Community Contributions

The CRA  Applied Social Scientist Award (Missouri State University)

The CRA Applied Social Scientist Award provides one Sociology, Anthropology, or Criminology student each year a $1,000 scholarship towards their degree and tuitions costs and fees.  The student must have a 3.0 or higher in their major and must be utilizing their degree in an applied format (such as working or volunteering for a non-profit organization, participating in research or development work, and/or participating in student associations on the Missouri State Campus).  The award is managed by the Missouri State University Foundation and is awarded in the spring each year.  The recipient is also offered (if they so desire) an internship with CRA during the course of the academic school year. The Missouri State University Foundation highlighted this award in their 2008 annual report.

The 'Red Wagon Kids' Campaign (Springfield, Missouri)

America's Promise was founded after the April 1997 President's Summit.  Various recent Presidents challenged the nation to make youth and children a national priority.  Their call to action included a commitment to fulfilling five main promises for children: (1) Caring Adults, (2) Safe Places, (3) Healthy Start, (4) Marketable Skills & Education, and (5) Opportunities to serve.  In 2007, the Springfield Missouri Mayor's office launched the 'Red Wagon Campaign' in response to this call for action. In 2008, Christina served on the Mayor's Faith Committee.

National Public Radio (KSMU - Springfield, Missouri)

In 2007, CRA became a KSMU listening member. CRA is proud to support public radio in the Ozarks!

Community Partnership of the Ozarks 'Fresh Fruit Drive'

In 2008, the Community Partnership of the Ozarks conducted a 'Fresh Fruit Drive' to provide fresh fruit to unsheltered homeless individuals and families in Springfield due to various vitamin deficiency diseases being noted by medical professionals treating the homeless population. CRA donated approximately 150 pounds of fresh fruit to this campaign.

The Gentoo Foundation

CRA currently utilizes open-source software.  As a result, CRA donated a portion of the funds that would have been  utilized for our business software costs directly to the Gentoo (Linux) Foundation to support the effort of making computer software available and free of charge, to individuals, families, and communities.  More information on the foundation can be found online at: www.gentoo.org.  

Responding to Other Community Needs

From time to time, CRA will also respond to community-based needs.  For example, in late 2007 various food pantries and shelters in the Springfield area faced a food shortage, with shelves nearly empty in many cases.  In early 2008, CRA coordinated a canned food drive at our office building location and matched every canned good donated by our office building partners.  We are proud to report that with our partners, we donated 222 pounds of food to shelters in need. In 2008 and 2009, CRA also contributed school supplies to various community campaigns who were collecting these supplies for needy children.