Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas awards more than $1 million in grants to address social determinants of health, improve the well-being of Arkansas communities

The Blue and You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas announces the funding of more than a dozen programs across Arkansas, totaling more than $1 million. The programs are designed to address various social determinants of health that can impact a person’s whole health. 

Nonprofit and municipal organizations, as well as schools and universities, were eligible for up to $200,000 each.

Recipients include:

Conway Regional Health Foundation ($24,816) — The Conway Regional Health Disparity Program seeks to bridge the gap between inpatient hospital stays and home health recovery for low-income patients in Faulkner, Cleburne, Conway, Perry, Pope, Van Buren, Johnson and Yell counties by providing assistance to address economic stability, healthcare access and quality, as well as safe housing.

EAST Initiative ($30,000) — EAST seeks to enhance the technological education and workforce readiness of approximately 300 students in the Arkansas Delta. Three new EAST programs will be established in regions where schools struggle to meet the financial requirements. 

Goodwill Arkansas Education Initiatives, Inc. ($50,000) — Goodwill Industries of Arkansas will enhance and expand its Excel Center® pilot program, offering free in-person classes to 250 students for whom English is a second language. The Excel Center® is a free high school for adults, operating in Central and Northwest Arkansas.

Grace Presbyterian Church ($13,000) — Grace Presbyterian Church of Little Rock will expand its food pantry after experiencing rapid growth and demand over the past two years, providing nutritious foods, health and hygiene products and health-related information. 

Hispanic Community Services, Inc. ($118,795) — Bilingual education will be provided for low-income students in Northeast Arkansas through the La Escuelita and Hispanic Emerging Leaders Program (H.E.L.P.). This resource was created to help students and their families access a better quality of life through empowerment, knowledge and mentorship.

Kind at Heart Ministries, Inc. ($10,000) — Kind at Heart Ministries will make homes safe and accessible for at least 14 low-income elderly and/or disabled individuals in Siloam Springs by constructing wheelchair ramps. 

Little Rock School District ($13,710.69) — Pulaski Heights Elementary educators will implement a three-day summer pilot program, Summer Assessment Academy, during which they will administer academic assessments to determine whether some students will need academic interventions when the school year begins.

Northwest Arkansas Food Bank ($25,000) — The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank will provide 1.2 million pounds of groceries to 75,000 residents in Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties, distributed through a network of 20 mobile pantries.

Oasis of Northwest Arkansas ($9,500) — The Recovery Community Center, operated by Oasis of Northwest Arkansas, will provide comprehensive support services and resources for individuals in recovery in Benton, Boone, Carroll, Franklin, Madison, Pulaski, Sebastian and Washington counties. The center will provide food, educational resources, workshops, technology and wellness activities.

Restore Hope, Inc. ($200,000) — Restore Hope’s 100 Families Initiative will expand into Mississippi, Independence and Jefferson counties, offering families collaborative case management. The funding will also provide direct client assistance with transportation, food, childcare, housing and education needs.

University District Development Corporation ($200,000) — The University District Development Corporation will construct six new, affordable single-family homes and 10 duplexes in Little Rock’s University District. Residents will include individuals considered low-income and individuals with certain emergency needs.