The Drew Lewis Foundation
Mission
To educate, empower, and support underserved families through personalized programs and coaching to increase quality of life and build resilient communities.
History
Dr. Amy Blansit founded the Drew Lewis Foundation at the Historic Fairbanks elementary school building in 2013 in honor of the late Drew Lewis. The Historic Fairbanks Elementary—a former public school built in 1906—had fallen into severe disrepair. The DLF is reimagining the Fairbanks building as a Community Hub housing a number of community betterment initiatives that work to improve the quality of life within the neighborhood. The Drew Lewis Foundation received nonprofit status in 2015. It quickly grew to be one of southwest Missouri’s premier nonprofits serving under resourced populations.
Goals
The DLF seeks to create the conditions where local families and youth can live active, productive, comfortable, secure, decent, and happy lives. Our overall goal is to bring families from poverty to a state of permanent self-sufficiency. We do this through:
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Developing premier programming and services
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Delivering pertinent educational topics and additional curriculum materials
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Catering our curriculum and education to the specific needs of the communities we serve
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Quality, evidence-based, data-driven programs: RISE, Blue House Project, Nonprofit Career Academy, and our Community Hub
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Catering our programs to emergent needs in our neighborhoods; make them adaptable to any neighborhood or municipality that wishes to replicate them