HSC Call Mall coordinator Natalie Marks working to bring awareness in the community for foster care families
With a passionate heart to help support families and children in need with foster care, Natalie Marks with Second Baptist Church in Malvern has taken a role to bring awareness in the community of Hot Spring County. Marks is the Call Mall coordinator for Hot Spring County and a call mall has been established at Second Baptist Church to help service foster care families in need for Hot Spring County.
She has been involved with The CALL in Garland and Hot Spring Counties, which is a non-profit organization. The CALL in Garland and Hot Spring Counties exists to recruit, train and support families from the Christian community right here in their own county who will care for children in foster care.
Several churches in the area have devoted time and efforts to help provide resources for items for The Call and supply foster care families whatever they may need.
Marks mentioned, so far, Second Baptist Church has received several donations of clothes, diapers, shoes and many more items. “Although the church is in the beginning phase of this program, Marks said, they are just now starting out so our inventory is still low, but we have had so many reach out to help,” she said.
She said they are really trying to support the DHS office and provide foster care families with the needed resources through this Call Mall at the church.
Right now, Marks added, they are requesting supplies of donations such as clothes, diapers, new toys, shoes and gift cards.
Marks feels blessed to be in this position with the Second Baptist Church having the opportunity to help with this program that is part of The Call, a nonprofit organization for Garland and Hot Spring Counties.
She has been inspired by Garland County that serviced Hot Spring County for needed items to provide for foster care children and families. She is so excited that HSC has an established venue setup at Second Baptist Church to service needs for local foster care families here.
Marks said, “I’m so thankful to Second Baptist Church for being so supportive to get the ball rolling in this effort.”
She also added, Caney Baptist Church in Bismarck, Magnet Cove United Methodist Church and Keith Memorial United Methodist Church have all helped collect items for the Call Mall in Hot Spring County. Marks has been so appreciative to Shirley Henry for her volunteering work to help with this effort.
Second Baptist Church has a room to store items for foster care families. Marks said they are hoping to fill up the room with as many items as possible to help several families in need.
Marks believes the goal when a child comes into foster care is almost always reunification with the original family. She believes if a family from each church in the area steps forward to foster and/or adopt, there could be enough foster homes. She also feels strongly when children come into foster care, they can be placed in the right home for their needs.
She said they are really trying to support the DHS office and provide foster care families with the needed resources through this Call Mall at the church. She hopes the community can be part of the solution to the foster care crisis in Arkansas right here at home.
If anyone wants to come to an information meeting to learn more or would like to contact Second Baptist Church to donate items, please call the church secretary at 501-467-1041 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Marks also said the next information night meeting pertaining to the Call Mall is scheduled March 4, via Zoom. The public can also go online to The CALL in Garland and Hot Spring Counties Facebook page or the website at https://thecallinarkansas.org/garlandhot-spring/ for more information and updates to learn about the foster care program.
Diane Wright is the overall County Coordinator for The CALL in Garland and Hot Spring Counties. Wright can be contacted at 501-772-2522 or email address—garlandhotspring@ thecallinarkansas.org