Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day, and we think that’s pretty amazing. We plan on spending the day buying coffee for the folks behind us in line, telling the people we love how great they are and letting someone else hold the remote for once.
But today we’ll also be thinking about all the incredible work our local nonprofits do, and how they change the community we live in every single day of the year. If you’re interested in helping them out, listed below are a few of their needs.
You can find the stories and needs of more organizations in our Giving Guide here.
Special Olympics Arkansas
Giving Opportunities
There are many ways to support their sports competitions, health initiatives, and Unified Schools programming.
Special Olympics Arkansas is a grassroots program that survives by their volunteers, whether it is giving their time on the day of a competition, coaching athletes year-round, participating in fundraisers, or a healthcare professional offering a hand during a Healthy Athletes screening or health education event. It is through advancing sports excellence for all, building communities, transformative education, and athlete health that they are challenging mindsets and smashing stereotypes; thus changing the way communities interact with people with intellectual disabilities.
ACCESS
Giving Opportunities
Investments to ACCESS are hard at work every day, and your support is the foundation for your efforts. ACCESS relies on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations to further the mission to help more families in need. Choose today to enrich the lives of those with disabilities by making a contribution. Make your gift even more meaningful by honoring a friend, colleague, or loved one. They will notify the recipient of your thoughtful gift.
Contact Director of Development Kellie Wilhite at (501) 217-8600 or by email to visit more about the exciting ways that you can invest in the future of ACCESS.
- Tuition Assistance Fund
- Technology programs
- Therapy services
- ACCESS Gardens and Ceramic programs
- Endowment and endowed scholarships
Ballet Arkansas
Giving Opportunities
Ticket sales cover only a portion of expenses. One pair of pointe shoes can cost over $100 and lasts about one week. They need practice tutus at $500 each. Tutus for a stage performance start at $2,500 per costume. They need technology/equipment at the Main St. studio: keyless entry/security system, wi-fi, wireless sound system for music and video. A new ballet can cost $10,000. A new, full production (sets and costumes) of The Nutcracker is $250,000.
Ballet Arkansas accepts monetary and in-kind donations and appreciates all of their volunteers! To get involved visit BalletArkansas.org/Donate.
Heifer International
Giving Opportunities
While Heifer helps farmers worldwide, you can directly support farmers here in Arkansas through Heifer USA.
- To make a donation directly to Heifer USA, visit Heifer.org/USA.
- You can also visit NewSouthCoOp.com to buy a weekly CSA share of local produce, or GrassRootsCoOp.com to buy grass-fed, pasture-raised meats.
- Consider attending Feast in the Field (June 9, 2017), an evening of local food and community to raise funds to support farmers in Arkansas. To learn more, visit FeastintheField.org.
Centers for Youth and Families
Giving Opportunities
- Welcome Bags ($50) are given to each child admitted to Residential Treatment to ease their transition and provide comfort items such as stuffed animals, books, and activities.
- Gifts of $50-$1,200 provide scholarships and underwrite Parenting Classes. Courses focus on day-to-day challenges of parenting to specific skills for parenting children with behavioral needs.
- Current capital needs include improvements to provide a homelike environment for the Youth Emergency Shelter and renovations of the Larry Wacschka Children’s Unit.
Youth Home Inc.
Giving Opportunities
Private contributions allow Youth Home to provide the children, adults, and families in their care with the best services available. Your gift helps Youth Home strengthen families, teach positive decision-making skills, and provide a strong foundation. Many individuals and families do not qualify for funding assistance or do not have adequate insurance to pay for treatment. Your gift reduces costs, allowing Youth Home to help those who need help the most.
The First Tee of Central Arkansas
Giving Opportunities
- $240 will “Sponsor a Child” through Life Skills Experience programming.
- $300 will teach 25 at-risk youth the Nine Core Values and Nine Healthy Habits.
- $500 will give 7 children with disabilities access to the values delivered through the game of golf over a 6-week period.
- $1,000 will deliver The First Tee curriculum to 100 elementary school students.