Every now and then, a leader comes along who doesn’t just guide an organization—he shapes it. Clay Stribling led the Amarillo Area Foundation for more than a decade, leaving behind more than milestones and awards.
He left a legacy of trust, compassion, and deep connection to the people and communities of the Texas Panhandle. As we remember Clay, we’ve gathered reflections from those who knew him best.
In late February 2024, the Texas Panhandle faced one of the most devastating natural disasters in its history. Fueled by relentless winds and drought-dry conditions, the Smokehouse Creek Fire and surrounding wildfires scorched more than 1.2 million acres across our region—taking homes, livelihoods, livestock, and landscapes with them.
At the Amarillo Area Foundation, we felt the weight of this disaster not only as a philanthropic institution, but as neighbors, friends, and community members.
When the fires ignited, so did a fierce commitment in our hearts—to respond with urgency, empathy, and long-term resolve. Thanks to the foresight of donors who have supported the Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund since its creation in 2006, we were able to act quickly and responsibly. Within days, we began issuing emergency grants to organizations on the front lines—ensuring food, clothing, shelter, and supplies reached those who needed them most.
To date, $6,461,626 in aid has been distributed to nonprofit partners and agencies in the most affected areas. These grants supported both immediate relief and the beginning stages of long-term recovery. From funding housing and basic needs in Fritch and Borger, to helping volunteer fire departments replace critical equipment lost in the flames, our focus remained clear: to serve the people of the Panhandle with compassion and care.
Our staff didn’t stay behind desks—we showed up. We met with local leaders. We walked through burned-out neighborhoods. We listened. And what we saw was not just destruction, but remarkable resilience.
We saw volunteers delivering meals, neighbors clearing rubble, and families standing beside what remained of their homes, vowing to rebuild. We met children who held lemonade stands across the country to raise money for our relief fund. We heard from donors—young and old, near and far—who reminded us that when one part of the Panhandle hurts, we all hurt. And when we show up for one another, we begin to heal.
Recovery will not happen overnight. Rebuilding homes, restoring land, and mending hearts will take time. But as we look forward, we remain anchored in our mission: to be a trusted partner and an unwavering advocate for every community in the 26 counties we serve.
To everyone who gave, volunteered, or simply asked how to help—thank you. Your generosity is transforming heartbreak into hope.
And to the people of the Texas Panhandle:
We are here. We are with you. We are not going anywhere.
Family Support Services has shown its dedication to empowering youth and young adults through their services and programming for many years, in addition to an array of other crucial services the organization provides to the broader community. In 2024, the Amarillo Area Foundation granted $50,000 to Family Support Services to specifically support their programming and services to Opportunity Youth.
Opportunity Youth (OY) are individuals aged 16-26 who are not meaningfully engaged in education or the workforce, or who face significant barriers due to systems involvement. This population represents a wealth of untapped potential in terms of both economic impact and increased quality of life for OY and their families if reconnection efforts are successful. Research from the Aspen Institute shows that successful re-engagement of OY results in a return on investment of $4 for every $1 invested. There are currently approximately 6,000 OY in the Texas Panhandle, with the higher amount of OY residing in urban areas and rural areas showing the highest rates of disconnection.
Family Support Services is well positioned to provide the kind of comprehensive wraparound support and deep relationship building required for successful OY re-engagement efforts. Granted funds will enable them to continue their powerful work with youth and young adults, and to build additional programming upon it specific to the OY population. Two crucial components of their program will be the hiring of staff with lived experience as OY and training for current staff on how to work more successfully with this population.
The Amarillo Area Foundation has had a focus on OY as a part of its Education Strategy to increase the number of individuals in the Texas Panhandle who have completed a post-secondary credential of value leading to a family sustaining wage. Family Support Services is a wonderful partner in this work, and the funds granted from the Harrington Foundation will enable them to continue and improve their already deeply impactful work with this population.
