Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Local notes
OLLI SETS CLASSES
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arkansas announces the following class for the upcoming week:
• April 23: “Judicial Elections In Arkansas: Why People Choose, Vote, or Skip Those Votes,” online class, members $25, nonmembers, $40.
Information: (479) 5754545 or olli.uark.edu.
FUNDING ANNOUNCED
The Ozark Affiliate of Susan G. Komen announced that it will grant $467,764 to fund seven programs that will provide thousands of women and men with lifesaving diagnostic and treatment services, education and financial assistance throughout the next year.
“The Ozark Affiliate is
excited to partner with the seven local organizations to provide screening, outreach, education and treatment services to women and men in our 10-county service area who are uninsured or underinsured. At the Ozark Affiliate, we want to make sure that all women have access to quality health care, regardless of the ability to pay,” said Vicki Cowling, director of mission services at the Ozark Affiliate.
Komen Ozark raises funds through events like More Than Pink WALKS, Swing for the Cure Golf Tournament, the BigWigs Campaign, Ribbon Luncheon and individual donations. The MORE THAN PINK Walk originally scheduled for April 25 has been rescheduled for Sept. 12 at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade Mall. To register for the walk, visit komenozark.org.
dent grant panel through a competihe Week In Fitivcialplikestion and review process.
• Community Clinic (awarded $87,100), serving Benton and Washington Counties — The “We Are Aware” program provides a culturally competent continuum of care for lowincome, uninsured/underinsured patients in Northwest Arkansas through breast care education, screening, diagnostic and treatment support.
• Cox Health Foundation, Branson (awarded $75,800), serving Stone and Taney Counties in Missouri — Provides access to breast care and cancer treatment for at-risk women by offering financial assistance for women in need of diagnostic testing and transportation assistance. A navigator is also provided to help those diagnosed with breast cancer navigate their journey.
• Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House (awarded $23,400), serving Crawford and Sebastian Counties — To Save A Life: Survivorship program provides breast cancer patients with advocacy, support groups, information & financial assistance.
• Madison County Health Coalition (awarded $101,800), serving Madison County — The Madison County Health Coalition program provides a navigator to advocate for breast cancer patients and educate the community on breast health. This program also provides screenings, diagnostic services, and emergency and transportation assistance.
• Mercy Breast Center (awarded $36,900), serving Benton and Washington Counties — The Mercy Breast Center’s breast health program provides a nurse navigator to work with all breast cancer patients through their breast cancer journey. The program also provides diagnostic services and continuum of care breast cancer information and education.
• Mercy Foundation Fort Smith (awarded $45,564), serving Sebastian and Crawford Counties — Provides bilingual educational outreach specifically targeting Hispanic women in the River Valley.
• Washington Regional Cancer Support Home (awarded $97,200), serving Washington and Benton Counties — Provides a breast health navigator and a bilingual navigator who offer specialized guidance and support to patients on their breast cancer journey. The program guides patients through diagnosis, treatment and assistance to financial support resources as needed.
Susan G. Komen Ozark has also partnered with Hope Cancer Resources to help support the unique needs of people facing breast cancer during this health and economic crisis by releasing funds for covid-19 Relief Assistance for women and men that need financial assistance while they are in treatment. “Our top priority is to make sure women and men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are able to continue their treatment during this time and we want to help remove barriers to care by providing financial assistance to patients,” said Lauren Marquette, Executive Director of Komen Ozark.
Information: (479)7507465 or komenozark.org.
STUDENTS SEEK HOSTS
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs, in cooperation with your community high school, is looking for local families to host boys and girls ages 15-18 for the next academic year. Students from all over the world — places like Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, and Ukraine, to name a few — have already received scholarships to study in the USA; all they need now are hosts.
Host families are the cornerstone of the program and vital to its mission of bridging the gap between people, cultures, and nations. During this temporary period of social distancing,
more than ever we need to look forward to and celebrate opportunities to bring humanity back together. By generously opening your home to a young person from overseas, you can help us continue our global commitment to increasing international peace and understanding.
ASSE is designated and supervised by the U.S. Department of State. Preparations are under way for the 2020-21 program year and the arrival of future leaders this autumn. ASSE students come with an enthusiasm to practice their English and experience American culture — food, sports, shopping, and more. They also love to share their own culture with their host families — who welcome them not as a guests, but as family members — giving both the students and families a rich cultural experience.
In addition, ASSE students have pocket money for personal expenses, along with health, accident and liability insurance. ASSE students are selected for participation based on academics and good citizenship. Host families can choose their students from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries, and personal interests.
ASSE’s top concern is the health of host families, host communities and exchange students. These students will not travel unless it is considered safe to do so by the U.S. and foreign governmental agencies entrusted with public health and safety.
Information: (850) 8666508 or host.asse.com.
BRIDGE FUND ANNOUNCED
The regional arts service organization at the Northwest Arkansas Council is partnering with the local arts community to provide grants through a new bridge fund for small and mid-sized arts and culture nonprofit organizations challenged by covid-19.
“The world is changing quickly and many are in need of additional support to address new and unexpected challenges,” said Allyson Esposito, RASO executive director.
The program, supported through a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, will provide grants between $10,000 and $50,000 per organization for transition and long-term planning, and to add some runway to prepare for what’s next. Grant size will be based on the organizational budget size, the extent of lost immediate revenue and non-recoverable expenses incurred due to covid-19 and the strength and feasibility of the organization’s plan to adapt in response to the current pandemic.
Funds may be used to support transition planning and may be used for activities including, but not limited to:
• Developing new business models, paradigms, staffing models, programs and strategies.
• Sunsetting previous programming or operations where needed.
• Planning new activities for revenue generation.
• Building capacity, tools and infrastructure to take programming online.
• Re-imagining creative production.
The funding is available to arts and culture organizations in Washington and Benton counties that have been directly affected by the covid-19 pandemic. Organizations must hold 501(c)3 nonprofit status and have a total annual operating budget of $3 million or less during the organization’s most recently completed fiscal year.
Organizations can apply until 5 p.m. April 30, and the grants will be awarded between May 8 and 15.
Information: nwacouncil. org.