Family Focused

Our Community Cares

words Catherine Frederick with Nicole Walton, Executive Director

The mission of Monarch 61 is to connect, mentor, and empower women through a creative hub of community, art, and wellness. Do South® reached out to Nicole Walton, Executive Director, to learn more.

105 N. 28th Street, Suite D Van Buren, Arkansas 72956 479.410.4225 | monarch61.com facebook: monarch61 Instagram: monarch61project

Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy nonprofit in our area free of charge. We will accept requests for this free page beginning in October, 2022. Send questions to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com. DS: Tell us about the meaning of your organization’s name, Monarch 61, and your logo. M61: There is a passage in Isaiah 61 that speaks to the beginning of new life, where all is restored and the oppressed are given a new beginning. There is a beautiful call to heal the heartbroken, announce freedom, and to comfort all who mourn. This is our call in our community and in the world today. One of my favorite quotes is one by Beau Taplan, “Perhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness yet become something beautiful.” This was the final piece in giving life to Monarch 61 Project.

DS: How did Monarch 61 come to be? M61: In 2008, I began a long journey of opening my heart up to learning about the injustices all around us and I realized the full weight of my own trauma for the first time. My heart broke. After years of learning about trauma, traveling to study other organizations, and doing my own emotional work, in August of 2020, I woke heavy hearted. The vision of a space where women could heal and grow in so many different and creative ways was born.

DS: Who does Monarch 61 serve, and in what ways? M61: We recognize sexual assault, domestic violence, and generational poverty are existing issues for women in our community. We exist to bridge the gap for women and provide a safe space for community and healing. Our creative hub has free creative art and wellness classes. MINT, our mentoring program, helps women rise above poverty and recognize their true beauty and worth. RISE, our program for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, is where women learn selflove, boundaries, and how to take back control of their mind and body. We are open Monday – Friday, 9a-6p with early morning and evening yoga classes, evening groups, and art classes.

DS: Tell us how Monarch 61 impacts our communities. M61: We recognize every woman’s journey is unique and after-care in trauma situations is needed days, months, and even years later. We exist for the long journey of healing. We are unique and accessible to any woman. We hope to be a strong, long-term, after-care solution and beautiful extension to the work that our existing area addiction and crisis intervention organizations are already performing.

DS: How can our community get involved and support Monarch 61? M61: Our aim is to always be a lavish and loving facility that is a place of peace and creativity. We need community support! If you love our mission – please support us financially. Sixty-one dollars per month allows us to offer over fifty free classes each month. Please volunteer! Our day-to-day operations are led by a strong team of volunteers trained in hospitality and trauma-informed care. Finally, visit us, shop in our marketspace, and spread the word to the women in your circle. Visit our website for the latest calendar of upcoming classes. And stay tuned as we announce our new Self-Love Project set to launch February 13!