Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Senior Centers Meet Challenge From Anonymous Donor
MONEY BENEFITS MEALS ON WHEELS
FARMINGTON — Farmington, Prairie Grove and Lincoln senior centers more than met a challenge issued last fall to raise money to match an anonymous donation dedicated to Meals on Wheels for six senior centers in the area.
Anita Dunlap, director of senior center services for Area Agency on Aging of NW Arkansas, said the anonymous donation came through the Arkansas Community Foundation. People can donate to the foundation with specific instructions on where they want the money to go.
In this case, the anonymous donor initially offered in September to match $20,000 raised by Farmington, Prairie Grove, Lincoln, Fayetteville, Elkins and New County senior centers. The centers had until Dec. 31 to raise the matching funds.
Each center was responsible for bringing in $3,333.33 to meet the match.
By the end of October, all centers had met the challenge. Dunlap contacted the Foundation and the anonymous donor raised the matching amount to $30,000. This meant each center had to raise a total of $5,000 for their match.
Once again, the centers all met the challenge and even exceeded it. In all, the seven centers raised a total of $37,451.
The donor then offered to match every penny that was raised.
Dunlap said each center has received a check to match the money it had brought in through fundraising efforts.
Fayetteville Senior Center raised the most, $7,477, and received a matching check for that amount. Prairie Grove raised the second most, $7,415; Lincoln raised $6,833; Farmington raised $5,000.
Linda Willkie, director of Prairie Grove Senior Activity & Wellness Center, was very appreciative of
the donation.
“This is someone who wants to make a difference,” Willkie said. “Fourteen thousand dollars is such a blessing. Anyone who donates is a blessing to us.”
Prairie Grove’s annual budget this year is $130,000 and of that, the center has to raise $32,000 on its own toward the budget. Last year, food costs alone were $37,000, Willkie said.
Tina Batlle, director of Farmington’s senior center, also was grateful for the donation.
“Meals on Wheels is very important and we want to be able to continue it,” Batlle said. “This is a very big deal.”
The $5,000 match for Farmington is equivalent to six months’ worth of fundraising events, she added.
Farmington feeds 60 homebound seniors Monday-Friday in Farmington, Greenland and West Fork.
Lincoln Senior Center will be able to continue serving its homebound clients and “serve them better,” said center director Joanna Stricker.
Jerry Mitchell, director of Area Agency on Aging, gave the following statement about the anonymous donation: “The compassion of people like this anonymous donor that reached out to help hungry senior adults is amazing. Without this individual’s donation and the support of the matching community donors, we would not be able to continue to provide meals, transportation and health and wellness activities to our senior adult population. The agency is incredibly proud of the staff and volunteers that stepped up and accepted this challenge.”