Community Foundation for Independence

Maybe you’ve heard of the Community Foundation for Independence, but what exactly does a community foundation do? 👀

𝗔𝘁 𝗖𝗙𝗙𝗜, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

Here are a few of the ways we do that:

❤️ 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 — Helping individuals, families, and businesses give to causes they care about.

🌱 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 — Helping build charitable resources that can support our community for generations to come.

💰 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 — Supporting projects and organizations that improve the quality of life in Independence and the surrounding area.

🤝 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 — Working alongside local organizations, schools, clubs, and community leaders.

📋 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 — Helping donors establish and manage charitable funds and navigate their giving options.

And one of the best parts of our work is the opportunity to work with so many people, organizations, and causes right here in our community.

𝙒𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧'𝙨 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨! 👇🏻

We encourage you to follow these organizations, learn more about the work they’re doing, and watch for more information as we get closer to 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭–𝟯𝟬!

We’re proud to be a part of a community that gives, serves, and invests in its future. ❤️

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 👀

We’ve had lots of questions about what’s changing for 2026, so we wanted to make it as simple as possible!

For every eligible dollar donated during November, CFFI will add 25¢ to participating partner organizations and funds, up to $15,000 per organization or fund. New endowments established with eligible new outside gifts can also qualify for the match.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹. ❤️

CFFI is working to raise $200,000 in eligible donations during November to receive the full $100,000 Patterson Family Foundation match. A portion of the match will be used to provide the 25¢ match to participating organizations and funds, while the remaining portion will support the long-term sustainability of CFFI and help ensure we can continue serving our community for years to come.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲.

Save this post, share it with someone who may have questions, and watch for more information throughout October as we get closer to Month of Giving!

📅 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭–𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. ❤️

We’ve been getting some questions about this year’s Month of Giving, so we’re ready to share a little more! 🎉

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿!

Throughout November, you’ll have the opportunity to support local organizations through the Community Foundation for Independence — and your gift can go even further.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿:
💙 Participating organizations can receive a 𝟮𝟱¢ 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 $𝟭 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, up to $15,000 per organization.
💙 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 established with new outside gifts can also qualify for the 25¢/$1 match, up to $15,000.
💙 CFFI has a community-wide goal of $𝟮𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 during November, which will unlock up to a $𝟭𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

We’ll be sharing more about participating organizations, how the match works, and ways you can get involved as we get closer to November. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱!

𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵: 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭–𝟯𝟬!

We’re excited to see what our community can accomplish together. ❤️

👀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿…

We’ve been getting questions about Month of Giving, and we’re excited to start sharing what’s in store for 2026! 🎉

📅 This 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟱 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟮 𝗣𝗠, we’ll share the details about this year’s 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 — including what’s new, how the matching opportunity will work, and how you can help make an even bigger impact right here in our community.

👉 Share this post with your friends, family, and local organizations, and make sure you’re following the Community Foundation for Independence so you don’t miss the announcement!

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻. 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸! ❤️

What an incredible accomplishment by the Lions Clubs across our region! 👏 Their hard work and collaboration are helping make a new walk-in freezer possible for the Community Access Center—an important investment in food resources for our community and surrounding area. Congratulations to everyone involved! 🦁💙

Independence Lions Club

LIONS CLUBS ANNOUNCE DELIVERY OF $44,000 GRANT TO ASSIST WITH FOOD RESOURCE

INDEPENDENCE, Kan. — Lions Club members across southern Kansas are celebrating today the receipt of a major grant that will be used to address food scarcity in southeast Kansas.

Lions Clubs at the local, district and international levels gathered at the Community Access Center (CAC) in Independence to announce the receipt of a $44,000 grant through the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) to go toward the purchase a new walk-in freezer unit for the center, which is located in Independence.

The new walk-in freezer, which will measure 30’ x 12’ x 8’, will replace a nearly 35-year-old unit that is no longer serviceable, and requires continual monitoring to make sure its critical components do not become inoperable.

Located at 807 W. Pecan in Independence, the Community Access Center is a regional hub for the distribution of food to pantries across Montgomery County and the surrounding area. Tens of thousands of pounds of fresh food flow through the Community Access Center each week, often requiring a large-volume freezer unit for cold storage.