The Empowering Lives Counseling Program, an initiative of Hemphill County Hospital District (HCHD), provides sustained, on-campus mental health support to students and staff within the Canadian Independent School District (CISD). The program was initially funded through a three-year grant awarded directly to CISD. With the conclusion of that grant, HCHD stepped in to secure additional resources to ensure this vital service continues without interruption.
Designed to proactively address the growing mental health needs of both students and educators, the Empowering Lives Counseling Program offers accessible, professional counseling services in a trusted and familiar environment. Its mission is to equip individuals with practical tools and coping strategies for mental wellness, while also fostering a culture of support, understanding, and resilience within the school community.
In 2024, the Amarillo Area Foundation and the Harrington Foundation awarded a generous grant of $175,000 to help sustain this critical program in Hemphill County. Their support ensures continued access to care for those who might otherwise go without and highlights the power of community partnerships in advancing mental health initiatives.
In 2024, Amarillo Area Foundation was pleased to award over $70,000 to Joseph’s Storehouse (AKA Tulia Love Fund) to help renovate their food pantry serving Tulia and the surrounding areas.
With these grant funds, Joseph’s Storehouse is able to expand its capacity to meet the needs of the community while simultaneously fixing an issue with the pantry’s existing brick and stucco back wall, which was crumbling due to rainwater damage. The operations and food distribution will halt completely if the rear wall falls apart. After repairs are made, any remaining funds provided in the grant will help purchase food from High Plains Food Bank Amarillo to service the needs of Seniors, lower-income individuals, and families of Swisher County.
This organization works closely with multiple local and area organizations, including churches, volunteers, civic organizations, the Plainview Walmart Supercenter, and the Amarillo High Plains Food Bank, to provide much-needed food to meet the needs associated with the nearly 27.5% poverty rate of Swisher County.
Joseph Storehouse coordinates volunteers, including students, local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) members, and individuals in need of community service opportunities, to distribute boxes of food on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month. They have also partnered with the county’s Independent School Districts to provide food to families that may not otherwise know where to go to find emergency help. Additionally, law enforcement from the local, county and surrounding area have called for help with urgent food shortages within local and county jails and for transient travelers who find themselves in an unforeseen circumstance. The overall goal of Joseph’s Storehouse is to continue to address food insecurity and to answer each call when food is needed.
From November 2022 through December 2023, Joseph’s Storehouse distributed a total of 323,117 lbs. of food (8,078 – 40lb food boxes) to 9,310 individuals from 3,214 families/households. In a community where 27.5% of the population has been determined to live below the poverty line; the largest demographic living in poverty are females ages 25-44, followed by those age 65+. After renovations are complete, Joseph’s Storehouse will endeavor to feed and reach another 9,300 individuals and 3,200 families in 2025.
The AAF grant helps Joseph’s Storehouse eliminate as many barriers as possible to ensure ultimate success for our rural area. Their objective is to provide free food as a means of supplementing food costs and aiding in the wellbeing of many lower income individuals and families. Expanding this facility will not only fix an urgent structural need, but it will have a direct impact on the fight against hunger in the Tulia community.
One of the priority areas for the Amarillo Area Foundation is increasing food security through community-based, sustainable solutions. That’s why we are proud to support Ogallala Commons (OC) with a grant of $240,000 to expand their work strengthening the regional food system in the Texas Panhandle.
This investment supports a transformative 18-month initiative aimed at increasing the technical expertise of local food producers, building infrastructure for aggregation and distribution, and connecting rural producers with institutions such as schools, hospitals, and food service providers. At the heart of the project is the expansion of MyFoodshed, a regional food hub designed to meet the unique needs of our sparsely populated communities.
Ogallala Commons has spent years building trust and relationships across the region. Their work brings together local ranchers, flour millers, gardeners, educators, and economic developers—people like Brittany from 4B Meats in Gruver or Veronica from Grandview Granary in Groom—who are feeding local students and fueling the local economy.
