by CHANDA ROBY, ESQ.
After 23 years, giving away over $1.5 million, helping more than 25 organizations, and supporting rural communities in 12 Mississippi counties, Rural Education and Leadership Christian Foundation, Inc. (REAL) has a different kind of opportunity.
This summer, REAL’s board formed the Dolphus and Rosie Weary Administrative Endowment (DRW), named in honor of REAL’s founders, for the purpose of establishing a perpetual resource to support REAL’s staff, so they can concentrate more on the mission of helping rural Christian ministries in Mississippi and less on the urgent need to cover basic operating expenses.
When mature enough to draw a usable interest, this endowment will benefit REAL staff and management by supplementing their fundraising efforts. Fundraising to give away proceeds is a positive nonprofit attribute, but it’s easy to forget that reasonable spending within any nonprofit is needed to adequately offer services to those in need and keep morale high among nonprofit service providers. If nonprofit staff members are in need themselves, cannot make a living wage or cannot afford healthcare, especially during this COVID pandemic, they cannot be effective in wholeheartedly helping others. For REAL, an endowment account for operating expenses could help address those needs.
For many nonprofits like REAL, endowments make it possible to carry out their missions in the long term. Because of REAL’s four older endowments, REAL gives away $170,000 to $225,000 in grants and scholarships each year.
Those interested in giving can support REAL staff now as they work to carry out the organization’s mission. Below are three ways to give.
• By mail: P.O. Box 180059, Richland, MS 39218
• Online: realchristianfoundation.org/donate-now
• On Cash App: $REALatWork
The message in all memo lines should read “Dolphus and Rosie Weary Administrative Endowment.”