Local volunteers join effort to aid children in area
Bright Futures program begins in FC
Bright Futures officially kicked off the local program at a banquet last week that featured several community residents who say they’re ready to make the mission successful.
Speakers shared information about the program and the importance of programs such as this for children in the area.
One of the speakers, Nick Williams, said he was one of "those kids" the community helped.
"This is a powerful room," said Williams, who is a graduate of the Forrest City School District. "I wasn't always the person I am now."
Williams said the Bright Futures mission aligns with the leadership in the area.
"There are several people right here at this one table that I have to thank for helping me become the person I am," Williams said of the table of the I Am One group that attended the gathering. "I am one these men have helped.
"I am the first person in my family not to see the inside of a prison cell," continued Williams. "You are looking at the future here in this room."
LaSandra Ward-Bean spoke about the importance and personal meaning of the services that would be offered through the school district with the Bright Futures group.
"I've been helping with this group since a friend told me they had something for me to check out," said Bean. "Turns out, I was one of the key people needed in the room."
Bean, the parent coordinator for the FCSD, said that while growing up, she was taught to serve.
"This group is timely, on time and an answer to a prayer," said Bean.
Bean relayed that Williams grew up just down the street from her and she was able to proudly watch him and his sister grow into adults.
"There are a lot of needs in our district that our Title I funds cannot legally cover," said Bean. "And, there are so many reasons our children don't make it to school. It is time we reach out and wrap our arms around our children."
Forrest City Mayor Cedric Williams said he is excited for the group to be in the area.
"When we talk about Bright Futures, and look at the vision statement that says, ‘Our vision is to inspire community partnerships that open a way for all children to learn, lead and serve to their full potential now and in the future,’” said Williams. "I am key on partnerships."
Williams spoke about his push for unity in the community and his vision for the community to work together as a whole.
"It is our community," said Williams. “We are not big enough to not have partnerships to succeed. So, if our purpose is to help our children now and in the future, and to learn and lead in the future, we must all work together to support our young people, and that is what this Bright Futures program is about."
Williams stressed the program's ability to help provide basic needs to children through meals and other things to help emphasize the technology provided in schools to succeed.
"I see Bright Futures being that conduit to where it brings our city, county, faith-based and civic organizations, schools, all of us together to where we all play a part to the success of children," said Williams.
First Judicial District Circuit Court Juvenile Judge Kathie Hess is another person who has been involved with the Bright Futures program.
“As most of you know, it is extremely important to me to see all these resources come together," said Hess, who also spoke about the importance of helping community members with resources, education, awareness and love.
"Even if you don't have the resources someone else has, the most important thing you can do when you come in contact with a kid is give them a smile. You can always give a kid a smile and tell them good job," said Hess.
Hess also said resources are important when helping young parents. She said young parents struggle to make enough to provide their children with clothing, and when the clothing comes home ruined, it means something different for them.
"There is a totally different reaction for that mama or that child – because she's invested in so much in those pants – than there is for somebody who never even thinks about going to buy pants," said Hess.
Hess said she constantly thinks about how parents react in their situations due to stress. “This room is filled with people who I believe realize that resources change lives.”
Hess said it is very important to teach parents to engage with their children, especially during the toddler years. "Just playing peekaboo with them can really help them learn and engage," she said.
(Continued from Page 1) Hess also stressed it is important for the community to also say something to a person they trust if they suspect children are not in productive places.
"I could give you story after story after story of instances of where if one person had not said something about a child, it is horrendous," said Hess who stressed building a network of trusted people to help keep children safe and well cared for as well as helping the parents get the help they also need to be productive parents.
"Our goal is to always reunify our children with their parents," said Hess who then relayed a story of a home with a single mom, who had been depressed and in a situation where the children were not going to school. "As luck would have it, she'd gotten a doctor who would do nothing but throw pills at her and she was in such a state that she could barely function herself. So, we got her with the right people. You should have seen her disposition and the turn around."
Hess said awareness, resources and education can help break generational curses.
"We have generational blessings but we have generational curses as well," said Hess.
Hess said that a lot of times parents mirror what they've seen and have often grown up in hard backgrounds as well.
"What we have to do is bring programs to this community to break those generational curses," said Hess. “We can stop it together.
"The Bible says and the greatest of these is love," said Hess of ways the community can help. "The easiest thing you can do is share a smile."
Dwayne Robinson, with Part of the Solution, Inc., said, "We are trying to find where we fit into this puzzle.
Robinson says his group works to help elevate struggling individuals in various ways, including victim services, HIV education and training.
"But that's not the end," said Robinson. "We also help with insurance, mental health. We work with the total man. Whatever the need is, we will meet it."
Robinson said the group had done a lot of work with single mothers and that a lot of the time the mothers just need support in the form of love and that he is excited for the possibility of partnering with the Bright Futures group to help the community.
"Don't make another move without us. We have a lot to bring to the table," said Robinson.
Dr. Howard Smith II, with the PLUM (Peace. Love. Unity. Ministry.) also spoke about the importance of organizations coming together.
"We have to encourage this type of work," said Smith, while stressing the importance of unity in the community in helping people going through stressful times to impact them for the better.
ConnectPoint Church member Ashley Boone spoke about the importance of fellowship within the community and learning to relate to one another. "Mothers need mothers to relate to," said Boone. "Children need us to be relatable to them. That way, they have hope. We need more than just finances. We need what makes the world go round – love.
"We are not going to exhaust resources because we are all going to do it together," said Boone. "Stand there and be there for a child because a hug can make a difference."
Nicole Hopkins, with the Department of Human Services, told the group she currently has 39 children she is responsible for in Northeast Arkansas.
"There is a poem I live and breathe by," said Hopkins, who told the group the poem is about a man tossing starfish back into the ocean one by one to help them live. The man in the poem is criticized for trying to save too many starfish on the beach as to not making a difference, to which the man replies he makes a difference to the one he saves.
"My goal is to plead to you to spend your day at the beach," said Hopkins. "Just save one."
Hopkins also said she is thankful that groups are starting to organize in the area, especially male lead groups such as the I Am One group.
"I cannot teach my children how to be strong black men," said Hopkins. "We need partnerships like these to help our young children with positive role models."
Hopkins also said her goal is to not raise a single child in the DHS system.
Dorothy Kiyumbi, one of the organizers of the local program, asked groups to complete the call to action sheets at their tables to help Bright Futures be able to contact those groups regarding a child’s needs.
"We also need every one of you to follow our Facebook Page," said Kiyumbi who said it could be found by searching for Bright Futures Forrest City. "That is where, when we have a child in need, that need will be posted."