My Nonprofit Reviews

To whom it may concern:

I would like to use this letter to nominate Missouri River Relief (herein, MRR) for the 2023 Top Rated Badge on Great Nonprofits. MRR’s mission is to engage individuals and communities along the Missouri River in the exploration, enjoyment, restoration, and care of the river through hands-on river cleanups, education programs, and recreation. I’ve been a volunteer since November of 2019, and I feel that of the 20 nonprofits that I’ve been involved with over the years, MRR is probably the most welcoming, and very proud to be part of their “family”. It is an emotional high when you get to see people for the first time have the opportunity to get out onto the river and experience a boat ride, and then be able to connect them to some unique wildlife encounter, or a historical location, and then put the team on a sandbar to help clean it up. I’ve witnessed and participated in these joyful, adventurous connections a lot, especially after we leave a stretch of shore bank a hell of a lot cleaner!

This past May I helped MRR with their Missouri River cleanup near the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. I don’t remember the details and I personally wasn’t involved, but during this particular cleanup mission, MRR worked with another local nonprofit that specializes by working with homeless folks. It turned out, with cooperation it was possible to offer a bit of assistance through already established trust. And through the spirit of offering stewardship and dignity towards others, volunteers, working together were able to gain a bit of peripheral access within a homeless encampment (where people live), and help steward their community. I learned later that these folks were quite appreciative. Another time a few years earlier, I was helping with a cleanup somewhere in Missouri along the Missouri River and another homeless individual asked what was going on, and he offered to help. Again, that day MRR gave another member of the community, a fellow human being a ride on the river to help not only with stewardship, but enjoy the fun of a boat ride on the river with the companionship of others. That’s emotional!

“ What a spirit spring is bringing round my head
Makes me feel glad that I'm not dead
Singin' what a spirit spring is bringing round my head
Makes me feel glad that I'm not dead
Witchi Tai Tai, kimarah
Whoa Ron-nee Ka
Whoa Ron-nee Ka
Hey-ney, hey-ney, no-wah” Brewer and Shipley - Witchi-tai-to - YouTube

Yours truly,

Shawn E. Hawks
1235 Brook LN
Boonville, MO 65233
712-389-8856