Empower producers, increase access to healthy, local food, and build a food system that works for our rural communities rather than against them.
This project is a shining example of how philanthropy, local leadership, and producer innovation can come together to create lasting, systemic change. We believe that supporting this kind of work is essential—not just for food security, but for community vitality, economic resilience, and the health of generations to come.
We’re honored to invest in Ogallala Commons and the communities they serve—and we’re excited to see this grassroots movement take root and grow.
At the Amarillo Area Foundation, we believe strong communities are built on access—to opportunity, to education, and critically, to care. That’s why we are proud to stand alongside the Mary E. Bivins Foundation, Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation, and High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation in supporting the launch of the Meadows Institute–Panhandle (MI-P)—a bold, regional initiative working to transform mental health outcomes across the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle.
MI-P is led by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, one of the nation’s foremost organizations in behavioral health innovation and systems change. The Meadows Institute has established a regional presence that is already driving results—and creating a roadmap for long-term impact.
MI-P helps local leaders and care providers align resources, share data, and drive results.
The Meadows Institute–Panhandle is more than a program—it is a blueprint for how regional philanthropy, community collaboration, and technical expertise can come together to solve complex public health challenges.
At AAF, we are honored to invest $190,000 in 2024 in this long-term vision. Together, we are not only expanding access to care—we are changing the systems that shape health and wellbeing for generations to come.
Executive Director, Meadows Institute – Panhandle
In the quiet corners of Amarillo, where generosity often goes unnoticed, there’s a couple whose kindness has left an undeniable mark on the Texas Panhandle. Bob and Melody Grace don’t give for recognition. They don’t seek the spotlight. Instead, they have spent their lives quietly lifting others—providing food for the hungry, shelter for single mothers, and hope for families in need.
For the past nine years, Bob and Melody have held a Donor Advised Fund at the Amarillo Area Foundation, contributing to 35 nonprofit organizations and programs. Their giving is not just abundant—it is transformational. Their faith-driven generosity has created ripples that will extend far beyond their lifetime, continuing into perpetuity through their charitable fund and estate plan.
Melody’s heart has always been drawn to single mothers and their children. That passion led her to Eveline Rivers and Eveline’s Sunshine Cottage, a place that offers struggling families more than just shelter—it provides a fresh start. Moved by the organization’s mission, Melody and Bob committed to providing ongoing monthly gifts, ensuring that the women and children living there have the support they need. And when unexpected needs arise, Eveline knows she can always count on the Graces to step in, no questions asked, no hesitation—just love in action.
For Bob, giving has always been deeply personal. For more than 40 years, Bob and his dear friend, Reverend Howard Romaine, provided turkeys for families in Reverend Romaine’s community every Thanksgiving and Christmas. After Reverend Romaine’s passing, Bob has continued to honor the legacy of his friend who dedicated his life to serving North Amarillo. Through Faith City Ministries’ Feeding 5000 program, Bob and Melody have provided 5,000 turkey meals annually—enough to feed 50,000 people over the last nine years. For many families, these meals have meant the difference between struggling through the holidays and celebrating them with dignity.
Their passion for feeding those in need doesn’t stop there. Since 1982, Bob and Melody have faithfully supported Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, and their ongoing gifts to High Plains Food Bank alone have provided approximately 74,000 meals. Their generosity doesn’t just fill stomachs—it restores hope.
At the heart of their giving is an unwavering faith. For decades, Bob and Melody have been active in their churches, leading with humility and grace. Bob, a self-made businessman, has always preferred action over meetings—believing that success is best measured not by what you earn, but by how much you can give away. His God-given skills have helped corporations, countries, and countless individuals, but his deepest fulfillment comes from helping people meet their most basic needs.
Melody’s faith shines through her music. She has ministered to women through song at churches, ladies’ groups, and nonprofit events across the Panhandle. Whether singing in the choir at Paramount Baptist Church or First Baptist Church of Amarillo, her voice has been a source of comfort and encouragement to many.
