Northwest Arkansas United Way awards $770,000 to children’s poverty initiative

The United Way of Northwest Arkansas (UWNWA) has announced $770,000 in grants to organizations working to lift children out of poverty. This represents the first grants made under the UWNWA’s First Step Funding initiative focused on providing every child a pathway out of poverty.

The United Way chapter committed to funding more child poverty prevention programs in 2014, holding a summit on the topic in 2015 to try and mobilize financial resources around this initiative.

The United Way launched First Step Funding as the initial phase of financial investment for the Children Living in Poverty Initiative. Some 59 agencies have taken part in this program launch. Volunteers representing various sectors of our community served on the Community Investment Committee which then reviewed, scored and ranked all applications.

The Committee also determined all final programs and funding amounts. There are 19 programs receiving a combined $770,000 in this First Step Funding initiative. The recipients are:
• Food Ambassador Training Camp – Apple Seeds
• Building Bridges – Bentonville Schools, Child Enrichment Services
• Youth Mentoring – expansion in Siloam Springs – Big Brothers Big Sisters NWA
• Expansion of Impactful Youth Mentoring – Big Brothers Big Sisters NWA
• Building New Futures – Boys & Girls Club of Benton County
• Decatur Extension Boys & Girls Club – Boys & Girls Club of Western Benton County
• Lifelong Links – CASA of Northwest Arkansas
• Integrating Behavioral Health & Primary Child Care – Community Clinic at St. Francis House
• Kangaroo Keepers – Early Childhood Center, Springdale Schools
• EOA Children’s Services – EOA Head Start
• Community Programs – Girl Scouts Diamond of Ark. Oklah. and Texas
• Gravitate High School Welding – Gravette High School
• Build a Library, Build a Life – Jones Elementary Springdale
• Child Poverty Law Project – Legal Aid of Arkansas
• LCSD Personalized Learning – Lincoln Consolidated Schools
• Children’s Emergency Services – Peace at Home
• Restoration Village Child Advocacy – Restoration Ministries
• SnackPacks for Kids – Samaritan Community Center
• Teen Thrive NWA – Teen Action & Support Center