Without that freezer unit, a sizable portion of food that is geared for residents in southeast Kansas would not be available.

Therefore, it was imperative for Lions Clubs across Montgomery and Wilson counties to unite behind a fund drive for the purchase of a new freezer unit.

More than one year ago, the Independence Lions Club instigated the effort to address the Community Access Center’s freezer. The Independence club reached out to chapters in Coffeyville, Caney, Fredonia and Neodesha for a fund drive effort to replace that walk-in freezer unit. That campaign has been bolstered with a $44,000 grant from Lions Club International Foundation. District and international officials saw that area clubs were not only uniting behind a common cause but also addressing one of the key pillars of Lions worldwide: addressing food scarcity and hunger.

The Lions Clubs’ efforts and the LCIF grant will go exclusively toward the purchase of the walk-in freezer unit. Officials are now hopeful for a secondary grant that, if awarded, would go toward the shipping/freight of the unit, as well as the installation of the unit. The installation will be handled by Independence Heating and Air, an Independence-based contractor.

The totality of the project will result in a nearly $94,000 investment — thanks to local Lions Club fund drives, numerous donations from other organizations, a sizable LCIF grant, plus the impending grant for the shipping and installation of the walk-in freezer unit.

The Lions Clubs that led the local initiative include the Caney Lions Club, Coffeyville Daylight Defenders Lions Club, Coffeyville Noon Lions Club, Fredonia Lions Club, Independence Lions Club and the Neodesha Lions Club.

Other major contributors include the Kansas Food Bank, the Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging, Independence Masonic Lodge, Independence Heating and Air, and the third grade class from St. Andrew Catholic School in Independence.

In all, more than $75,000 has been raised for this project. It is anticipated that the remaining $27,650 will be raised by the end of September.

Once fundraising is completed in the coming weeks, the project will move to the actual acquisition and installation of the new walk-in freezer, which will likely be completed by end of the 2026.Individuals or organizations that want to contribute toward the fulfillment of the remainder of the fundraising drive should contact Chris Mitchell, director of the Community Access Center, at (620) 331-5115.

For more information about the Independence Lions Club, contact Warren Tharp, president, at (620) 332-9131. For information about Lions Clubs in the Montgomery and Wilson county region, contact Charlotte Caflisch, zone director, at (620) 332-7967.

* * * * * *

Caption: Presenting the $44,400 check to the Community Access Center were Clark Lindstrom (far left), Kansas Lions 17N past district governor, and Melanie Snyder, Kansas Lions 17N current district governor (far right). Accepting the check were Chris Mitchell (second from left), CAC director; and Louis Ysusi, (second from right), CAC board of directors chairman. The check will be used for the purchase of a new walk-in freezer unit at the Community Access Center. The nearly 35-year-old freezer unit that is nearly inoperable is in the background.

💡 𝗦𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼?

It’s a question we get from time to time — and it’s a good one!

At the Community Foundation for Independence, we help connect people who want to give with the causes and organizations that make our community stronger. ❤️

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

🤝 Helping donors create charitable funds that reflect what matters to them
🌱 Growing permanent endowments for our community’s future
💰 Helping individuals and families give strategically and intentionally
🎓 Supporting scholarships and programs that benefit local students
🏘️ Partnering with local organizations on projects and community needs
📋 Providing tools and resources that make charitable giving easier

At the heart of it, our job is to inspire charitable giving, steward resources responsibly, and support projects that improve the quality of life in Independence and the surrounding area — now and for future generations.

We’re proud to be a resource for people who want to make a difference, whether that’s through a large gift, a charitable fund, a grant, or simply finding a way to give back. 💙

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲.

👀 𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂… 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲!

We’ve been getting lots of questions (and excitement!) about this year’s Month of Giving, and we promise—more information is coming VERY, VERY soon! 🎉

We’re working behind the scenes to get everything ready so you’ll know exactly how to participate, how your gifts can go further, and how you can help make a big impact right here in our community.

📅 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙉𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧!

Keep watching and sharing our page… the details are almost here! 👀💙