Drew Lewis Foundation at The Fairbanks

Drew Lewis Foundation at The Fairbanks Dr. Amy Blansit founded the Drew Lewis Foundation (DLF) at the historic Fairbanks elementary school building in 2013 in honor of her late husband, Drew Lewis.
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The mission of the Drew Lewis Foundation is to educate, empower, and support underserved families through personalized programs and coaching to increase quality of life and build resilient communities. The historic Fairbanks Elementary—a former public school built in 1906—had fallen into severe disrepair. The DLF reimagined the Fairbanks building as a Community Hub housing a number of community be

tterment initiatives that work to improve the quality of life within the neighborhood. The Services & Programs Drew Lewis Foundation offers are:
- RISE (Reaching Independence through Support and Education) — Our core program works through intensive case management and curriculum to improve sufficiency in a variety of indicators including education, employment, debt reduction, quality childcare, and parenting.
- Blue House Project (BHP) & Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) — We purchase low-cost homes and renovate them. We then select qualified members of RISE to live in the homes for a period of 2 years while they pay rent and learn about homeownership, eventually purchasing the home. Through home visits and educational curriculum, we educate on the Healthy Homes Principles and their relationship to physical and mental health of the home’s residents.
- Nonprofit Career Academy — A post-secondary education and training institute. This is a gateway for employees to enter the pipeline in the nonprofit sector and build a successful career.
- Fairbanks Community Hub — The Fairbanks Community Hub (a HUD-certified EnVision Center), brings together a multitude of service agencies, co-locating them centrally in a distressed neighborhood where their services are needed most. Interested in learning more? Feel free to message us or email [email protected]. We hope to connect with you!

Meet Kylie Cassady, one of our Drew Lewis Foundation Associate Board members! 💙A Springfield native and Missouri State U...
08/30/2026

Meet Kylie Cassady, one of our Drew Lewis Foundation Associate Board members! 💙

A Springfield native and Missouri State University graduate, Kylie is the co-founder of 2oddballscreative , where she helps organizations tell their stories through marketing, branding, and community relations.

Her connection to DLF started through volunteering and seeing our work happening right in her own community.

But when her brother was able to purchase a home through the Blue House Project, that connection became even more personal!

For Kylie, hope is found in opportunity, stability, and connection.

It’s in helping someone build confidence through RISE. It’s bringing resources to communities through RISE X. It’s the security of homeownership through the Blue House Project.

And it’s creating spaces where neighbors know they belong.🤝

We’re grateful to have Kylie’s perspective, creativity, and heart helping us continue to build hope across our community!🙌

6 cohorts. 48 members. 179 lives reached. 🙌That's what Yeni and Jordana have built with ALAS RISE — a Spanish-speaking R...
08/28/2026

6 cohorts. 48 members. 179 lives reached. 🙌

That's what Yeni and Jordana have built with ALAS RISE — a Spanish-speaking RISE community that is growing, thriving, and just kicked off their newest cohort this Spring.

These women pour everything they have into the people they serve, and we couldn't be more honored to walk alongside them.

If you'd like to help keep the momentum going, consider sponsoring their $1,500 upcoming RISE subscription renewal!

Donate at: drewlewis.org/donate
and mention ALAS in the memo. 💛

Clothing should never be the reason a student feels left out, uncomfortable, or unable to focus at school. 💙 The PTA Clo...
08/28/2026

Clothing should never be the reason a student feels left out, uncomfortable, or unable to focus at school. 💙

The PTA Clothing Bank helps make sure Springfield Public Schools students have access to the everyday clothing, coats, shoes, and seasonal essentials they need, all provided with dignity and care.

Through school referrals and the support of dedicated PTA volunteers, thousands of local students are able to walk into school feeling a little more comfortable, confident, and ready to learn.

We’re grateful for community resources like the PTA Clothing Bank that continue to show what’s possible when we remove barriers and show up for our neighbors. 🧡

08/28/2026

DPA funding is back! 🏠

Restore SGF has a small round of funding available for our Down Payment Assistance Program.

This round will be competitive and first come, first served, so buyers will need to be qualified and have the required documentation ready.

A huge thank you to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines and OMB Bank for helping make this round possible and continuing to invest in homeownership in Springfield.

