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“What is 4-H?” “How does 4H affect the Johnson County community?” “Why are kids involved in 4-H?” “What are the benefits of being involved in 4-H?” “How do I join a club?” “What all does 4-H require of me?”  Old, young, and anywhere in between. 4-H offers opportunities to learn and grow constantly. In the simplest form, Jeanie Robotham--the Johnson County Extension office agent for 4-H youth and development--says that when it comes to 4-H, “it’s a family thing.” 4-H is a nonprofit organization that has several groups/clubs present just in Johnson County. They are a youth development organization for young people that teaches them leadership and life skills that they will be able to take with them for the rest of their lives. When asked about the mission of 4-H, Jeanie said, “To make the best better of course. Like in our pledge, you know, it's for your club, your community, your country, and your world. We teach them life skills so that these kids (after this program) can go out and excel both in the workforce and the community. Outside of teaching life skills we also teach some college and career readiness to the kids. There is also the community side of things from our mission of citizenship through 4-H. We definitely want them to be a better citizen as well and be able to understand the county and state government and to have an active role in their community.”  Robotics and STEM are some of the project options for the 4-Hers. Once kids and their families join a 4-H club, they then attend a regular meeting with their club that is conducted by the youth officials, and they also get to pick the project that they will work on independently as a member of 4-H. These projects range anywhere from raising and showing livestock, designing, creating, and modeling clothes, photography, robotics, leadership, health and wellness, and so on. While these projects are mostly worked on independently, the kids still have opportunities to bring their projects into meetings to share them with their club, they have the chance to attend workshops and learn more about certain aspects of their project, and of course, everyone in the club is willing to help those that need it. When looking at the projects that each kid takes on when they join 4-H, they are broken down into the following categories: mind, body, citizenship, service learning, fine arts, STEM, and agriculture. Each of these categories houses projects such as bullying prevention, human development, leadership mentorship, music and film, gardening, soil science, forestry or wildlife, computer science, etc. There truly is a niche for any interest when it comes to 4H projects.  Zip lining! Just one of the many fun activities possible for the 4-H kids to experience. Outside of the projects, Jeanie talked a little bit about the other things that 4-H does, like club service/volunteer projects to complete their service hours, county, state, and national workshops, and the list goes on. There is so much value and involvement that 4-H provides to the community that has impacted people like Jeanie, as well. Jeanie shared, “I actually grew up as a 4Her. I think I definitely benefited so much from being involved in the 4H program as an organization just from leadership skills and public speaking.” Now that Jeanie’s 4H experience has come full circle with her working at the extension office, she shared “You know, I get to see kids that are so shy and scared and in just a few years they are leading and conducting workshops, they’re going on national trips, and they’re doing so many things…And I have seen kids that come through this program that are now veterinarians or work for the department of agriculture, or they are business owners in town, or they work at the bank and serve on a board. I think that’s a neat thing in seeing the long-term goal achieved and the fundamentals they learned in 4-H that allow these kids to go on and be successful in life. I think that is why people are so willing to come back and help because they have seen that impact.”  Sweet Treats Restaurant in Lamar, AR When talking about 4-H and the impact it has made on Johnson county, it could not be brought up without talking about the Heiser family. Marie and Greg Heiser are the owners of Sweet Treats in Lamar, Arkansas, and both of these individuals are personally tied to 4H because of their kids and their continuous involvement in this organization, even now that their kids are grown. On the business side of things, Sweet Treats is a restaurant and catering business that is open for lunch 11AM-2PM Monday-Friday, and they cater anything from an office party to the wedding of your dreams. Along with their homecooked lunch, they also offer desserts for dine-in or pick up--whole or individually. I was able to sit down with Marie Heiser individually to talk about Sweet Treats, 4H, and their ties to it all. Outside of being the co-owner of Sweet Treats, she is also the head baker that covers any of the desserts at Sweet Treats. Most days she also works back in the kitchen “making sure everyone goes out right and everything’s done right,” as she says. As a business, Sweet Treats has been a part of the Lamar community for 18 years. When Marie and Greg opened Sweet Treats, their kids were both at school age, and Marie said “I was doing catering and we decided if we didn’t try it, we never would. So we just jumped off the cliff and decided we would try, and if we made it or we didn’t, we could say we tried. And so we tried and so far we’ve made it.” Even 18 years later Marie explains that they try not to take a single day for granted at Sweet Treats and they still take things as they come. They look at a year in the business and hope they can make it another, but they never expect anything.  