Nonprofit News: February Edition

Heartfelt gifts, gala updates and more of the news worth noting in local nonprofits.


Gifts & Grants

Credit: Morgun Wadley

Live Thankfully, the local “upscale resale” boutique, kicked off the year with a $100,000 donation to Immerse Arkansas to support its work with youth in crisis.

Two Arkansas nonprofits — Little Rock’s Life Skills for Youth and northeast Arkansas’ El Centro Hispano — were awarded more than $3 million in federal funding through the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program to expand digital access and literacy programs.

In 2024, Bank of America Arkansas provided more than $579,000 and 4,100 volunteer hours to causes statewide, including the Arkansas Foodbank, Baptist Health Foundation, Junior Achievement of Arkansas and Our House.

Wildwood Park for the Arts established the Ann Chotard Memorial Scholarship in honor of its former director. The fund will support select students in Wildwood’s summer programs as well as artists who teach and perform.

In recent weeks, UAMS received a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study a virus that can trigger cancers, as well as $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to create a community-based emergency response program in Little Rock schools. Meanwhile, Ross and Mary Whipple pledged $1.5 million to UAMS in support of rural cancer care, patient services and orthopaedics.

 

Save the Date

Credit: Breakthrough T1D

Along with its new name, Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or JDRF) is making its debut on the springtime event calendar this year with Party With a Purpose on March 1. The event will be held at Rusty Tractor Vineyards and highlight three local women who live with Type 1 diabetes: Stephanie Keet, Jillian Pate and Susie Rosenbaum.

 

New Grounds

Access Group closed out its 30th anniversary year with the announcement it had purchased the property at 7814 T St. (formerly Miss Selma’s Schools) to serve as headquarters for its growing vocational training and adult programs. “The Access Village,” as it will be called, is located near the Access Academy and Young Adult Campus and will house its Life Adult Program and Project SEARCH Arkansas: Access Initiative. Learn more at accessgroupinc.org/village.

 

Big Moves

Cynthia Ramey stepped down from her role as executive director of Family Promise of Pulaski County after 14 years.

Alex Hudson has been promoted to development manager for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana.

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