Join us tonight, Thursday, from 5:00–6:00 PM at the Drew Lewis Foundation for a free community dinner — open to everyone...
08/27/2026

Join us tonight, Thursday, from 5:00–6:00 PM at the Drew Lewis Foundation for a free community dinner — open to everyone!

On the menu: a build-your-own taco bar! Seasoned taco meat, soft shells, and all the toppings — cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sour cream, and salsa — plus rice on the side. Build it your way.

These dinners are 100% volunteer-run, and we'd love your help. Want to lend a hand this Thursday or a future one? Sign up here: https://givepul.se/uft7c5

Proudly sponsored by Southern Bank. 💙

See you at the table!

08/26/2026

We can all relate to how hard it can be to change. Making meaningful life changes can often feel overwhelming or impossible. Rising from a surviving life to a thriving life, however, is done by taking small steps and small choices every day. This week in class we challenged our members to envision what they want their life to look like in the future and the person they want to be. We asked them to identify the values that are most important to them right now (such as family, stability, health, personal development, freedom) and will help them become that person. We challenged them to use these values when making choices every day. When we use our values to guide our choices we slowly become the person we want to become. We change.

If you'd like to learn more about living a thriving life and becoming the person you'd like to become, please call or text us at (417) 658-9011, message us here on Facebook, or email us at [email protected]. We'd love to have you apart of our RISE and Thrive family.

Your community deserves more than good intentions…What if your bank, church, or nonprofit could offer training that actu...
08/26/2026

Your community deserves more than good intentions…

What if your bank, church, or nonprofit could offer training that actually changes how your team shows up for people living paycheck to paycheck?

Community Rising is a new training from The Drew Lewis Foundation — brought directly to your community, led by DLF staff, and built on real outcomes from our RISE program (Reaching Independence through Support and Education).

This isn't a lecture.
It's a practical, research-backed experience that leaves your team better equipped to serve.

You'll leave with:
✅ A deeper understanding of the systems and barriers keeping people in financial survival mode
✅ Actionable, research-based strategies you can put to work immediately
✅ Real data and stories from RISE participants and underserved communities across Missouri
✅ Tools to cultivate a more informed, compassionate culture — wherever you work or worship

Financial institutions, faith communities, nonprofits, local employers — if your work touches low-to-moderate income or underserved populations, this training was made with you in mind.

Hosted in your community.
Led by DLF.
Grounded in real impact.

Two hosting options:
💲 $500 — Full-day training for social service organizations and community members serving their neighbors
💲 $650 — Full-day training plus an introductory evening the night before, featuring a community-sponsored dinner with banking and financial education focused on serving LMI populations

Ready to bring Community Rising to your corner of Missouri?

Reach out at [email protected] or call (417) 200-2223 to get started. (Out-of-state options available too — just ask!)

YOU’RE INVITED TO RIDE! ♠️♥️♣️♦️Join us for the 1st Annual Ride for Hope: A Cyclist’s Poker Run on Wednesday, October 7 ...
08/25/2026

YOU’RE INVITED TO RIDE! ♠️♥️♣️♦️
Join us for the 1st Annual Ride for Hope: A Cyclist’s Poker Run on Wednesday, October 7 from 5:30–7:30 PM, beginning at Mother's Brewing Company!

We’ll ride through Springfield, making stops along the way to collect playing cards, play a few games, and see who ends the night with the best hand. Even better, every mile helps support the Fairbanks Community Bike Shop’s new storefront on Commercial Street and its work providing reliable transportation, bike repairs, education, and opportunities for our neighbors.

📍 Start + finish: Mother’s Brewing Company
📅 October 7, 2026 | 5:30–7:30 PM
🌧️ Rain date: October 14

Want to make an even bigger impact?
Sponsorship opportunities are now available! Your support directly helps put bikes, skills, and reliable transportation into the hands of people who need them.

Because of you, someone can get to their first day of work.
Because of you, a child can get to school.
Because of you, a family can move one step closer to stability.

REGISTER to ride + view sponsorship opportunities HERE:
https://www.drewlewis.org/event-details/the-ride-for-hope-a-cyclists-poker-run-2

Route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ytcYoiA1eEXmxWMp7

Event Page (follow for updates): The Ride for Hope: A Cyclist's Poker Run

SBC's Community Bike Shop at the Fairbanks '
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Homebuyers start HERE!👀
08/24/2026

Homebuyers start HERE!👀

Address

1126 N Broadway Avenue
Springfield, MO
65802

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+14172002223

Website

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