Amazon Montgomery County Community Fund Awards $150,000 to 16 Local Organizations

Sixteen organizations across Montgomery County, Missouri, are putting local ideas into action with support from the Amazon Montgomery County Community Fund. The fund awarded $150,000 in grants of up to $12,000 to nonprofits, schools, and community organizations working on food access, STEAM education, workforce development, digital skills, veterans support and more.

Grant recipients were recognized at a celebration on October 29 at The Rotunda at Washington St. in Hermann, Missouri.

“In this room are people who feed their neighbors, care for our veterans, teach kids to build robots and grow food forests, keep our seniors connected, and make sure families in our small towns have the same opportunities as anyone else,” said Afrika Alsup, Regional Community Engagement Manager at Amazon.

“The dollars aren't the story,” she continued. “The story is what you'll do with them: the Fourth of July celebrations. The diapers handed to a new parent. The ballpark that will host games for years to come. The veteran who no longer needs a ride to town for basic necessities.”

The funded projects span the breadth of what Montgomery County residents identified as priorities, from keeping food on the table to connecting young people with skills that open doors.

Several grants are strengthening the safety net for Montgomery County residents. Hermann Community Food Pantry received the fund’s largest grant to expand its capacity to serve families across the Hermann area. Street Patrol is tackling food insecurity for underserved neighbors, while Neighborhood Forest is planting a food forest that combines environmental stewardship with long-term food access. The Montgomery County Health Department is launching a diaper program to ease the financial burden on young families.

Grants are connecting Montgomery County residents with education and career opportunities at every stage. Wellsville-Middletown R1 is launching a Tiger Robotics program that brings competitive robotics to students, and Montgomery County 4-H Council is expanding STEAM programming for young people across the county. Youth In Need is introducing STEAM learning in early childhood settings, giving kids a head start on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Bellflower Youth Club is building new programming for youth in the Bellflower community.

On the workforce side, Per Scholas is delivering technology training to connect Missourians with careers in the tech sector. Revival KC is bringing digital opportunity programming to Montgomery County through its DOT initiative, helping residents build the digital skills that today’s economy demands. The Hermann Area Chamber of Commerce is developing a housing and workforce strategy to support the region’s growth.

Several grants are going toward the physical spaces and institutions that hold Montgomery County together. Montgomery City Lions Club and New Florence Lion’s Club are both reinvesting in their community buildings, spaces that serve as gathering points for residents across the area. The Wellsville Community Athletic League is improving its ballpark, and Montgomery County Senior Center is upgrading its facility to better serve older residents. Montgomery City Memorial VFW Post 4436 is funding its National Home Store to support veterans and their families.

The Amazon Montgomery County Community Fund is part of Amazon’s broader investment in Missouri and its commitment to supporting the communities where it operates. Amazon has invested more than $9 billion in Missouri since 2010, including infrastructure and compensation to employees. Separately, Amazon has announced a planned investment of several billion dollars in Montgomery County to build a state-of-the-art data center campus, creating hundreds of jobs and supporting long-term economic growth in the region. Learn more about Amazon’s investment in Missouri here.

For more on Amazon’s community programs, visit Amazon in the Community.