LOCAL NON-PROFITS DO SOUTHÂŽ MAGAZINE
GIVE FROM THE HEART
The River Valley is home to many amazing non-profit organizations doing the most good to serve our community and we know you place great priority on giving back, be it of your time, your service, or your finances. It is our hope that our Do SouthÂŽ Guide to Local Non-Profits will serve to further each of their missions and allow you to discover just how you and your family can get involved and pledge your support to the organizations that are near and dear to your heart. They need us now, more than ever!
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
Aspsf.org 479.927.1402 Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) creates life-changing opportunities for impoverished single-parent families. By providing financial assistance and personal/ professional development opportunities, ASPSF helps single parents complete a career-focused degree or skilled trade wages so that they can proudly support their family on their own. Their achievement shapes the educational and career aspirations of the next generation. With access to education, the entire family begins to see opportunities where none seemed to exist before. ASPSF is helping to break the cycle of poverty, one family at a time. You can help ASPSF provide life-changing scholarships to thousands of single parents. Learn more at aspsf.org.
By shopping at your local ReStore, you are helping to build homes in your community for your neighbors in need. Habitat for Humanity has placed over one hundred families in new homes in the River Valley and money spent in our ReStore will help us to continue that mission. You can also support our affiliate by donating used appliances, building supplies, etc. to the ReStore. During December each year, we offer our fundraising Gift Wrap Center to the public. Wrapping gifts raises funds to build more homes. Your support helps us help others!
DO SOUTHÂŽ MAGAZINE
certification and secure employment at family-supporting
421 Towson Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas HabitatFS.org 479.783.2766
DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE
LOCAL NON-PROFITS DO SOUTHÂŽ MAGAZINE
104 North 13th, Van Buren, Arkansas Art-Ed.org 479.474.7767
3015 South 14th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas FSChildrensShelter.org 479.783.0018
The Center for Art and Education is a nonprofit organization
In 1997, the Fort Smith Children’s Shelter welcomed its first
located at 104 North 13th in Van Buren, Arkansas. Our
five children. Twenty-three years later, the FSCS has provided
mission is to provide art experiences to the community. We
a safe haven to over 4,300 abused and neglected children
believe arts education is an essential component of everyday
and young adults in foster care. Our mission is to be a safe
life for all ages. The arts enhance student performance
and stable home that provides long-term, evidence-based,
introducing skills that are essential for success: creativity,
trauma-informed, resident-centered and family-focused care
critical thinking, and communication. For adults, arts can
to youth in foster care who exhibit emotional and behavioral
be a relief, an opportunity to re-activate, strengthen and
challenges due to neglect and/or abuse. Their needs for food,
increase an existential joy. Currently, our biggest need is for
clothing, shelter, transportation, tutoring, life skills, and social
donations to maintain programming and develop programs
opportunities are provided. In addition, they receive therapy
for our new state-of-the-art facility opening in 2022. Please
and emotional support to grow, heal, and transition into a
consider supporting our mission by making a donation
traditional home environment. Please support our children by
online or call CAE at 479-474-7767.
making a financial donation to the Children’s Shelter.
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
1421 South Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas FSChildrensShelter.org/get-real-24 479.242.3163
615 North B Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas GoodSamaritanFS.com 479.783.0233
GetREAL24 is the Fort Smith Children’s Shelter’s independent Our mission is to improve the health in our region by
We aim to give youth “aging out” of care a place to live
providing access to compassionate, quality healthcare and
independently among their peers while obtaining life skills
we have proudly served the uninsured and underinsured in
necessary to break the cycle of dysfunction and become
the River Valley area for over seventeen years. We provide
successful, contributing members of society. GR24 seeks
medical and vision care, limited dental care and counseling
support from the community through volunteers who serve
services for adult patients, and children by appointment (the
as sponsor families or mentors—helping create positive
clinic is closed on Fridays). Walk-in patients are seen for basic
relationships and a social safety net of support. Help is also
medical care and we offer extended hours every Tuesday
needed from volunteers that have a special skill or talent that
until 8pm. Visit us online or call 479.783.0233. As a 501c3
could be taught in a life skills class. In addition, internships,
charitable clinic, one hundred percent of our funds stay local.
shadowing, job training and career opportunities from the
You may not need us, but we are certain you know someone
community are also needed.
who does. Call us today! #iamgoodsam Are you?
DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE
living program for youth in foster care ages 18 and older.
DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
P.O. Box 11828, Fort Smith, Arkansas ManesAndMiracles.org 479.970.8351
The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center began in 1978 as a
Manes & Miracles offers equine-assisted therapy to children
place of hope and caring assistance, a place for children to
with special needs. Our vision is to serve adults and Veterans
reach high, and for families to reach out and find peace of
as well. With the help of a horse, this unique tool provides
mind. The Kistler Center began as an out-patient facility
a treatment for Physical, Occupational, Speech, and
providing occupational, physical, and speech therapies for
Psychological therapy. Lawanda reports "Angel (age 11)
children. Today, we also provide Community Employment
couldn't even hold her head up when she started and after
Support waiver services for both children and adults. This
six months of equine-assisted therapy, she was walking forty
program gives individuals choice and opportunity to live,
steps in a gait trainer." As a nonprofit organization we rely
play, and work in the home and community. In addition,
heavily on the generosity of caring individuals. Volunteer
we are now a provider of autism waiver services. This is
opportunities are available and if you feel led, your financial
a statewide intensive program for young children with a
gift of any amount is appreciated. Thank you for your kind
confirmed diagnosis of autism. The Kistler Center ― we’re
heart and helping others achieve a brighter future.
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
3304 South M Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas KistlerCenter.org 479.785.4677
here for you just like family!
DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
1205 South Albert Pike, Fort Smith, Arkansas ProjectCompassionInc.com 479.783.2273
5521 Ellsworth Road, Fort Smith, Arkansas TheCALLinArkansas.org 479.353.0767
DO SOUTHÂŽ MAGAZINE
Project Compassion, Inc. is a Fort Smith based nonprofit founded in 1972 by the late Gloria White. Her mission to bring
The CALL works with local churches to recruit, train and
joy, companionship, and enhanced quality of life to nursing
support foster and adoptive parents to provide homes for
home residents remains the heartbeat of the organization
the over six hundred thirty children and youth in foster care
today. Volunteers visit one-on-one with residents, accompany
in Crawford and Sebastian Counties. Since our founding
them to activities, and encourage them to maintain interest
in 2007, over 7,500 families attended our Informational
in people and events. We offer music, pet therapy, fidget
Meetings and our families have cared for 18,000 children and
blankets, calls and cards. Our Hearts of Gold program provides
youth statewide. Check out our Facebook page or website
Christmas gifts of warm clothing to residents without friends
for more details, and to see dates and locations of upcoming
and family. We are a United Way agency serving twenty-six
events. We are completely funded through donations of
nursing homes. We partner with businesses, schools, churches,
time, money and in-kind items. If you’d like to help us serve
and civic organizations. Visit our website to volunteer, donate,
the children and youth in our area, email Emily Treadaway,
be a friend, and get connected!
County Coordinator at etreadaway@thecallinarkansas.org.
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE
LOCAL NON-PROFITS
120 North 13th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas UnitedWayFortSmith.org 479.782.1311
301 N. 6th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas SalvationArmyFS.org 479.783.6145
DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE
Nearly every aspect of operations for United Way and The Salvation Army provides housing & homeless services
its
Community
Partner
Agencies
has
been
shaken.
as well as hunger relief through food boxes and our Red
Organizations have had to find new ways to provide their
Shield Diner. We also provide Christmas assistance including
services following Covid-19 restrictions. Revenues shrank,
the Angel Tree, youth camps, disaster relief services, elderly
but expenses did not go away. We need your donations
services, utility assistance and much more. But this year,
now more than ever. Fundraising event cancellations
due to Covid, the need is even greater while restrictions are
have cost our agencies over half a million dollars in 2020.
preventing us from placing as many Red Kettles, our number
You can make a difference by donating to United Way of
one fundraiser, in the community. To sustain operations
Fort Smith Area. Making a donation is as easy as texting
in the River Valley, we’re relying on virtual donations and
“unitedway20” to 41444 or online at unitedwayfortsmith.
we’re kicking it off with a Virtual Red Kettle Ball on Nov.
org. One hundred percent of your donations will stay local.
5. Learn more at SalvationArmyFS.org and please consider
You can also view our Holiday Giving Guide for additional
giving this Christmas season.
ways to help our agencies this holiday season.