Starting out with chicks provided by 4-H is a fun first projects for kids joining 4-H! With the establishment of Sweet Treats and her sons getting a little bit older, Marie shared how her oldest son shared interest in a group like 4-H. As a family they had no idea what they were getting into but decided to join with a starting project of getting a baby chick, raising it, and showing it at the fair. This is what started it all for this family as they built up into showing bigger animals and becoming involved in 4-H in more ways than just with livestock. With an increase in involvement with 4-H, Marie mentioned how Sweet Treats were able to identify a need in the organization and fill that need. Marie said, “And then with 4-H, we wanted them to have a banquet at the end of the year because a lot of sports get to have a banquet, where groups like 4H and FFA did not. So when the children were in school, we told the board that the kids wanted to have an end-of-the-year banquet and that Sweet Treats would cater and put on the event for free.” Marie also shared that Sweet Treats is able to donate things like buckles and trophies and awards for the kids to receive at the banquet. Along with making the banquet happen in aiding in any way that they could, Jeanie shared how often she has had a need for an event or a conference whether it was for a guest speaker or judges for any kind of competition and that Marie and Greg were always more than willing to help with those things.  One of the most common projects associated with 4-H...livestock! A really unique way that Marie shared that both her and Greg--and Sweet Treats as a business--are able to support the kids in 4-H at the end of the year is to bid on their animal at the auction after the fair. This money is given to the kids so that they can buy a new animal and continue to show animals, take care of them throughout the year, and so on. When talking about putting money towards the kids’ animals, Marie said, “These kids aren’t making money off of this. They need us to show up and donate or give that money where they can’t do it the next year. They can’t afford to share their projects each year, so they need us to do that.” Both Jeanie and Marie shared separately about how Marie and her family have aided kids in numerous ways to be able to be involved in 4-H and show an animal if they wish to do so. When Marie’s sons were still in 4-H as children, they had friends that wanted to show animals but weren’t able to keep an animal like a cow at their home. Marie and her family allowed their sons’ friends to keep the animal at their barn--along with their sons’--as long as they came by every day to take care of the animal and work with it. She shared that a lot of times these kids would come to their home and work their animals alongside her sons as they helped one another learn and grow before it was time to show the animals. “Now, we’re not the only ones that we're able to do this. We had neighbors that had sheep, and when kids couldn’t afford an animal, they would let them take one of their sheep home so that they could take care of it, keep it for the year, and then give them back after they showed them. Even my kids--for several years--got sheep from them since we didn’t have a use for the sheep after the fair,” Marie said. This continuous cycle of supporting each other so that the kids even have a chance to grow and succeed in this program all starts with just one person outstretching their hand to the other. Before Marie’s kids started showing cattle, they even had a neighbor that kept the cow at their farm and allowed Marie’s sons to come every day to take care of the animal and work with it--just like she did for her sons’ friends. Regardless of the situation, the focus of those involved in 4-H is for the kids to experience all that there is to offer and get the most out of 4-H that they can before they graduate.  One 4-Her participating in a photography project. When talking about 4H, Marie said, “It accepts all. Your family can be rich or poor or in the middle and they can figure something out so that the kids can achieve something.” All of the highlights of 4H that both Marie and Jeanie mentioned earlier, require the whole family to be involved, and not just the member’s immediate family. Both discussed how families will join 4-H without a clue of what they got themselves into or what it is they are supposed to do next. With the families that have been a part of 4H for some time, they take those new ones under their wings and help them figure things out a bit. That is what goes beyond just immediate family and looks at 4H as a family, itself. Marie also talked about how beneficial 4-H is for kids when preparing them for the rest of their lives in that she said, “ So I think 4H lets these kids try so many different things that they learn more about what they want to do that they love. I told my boys long ago, you live your dream. I think 4H helps them learn what their dream is. It makes them ask, what is the thing that I love to do? Because if you love to do it, it's never work.”  Cooking is another fun project for members to participate in! Outside of Sweet Treats and the Heiser family, 4-H has so many people and businesses that support and really make their organization function as it does in the community. On the advisory board for 4-H, they have members that serve like Matt Wiley from First Security Bank, Markty Wilkins at Farm Bureau, and Tiffany Jordan at Danielle’s Bridal. Phillip Taylor with Taylor Insurance also serves on the advisory board, and his late dad and mom were also big supporters of 4-H as well. Farm Bureau, along with other local banks, also supports 4-H in just about any aspect that is needed. There are also members of the community that have contributed to 4-H by volunteering for different things or just coming in and speaking to the kids. 4-H also has a couple of college scholarships, one in honor of the late Virginia Bachman, and the other in honor of the late Dennis Steele. Virginia Bachman’s husband, Larry Bachman