Grand openings, top honors and more of the news worth noting in local nonprofits.
Credit: City of North Little Rock
New Digs
Two local nonprofits are celebrating their next chapter of service with new space. In North Little Rock, Special Olympics Arkansas hosted a ribbon-cutting event marking the grand opening of its new headquarters. Meanwhile, Easterseals Arkansas held its own ceremony to mark the opening of its new Easterseals Academy campus in west Little Rock and give guests a look at new programming in the works.
Gifts & Grants
First Tee received a $100,000 donation from the Arkansas Champions Trust on behalf of the Simmons Bank Championship to support its sports programs for youth in underserved communities.
The Museum of Discovery received $35,000 from the Argosy Foundation to support its STEM programming.
The Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative, with funding from the Ms. Foundation for Women, awarded a $50,000 grant to the Women’s Leadership Network.
Providence Park received a $210,000 grant from the Blue & You Foundation to fund comprehensive support services for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
UAMS received $3.4 million in National Institutes of Health grants to study a “stealthy” virus linked to cancer. UAMS also received $720,702 from the trust of Dr. Frank Thelkeld, as well as $300,000 from Sandra and Robert Connor to create the Sandra and Robert C. Connor Distinguished Endowed Scholarship, both for the college of medicine.
UA Little Rock received $4.2 million from the Trinity Foundation for early childhood education and $10,000 from Dr. Melville Fuller for the Trojan Teachers Residency Program.
High Praise
On Nov. 13, Arkansas Business will host the Arkansas Executive of the Year Awards celebrating the state’s top leaders, including four nonprofit finalists from the metro: Kim Burket of Goodness Village, Kelly Fleming of Habitat for Humanity of Central Arkansas, Eric Gilmore of Immerse Arkansas and Chris Kent of the Argenta Downtown Council.
Along with the executive nod, Goodness Village is marking its 30th year of providing affordable housing to keep families together while receiving medical treatment. The nonprofit will celebrate the occasion on Sept. 30 at its Evening of Goodness gala.
Big Moves
The UA Little Rock Foundation Fund added four new board members: Christian Gwatney, Karen Kitchens, Stuart McLendon and A.J. Thomas.
Our House added two new board members: Ray Nolan and Ryan Solomon.
Marquita Rogers has been named interim senior vice president and executive director of City Year Little Rock.
Forward Arkansas added Mindy Bowlin as a program fellow and consultant to help guide its LeARner Collective.
The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund hired its first-ever development officer in major gifts, Danielle Harris.
Home for Healing added five members to its board of directors: Jayson Krisell, Veronica Moore, Clark Morse, Matthew Naylor and Ross Townsend.