The Oklahoma City Community Foundation will distribute $10.4 million to 371 charitable organizations serving central Oklahoma during its 2021 disbursement, an increase of $1.4 million more than this time last year.

“This program provides an important source of funding to help ensure vital charitable services and programs will continue in our community,” said Nancy B. Anthony, Oklahoma City Community Foundation President. “This is necessary funding for these organizations as they navigate through very difficult times brought on by a global pandemic.”

The largest program in the nation of its kind, the Community Foundation’s Charitable Organization Endowment program includes organizations in central Oklahoma servicing such as education, health care, social services, arts and culture.

“The Edmond Mobile Meals endowment fund is instrumental in the sustainability of our program. We have provided 47 years of trusted service to Edmond’s homebound seniors, and last year we served our one millionth meal,” said Cristi Twenter, Edmond Mobile Meals executive director. “The endowment fund program at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and matching grants from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund help us continue the legacy of serving Edmond’s most vulnerable seniors for generations to come so that no senior in Edmond ever goes hungry or feels forgotten.”

Each year, beneficiary charitable organizations receive a cash distribution equal to 5% of the fund’s average market value for the previous 12 quarters, allowing them to benefit from the Community Foundation’s general investment pool in years of exceptional investment performance like 2020, while remaining protected when the market it more volatile.

This fall, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation is leading beautification efforts throughout the metro by providing 400 new trees and 70,000 daffodil bulbs to help our community recover from the harsh winter weather of 2020-21.

“Community beautification has been a cornerstone of the Community Foundation since 1991,” OCCF President Nancy Anthony said. “After the ice storm last October and the subfreezing temperatures in February, helping our community recover was a natural and necessary extension of these efforts.”

Over the past decade, the Community Foundation has worked with the City of Oklahoma City, Association of Central Oklahoma Governments and Oklahoma Forestry Services to document the environmental, aesthetic and functional benefits trees provide as well as help improve the community’s parks system. With the devastating weather last winter, much of the Oklahoma City metro tree canopy was damaged or destroyed.

“When you lose trees, especially in great quantities like this, it’s extremely important to restore that tree canopy,” said Brian Dougherty, director of OCCF’s parks and public spaces initiative. “Over the next several months, Releaf 2021 will provide us the opportunity to work closely with neighborhood associations throughout the metro that are planning for succession planting in ungated portions of their neighborhood frontage, medians, greenbelts and parks.”

Through Releaf 2021, the Community Foundation is inviting neighborhood associations that fall in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Tree Canopy Area to apply for new trees for succession planning. Applications will be open through Oct. 6, 2021, but trees will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. To learn more or apply, neighborhoods are encouraged to visit occf.org/releaf.

In addition, the Community Foundation is bringing back Rebloom Oklahoma for a second year. In 2020, the program distributed more than 60,000 daffodil bulbs to neighborhoods, parks, schools, churches and libraries. For 2021, the project will expand by offering 70,000 daffodil bulbs. Qualifying organizations can apply at occf.org/rebloom between Sept. 3, 2021, and Oct. 27, 2021.