is a big supporter of 4-H as well. Dennis Steele’s daughter Tiffany Jordan, his wife Lynn Steele, and his mom Alene Steele are all big supporters, too. Receiving support from all ends of the spectrum, the fair board president was Herman Ahrens who worked at the Johnson County Co-op and was a long-time supporter of 4-H. One of the benefits of 4H’s presence in the community is that you do not have to be a member to be involved. If anyone is interested in volunteering as a judge of any competition, as a guest speaker, as a part of the crew for different events and fundraisers, all you have to do is to contact the Johnson County Extension Office at 479-754-2240. You could also find out more information on whom to contact and where to visit if you are interested in 4H by checking out their website (4h.uada.edu ), the general University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture website (www.uaex.uada.edu), or visiting their Facebook page (UAEX-Johnson County 4-H).  Advancement opportunities and experiences are endless! When asked what she knew the community knew about 4-H, Jeanie said, “I wish people kind of knew that it’s more than just the fair. Of course, a lot of our 4H and FFA members’ project include showing an animal at the fair, but I just wished people knew that we are an organization that truly develops youth into future leaders and that we prepare these kids for college and future careers. A lot of times we say that 4-H is the best-kept secret, but I just wish that more people knew about it and realized what 4-H actually entails.” With an organization that carries such a heavy impact on the Johnson County community as a whole, be reminded of the valued citizens this organization is helping shape. Be reminded of how you too could be involved in the beloved organization that is 4-H. Be reminded that, when it comes to 4H, it’s not just a family thing, it’s not just a neighbor thing, it’s a community thing.
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“61 million adults in the United States live with a disability.” “The percentage of people living with disabilities is highest in the South.” “In 2020, 17.9 percent of persons with a disability were employed.” “Across all educational attainment groups, unemployment rates for persons with a disability were higher than those for persons without a disability.” “After age 21, adults with disabilities age out of the services and supports provided by law through the school system...According to parents, nearly 7 in 10 adults with disabilities live with their parents or guardian.”  The M.A.C Industries facility, and it is the location of The Falcon's Nest. Statistics. All of these numbers and facts you see above are powerful statistics about the adults with disabilities in America, but behind these numbers and facts are people. People that are limited in how they can live out their lives because of the lack of resources and education that has been provided to them to live a “normal” life, that is often taken for granted. M.A.C. Industries is a non-profit organization in Clarksville, Arkansas that is a division of Forrester-Davis Development Center. At M.A.C. Industries, their staff and team work every single day to help disabled adults be able to move out of these statistics and facts and be able to earn their own money, live on their own, provide for themselves, cook for themselves, keep themselves healthy, and the list goes on. The mission that M.A.C. Industries revolves their entire organization around is “…to provide educational/habilitative services that enable developmentally disabled adults to pursue independence and a better quality life. Our vision is to maximize independence for disabled adults by providing vocational training in a successful, versatile business.” M.A.C. Industries has made such an impact on Johnson County since 1997 when their adult center was built. The impact they have been able to make has been supported and made possible by businesses like First Security Bank that offer their time and attention to help this organization reach as many people--and help as many people--as they do today. Since the creation of the adult center that is now M.A.C. Industries, they now provide so many different services all within their facility. The services they provide for these adults include (but are not limited to): education classes where they teach household skills so that they can learn to live independently, social community classes, a reading class, extracurricular classes like music and fitness, and the list goes on.  This is the most recent image at The Falcon's Nest with M.A.C. Industries' clients that work there and the M.A.C. Industry staff that works alongside of them. One of their biggest opportunity providers for clients to earn money is through their restaurant, The Falcon’s Nest, which is housed in M.A.C. Industries. Their clients have the opportunity to work in the restaurant if they choose to do so, and they have the option of working as a server, back in the kitchen as a cook doing prep-work and/or assembling the orders, a dishwasher, a busboy, or even at the front desk answering phone calls, working at the register, etc. All of the roles in the restaurant are filled based on the client’s interest and preference. Each client will go through a training process for the restaurant where they will get the chance to practice the skills needed for each job and it is after the training that they will get the chance to pick the position they like best. The restaurant is open to the public for lunch Monday-Friday, 11:00 AM-1:30 PM. At The Falcon’s Nest, they also sell take-home meals for the members of the community to order in advance and purchase hot and ready to eat, or frozen and ready to heat up when you are ready! To top it all off, The Falcon’s Nest also sells different desserts each week that can be purchased individually with your meal, to-go, or as a whole pie or cake that can be ordered in advance as well. Just by visiting The Falcon’s Nest, dining in, or ordering from them, you can support M.A.C. Industries, their mission, and their clients in such a big way.  