Bob and Melody didn’t grow up with wealth. Bob’s father was a sharecropper’s son, raised in the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, where survival depended on grit and generosity. He taught Bob to work hard and always do his best. Melody’s early lessons in giving came from her aunt and uncle, Goldie and Bill, who faithfully tithed to their local church—Goldie as the church’s pianist for 40 years, Bill as the janitor.
Those lessons never left them. When asked about their generosity, Bob and Melody humbly responded:
“As believers, we give back what God has given us. We’ve been blessed with so much. We share what we have. We are so very blessed. God is a God of second chances…. and we have a lot of need right here in the Texas Panhandle.”
Their giving reflects that deep understanding of grace. And it doesn’t just impact the community—it’s shaping the next generation. Their grandchildren are watching, learning, and carrying forward the legacy of giving that Bob and Melody have so beautifully modeled.
Amarillo Area Foundation nominated the Graces for Outstanding Philanthropists for the National Philanthropy Day celebration in November of 2024, and of course, they were awarded the honor. When approached about this nomination, Bob and Melody’s first response was, “We’re background people. We don’t need recognition.” And that’s exactly why they deserve it.
Their story isn’t just about generosity—it’s about who they are. It’s about the thousands of lives they’ve touched, the families they’ve fed, the women and children they’ve sheltered, and the quiet faith that drives every act of kindness. For Bob and Melody Grace, philanthropy isn’t about prestige. It’s about love. And their love for the Texas Panhandle—its people, its families, its future—has been nothing short of extraordinary. Their impact is immeasurable, their generosity unshakable, and their legacy—one of faith, love, and boundless kindness—will last for generations to come.
In the heart of the Texas Panhandle, generosity isn’t just a virtue—it’s a way of life. For generations, the Ware family has embodied the spirit of giving, using their resources, time, and influence to uplift their community. What began as the deep-seated belief that neighbors take care of one another has grown into The Ware Foundation, a philanthropic force shaped by the values of Amarillo National Bank (ANB), beginning in 1892, and the family behind it.
Founded in 1997, The Ware Foundation was designed with flexibility at its core—ready to respond swiftly to the needs of the region. Whether addressing immediate crises or fostering long-term change, the foundation has always prioritized meaningful impact. Over the years, it has evolved into more than just a financial supporter of local initiatives; it has become a bridge between people who care and causes that need them.
One of the foundation’s most cherished traditions happens every holiday season. Through ANB, each employee is given the opportunity to direct a gift to a nonprofit of their choice. This simple but powerful initiative turns giving into a shared experience—one that connects the entire ANB team and the Ware Family to the communities they serve. But it’s about much more than writing checks. With at least 5,000 hours of service logged annually by Amarillo National Bank employees, the Ware Family leads by example through contributing to these hours served. “We practice what we preach,” says Lizzie Ware Williams. “We cannot ask anyone to do something if we have not already done it ourselves.”
In the spring of 2024, when historic wildfires ravaged the Texas Panhandle, The Ware Foundation was one of the first partners to offer support for the communities impacted through a $1 million gift to Amarillo Area Foundation to our Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund, which was distributed to help families impacted immediately.
The Ware Family’s commitment to philanthropy is a legacy built over generations. Tol and Mary Ware, set the standard early on—Tol through his leadership in philanthropy, and Mary through her unwavering dedication to Amarillo College and community organizations. That spirit of service continued with the next generation, Bill and Richard, who have championed charitable causes and served on numerous boards throughout the region.
Now, the fifth generation carries the torch, 133 years after their great-great grandfather founded Amarillo National Bank. Lizzie, Savannah, Tol, Benj, Patrick, and William have embraced philanthropy in a deeply personal way. For them, giving isn’t a duty—it’s truly a calling.
Ware Family photo courtesy of Amarillo Globe News.
© 2025 Amarillo Area Foundation Annual Report.
Website Designed By Nobox Creative
