Cutwell 4 Kids receives $10,000 in donations
Over the past few years the youth of Hot Springs have had the opportunity to learn and grow their art skills by participating in Cutwell 4 Kids.
The program, which started out very small, has grown since then, and recent donations from Arvest Foundation and Hot Springs Area Community Foundation will help the program expand even further.
The foundations each donated $5,000 which Anthony Tidwell, the founder of C4K, said will allow him to introduce students to a wide variety of art forms the program wouldn’t have been able to offer.
This is the second straight year the Arvest Foundation has donated to the program, having given $2,000 last year. Don Gooch, Arvest community bank president, said they decided to up the donation this year because they saw how well Tidwell spent the previous donation.
“He seems to get the most out of what little money he has … a little went a long way,” Gooch said.
When Tidwell started the program, he only taught students how to paint. Donations like the ones from Arvest and HSACF have allowed Tidwell to bring in other types of artists to teach poetry, photography, murals and how to make T-shirts. The money has also allowed the program to be open more days, and Tidwell has been able to take the kids on field trips.
Tidwell said he didn’t know Arvest was giving him a larger donation. “(Gooch) knows that with more money we can do more,” he said.
Gooch said he first heard about C4K a couple of years ago when he saw some artwork created by Rayshaun McNary. Gooch said he was impressed with the art. “I heard Anthony worked with him,” he said, adding that he knows Tidwell isn’t solely responsible for McNary’s talent, but knowing he assisted him was impressive.
He also saw some art made by
other C4K students displayed at one of the bath houses on Bathhouse Row which impressed him further in the program.
Gooch said Arvest chose to help Tidwell to show the foundation cares about that part of the city and they want to see those children succeed. “Everyone needs someone to believe in them,” he said, noting Tidwell “is doing just that for these kids.
“Hot Springs needs more people like Anthony. He’s got love for them, he believes in them … He’s making a difference,” Gooch said.
The donation from HSACF is to be spent on supplies for the program. This was the second time the foundation has donated the money to cover the cost of art supplies, previously donating through their Youth Advisory Council.
Before getting the donations, Tidwell said everything in the program was coming out of his own pocket. The donations show that “I’m not alone. I know people care about our kids in the community just as much as I do,” he said.