Pictured is a client at M.A.C. Industries that is fulfilling one of the laundry services they offer to the public: pressing. Another service that M.A.C. Industries provides to the community is their laundry service that is operated by their clients as well. Their laundry services give customers the option to have any clothes they bring to them washed, dried, folded, pressed, starched, etc. They also offer these services for items like comforters and bedding, tablecloths, and so on. Their price listing is on the M.A.C. Industries website, including the option to have your laundry delivered for an extra $3.50. As this service is open to the public, you can bring your laundry to Mac Industries and support this non-profit like many of the members of First Security Bank do.  Pictured (from left to right) is Samantha Dorff, Christina Mize, and Matt Wylie. I was able to sit down with Samantha Dorff and Christina Mize from M.A.C. Industries and Matt Wylie from First Security Bank to talk about the support that Mac Industries has received from First Security Bank as a whole, as well as the individual support they have received from Matt Wylie. At M.A.C. Industries, Samantha is a habilitation technician, is in charge of the Special Olympics program, works in one of the many classrooms at M.A.C., and does all of their social media posts. Samantha has been working with Mac Industries for about 11 years and has been in love with the work M.A.C. Industries does since she started. Christina Mize also works at M.A.C. Industries and she is the human resource manager. At First Security Bank, Matt is the market president for the Clarksville branches and he manages their locations and everything from individual banking loans and deposits to any particular banking needs to investments and just a little bit of everything. He also serves as a board member for Forrester-Davis Development Center. First Security Bank and Mac Industries have had a long-time connection with one another as Forrester Davis--where M.A.C. Industries has developed from--has done their business banking with First Security Bank since 1971 and continues to do so today. Forrester-Davis Development Center has also had several employees from First Security Bank serve on their board, similar to Matt. In the beginning stages of M.A.C. Industries, First Security Bank has also sponsored M.A.C.’s Special Olympics athletes, provided monetary support in building developments, and even sponsored a classroom when the new building was created for M.A.C. Industries. Christina explained that First Security Bank has “ utilized us a lot. They utilize our services, our restaurant, our community room, and our screenprinting/engraving services. Anytime that they would need something of that sort, they try to think about things that they could purchase from us that would assist and give jobs to people at our facility as well.” As an individual, Matt has a personal connection with M.A.C. Industries that has allowed him to develop a passion for helping them through being an advocate and consistent volunteer for them. Matt described this connection in that, “Personally, my dad served on the board in the 80s. There’s a long connection to the value of Forester Davis and broadly at M.A.C. in particular. I know several of us at the bank have been involved with the Rotary Club as well, which has been a champion for M.A.C. as well, recognizing the value of making those abilities count and what that impact has on our community.”  Special Olympics Banquet in 2017 for the Forrester-Davis Development Center. The employees of First Security Bank have been able to offer the value of their time and their individual gifts through volunteering at M.A.C. Industries because of how passionate First Security Bank is about supporting non-profit organizations. Matt talked about how First Security Bank as a whole is “more liberal in terms of our willingness to allow our employees to take time away from their daily duties, to go and serve on boards, to go be connected with non-profit organziations--no matter what the nonprofit organization is.” Outside of the support that First Security Bank has displayed towards M.A.C. Industries, they have also become a host site for non-profit organizations. They have opened up their community rooms to non-profit organizations that need space to come in and host meetings and have a space to work while they are getting their organization off of the ground. They also encourage giving to these non-profit organizations that they come in contact with. First Security Bank has gone as far as paying the fee to allow non-profit organizations to become a part of a nonprofit network that allows the organization to accept online donations and receive more exposure to the community. This mindset of allowing their employees to be involved in acts of service that benefit the overall community has allowed M.A.C. Industries to share its gifts with First Security and the community as well. Samantha explained how at M.A.C. Industries, “It’s not only just about the value, it’s about the work ethic because that is our main end goal with every client. We want to make them as independent as possible, which doesn’t mean the same end goal for every person because it is individualized. But when you have a client that has been told, you’re not going to get a job in the community, and then they are able to come here, get a job, and get that first paycheck, you get to see the feeling of accomplishment on their face. There is a sense of independence that they feel because they just got a paycheck--and it doesn’t matter if it’s five cents or five dollars or five hundred dollars. It’s the fact that they earned that paycheck and that they are so proud of