri for its summer program.

"As I sat here and listened to the things that these wonderful groups are doing across the community, I don't know how some of these groups would function without having this Corley grant available," said Nanda Nunnelly. "It's an amazing gift. What a man."

Nunnelly is president of the Minnie Hackney Community Service Foundation, the organization that helps raise funds for the center in downtown Joplin. This year, the foundation received a grant to support its warming and cooling shelter program. This summer, when the temperature is above 100 degrees, the center will be open for community members to take shelter. The center received a grant last year as well, which was used to buy a washer and dryer so that members of the unhoused community can come in and wash their clothes.

Jason Silvers, president of Next Step-Joplin, said his organization has two main missions. First is their photo identification program that helps people replace or obtain a photo ID. It's a lengthy and sometimes expensive process to get a necessary document in order to be eligible for housing, job opportunities and voting. They also work to alleviate food insecurity with a food closet and free meals.

"Last year, the grant carried us through almost half of our year," Silvers said. "Every penny counts, we're really grateful for this. I couldn't even tell you how many people it fed last year or helped get IDs for jobs, housing and treatment programs."

Also on hand to receive two grants was Priscilla Jeffers Reed, director of Neosho Habitat for Humanity and president of the board of the Neosho Schools Charitable Foundation.

She said Habitat's grant will help as they partner with Crowder College's building trades program for their next house. This project is building in an area where houses have been condemned by the city, to grow a new neighborhood in Neosho. The Neosho Schools Charitable Foundation's grant will benefit the Grow Your Own Teachers program to support students who want to become teachers. It keeps students local, helping them toward a debt-free education.

Jeffers Reed worked for Corley as a sales associate when she was in college. She simply knew him as Bob Corley and didn't realize at first the W.R. Corley grants were from her former boss, she said with a laugh.

"He always was very community-minded," she said. "I'm so grateful because there are over 50 organizations that are benefiting, and I have been a part of several of these organizations. So I know how important funding is."