Springfield Sister Cities Association is one of 10 nonprofit organizations selected by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks to participate in an endowment match challenge. If Sister Cities can crowdfund $15,000 by August 15, the Community Foundation will award an additional $10,000 to create an endowment for the Kay Finnie Scholarship Fund.
The Kay Finnie Scholarship Fund awards travel scholarships to Springfield-area citizens of all ages who would not otherwise be able to afford participating in official trips to Springfield’s sister cities of Isesaki, Japan and Tlaquepaque, Mexico. The fund recognizes Kay Finnie who was active in Springfield Sister Cities for several years and served on the board of directors.
Kay Finnie’s family has made a long-term commitment to the fund to make Sister Cities travel experiences available to a wide range of people. This opportunity to create an endowment for the fund will provide further sustainability for the program. Scholarships will be distributed from endowment earnings while the principal remains in perpetuity.
International travel is a life-changing experience that broadens your horizons and opens your mind to new cultures which leads to greater tolerance and understanding of others. Sister Cities and the Finnie family believe in the importance of helping more citizens to travel internationally in order to build a more vibrant, prosperous and accepting community.
FORVIS Foundation also recognizes the importance of international travel, and they are generously matching all donations up to $7,500. This means that all donors that contribute to the crowdfunding campaign will double their impact.
Donors can contribute to the campaign through August 15 at peacethroughpeople.org/endowment or facebook.com/springfieldsistercities. Any donation amount will help make dreams come true and will be publicly recognized on the Sister Cities website and social media.
Sister Cities is grateful to the Community Foundation, FORVIS Foundation, the Finnie family and many other generous donors for their support of the Kay Finnie Scholarship Fund.