that.” This is what M.A.C. Industries is all about. They have dreamed big time and time again, and with businesses like First Security Bank that offer up physical support and volunteer hours to their organization, they can keep growing and impacting lives in such a big way. When talking about the success stories they have seen at M.A.C. Industries, Samantha shared that “We have one client who is thriving very well. He has worked his way up at Dollar General and is now the assistant manager there, and he started out here at the snack shack that we have opened for our clients and staff--that is run by the clients.” Even though this is only one success story, M.A.C. Industries see developing stories like this one every single day. They are making what adults with developmental disabilities have been told is impossible, possible. Outside of all of the services that M.A.C. Industries provides for their clients, they have also been able to host events like dances and carnivals that allow their clients to participate in these activities outside of just working or going to their class. These events have been on pause because of COVID-19 restrictions, but when they start up again, they will be in need of volunteers that make these things possible. First Security Bank has had the opportunity to aid M.A.C. Industries in hosting events and activities for their clients, but you don’t just have to be a part of a business or organization that supports M.A.C. in order to volunteer. If you are interested in volunteering your time and gifts to M.A.C. Industries--and this is not just limited to aiding with events--you can visit their website where you will find more information about them as an organization, as well as their contact information. Along with helping with events for M.A.C. Industries, volunteer opportunities include, being a client’s partner for the Special Olympics, being an aid in a classroom, painting, being a Special Olympic coach, assisting with the garden, aiding in yard work, and the list goes on.  Making Abilities Count M.A.C. Industries is using their facility and their gifts and their talents to help the community see that these adults with developmental disabilities are more than just statistics and that the statistics are those that be changed by people with intentions of changing them. M.A.C. Industries has established a glimmer of light and hope for any of their clients that they come in contact with to show them that they are capable of way more than they think they are. First Security Bank is passionate about the mission and the work M.A.C. Industries has established, and they have found where they can best help Mac Industries as individuals and as a business. It is this type of collaboration and mindset that allows nonprofit organizations to grow and flourish in the best way possible. All it takes is for one person to see that, act on it, and change the game for nonprofit organizations.
 This is the Safe Haven Main office for drug and alcohol counseling, their classes, donation drop-off, etc. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, “Arkansas had an estimated 2,366 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of that total, 101 were family households, 188 were Veterans, 262 were unaccompanied young adults (aged 18-24), and 514 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.” In Clarksville, Arkansas, homelessness looks a little different than the rest of the state, nonetheless, it still is a prominent issue. Homelessness in Clarksville, Arkansas isn’t a public affair, as it is typically individuals that fell victim to drug and/or alcohol addiction, unemployment, mental illness, poverty, etc., and don’t know where to turn for help. In 2019, Abigail and Sharon Garrett decided that the Clarksville and Johnson County communities needed help with their population of people that were struggling in multiple facets of their lives. They did what they could at the time and opened Safe Haven as a space to take in homeless women and help them in any way that they needed.  The dream that became a reality. The Safe Haven house for women where they live, do chores, and go through a faith-based rehabilitation program. I was able to sit down with Abigail Garrett, who is the CEO of the outpatient division at Safe Haven. Garrett is the head counselor for the drug and alcohol counseling that they offer as one of their services. According to Garrett, her mission was clear in being drawn to addiction ministry when she moved to Arkansas. “And I just fell in love with how God does miracles. But, whenever somebody’s life is so broken in pieces, the miracles that God does to get them from ground zero are just amazing. So I just fell in love with watching that transformation. So I got into drug and alcohol counseling and switched my major to do so at Arkansas Tech,” Garrett explained. What all started with a dream from both Abigail and Sharon Garrett--and the other members of the Safe Haven board--of “empowering people to rebuild and restore their lives” has transformed into so much more than that. Now in 2022, Safe Haven is still focused on “bringing healing to Johnson County,” according to Abigail Garrett, through day classes for budgeting, parenting, etc., offering them a laptop so that they can search for a place to stay, build a resume, apply for a job, etc., drug and alcohol counseling, and they even have a home for women that allows them space to complete daily chores set for their everyday routine, do their homework for their healing process, participate in group therapy, and meet the program requirements.  University of the Ozarks' President Dunsworth presenting a monetary donation to Safe Haven's board members (from right to left), Abigail Garrett, Sarah Bolduc, and Sharon Garrett. As a non-profit organization, Safe Haven relies solely on the various support they receive from the community. The University of the Ozarks that is located in Clarksville, Arkansas decided to be a part of the support that Safe Haven receives because of the campus communities’ belief and passion for Safe Haven’s mission. I also sat down with Larry Isch from the University of the Ozarks to talk about the support they provided to Safe Haven through a monetary donation. Isch is is the director of public and media relations and serves as a liaison between the university and the community. Isch explained the background of how they were led to support Safe Haven, dating back to six years ago, and a decision that the university made to provide aid to the community. “Before six years ago, the university used to send out Christmas cards every Christmas, several thousand Christmas cards, and the president signed each one of them. These cards would go out to alumni and friends, and President Dunsworth got us to thinking and there were some other faculty and staff who were involved in discussions about how maybe we could take that money that was used for Christmas cards and give back to the community by supporting our local nonprofits,” Isch explained. Ever since the decision was made to donate money to the local nonprofits each year at Christmas, the University of the Ozarks has donated thousands of dollars yearly as monetary support to the nonprofits in Johnson County. The process of selecting which nonprofits the university will be donating to each year is done through nominations from the staff, faculty, and students. These nominations are done through email and they typically end up with a narrowed down list of about five non-profits that they will donate to. This year, Safe Haven was a popular nomination because they are a newer organization and the staff, faculty, and students alike found their mission to be worth investing in.  The University of the Ozarks campus. Isch spoke about how the monetary donations at the University of the Ozarks are just a small part of the university’s six Christian core values--hospitality, service, justice, growth, honesty, and sabbath. Isch said, “When we, as an institution, can help nonprofits do their great work, it just makes the whole community stronger. To me, the great thing about having a strong nonprofit sector is that everybody is coming together for a common good and we feel like that’s a big part of our culture here.” The University of the Ozarks is not just claiming their core values, but they are also doing their best to live out those values from their staff and faculty, all the way to their students as well. Since the University transformed its Christmas cards into support for local nonprofits in 2016, they have monetarily donated to the following organizations: Self-Contained Classroom field day at the U of O, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (Johnson County), Johnson County Backpack Program, Arkansas River Valley Aquatics, Forester Davis, Royal Family Kids Camp, Johnson County Boys and Girls Club, Johnson County Helping Hands, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Johnson County, Toys for Tots, Interfaith Service Network, Shop with a Cop, Johnson County Youth Coalition, Safe Haven Ministries, and The CALL (Johnson County, Arkansas).  Just a small look into the communal space offered to the women at Safe Haven. Because of the University of the Ozarks and many different local organizations, Safe Haven has been able to keep its doors open to guide and assist so many women and families. Abigail Garrett shared, “In 2021 we were able to provide emergency assistance to 72 families in Johnson County. This includes emergency housing, the first month's rent, and utilities. Also in 2021, we had 34 women stay in our residence. With our larger facility, we'll be able to house way more this year! Unfortunately, we just started keeping statistics on our graduates so I don't have any good numbers. I can tell you that 100% of our graduates are employed. Helping them find stable employment is the foundation of our program. Our graduates all earn parenting, job and interview skills, and budgeting certificates.” If you wish to donate to Safe Haven, you can go to their website, click donate here, and you can enter your debit/credit card information to donate online. They will also accept cash and checks in their main office if you choose to donate that way. Along with monetary donations, they also have a list of needs that you can choose to donate to them if you wish. Some of those donation items that Safe Haven always needs include: toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, soap, dish soap, dryer sheets, notebook paper, three-ring binders, pens, pencils, printer paper, local restaurant gift cards in small amounts (McDonald's, Wendy’s, etc.), cleaning spray, trash bags, and ziplock bags. All of these items can be dropped off at 313 S. Rogers St., Clarksville, Arkansas. The University of the Ozarks is one of many supporters of Safe Haven, and they are just one example of how impactful something as simple as a monetary donation is to the many non-profit organizations in Johnson County. Safe Haven’s mission to help those struggling in our community is just one step closer to healing Clarksville and healing Johnson County. If you or someone you know is in need of help, Abigail shared the complete list of services that Safe Haven offers in the following:
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AuthorAbby Asencio is a senior at the University of the Ozarks and has been interning with the Johnson County Chamber of Commerce for the duration of the spring semester of 2022. Throughout her internship, she has worked with Matt Bewley to create Connecting Our Community. ArchivesCategories |
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As a Main Street America Affiliate™, Clarksville - Johnson County Chamber of Commerce is part of a national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.
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