TEXARKANA, Texas -- The Texarkana Area Community Foundation awarded more then $85,000 to local, non profit organizations during a grant awards ceremony at the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council Art Center Thursday.
Unlike last year, owing to COVID-19 precautions, this year's ceremony returned back to the Regional Arts Center downtown.
TACF Executive Director Ken Cox said its great to be back inside the art center.
"What's really great is to be in this room with so many charitable folks," Cox said. "The foundation started in 1986, but we held the first awards ceremony in 1990."
This year, TACF, an affiliate of the Arkansas Community Foundation gave out 46 grants for a total of $85,740.
Additionally, 19 checks, totaling $12,250 came from the Andrew G. and Sarah S. Goesl Endowment. This amounted to a grand total of $97,990.
"We've been an affiliate with the Arkansas Community Foundation for 35 years now and I'm enormously inspired by what our residents have done over the years," Cox added.
The list of recipients follows:
1st Choice Pregnancy Resource Center – Receives a grant to purchase new furniture for client areas.
A&B Animal Rescue – Receives a grant to build a community pet food pantry to help distribute affordable pet food to low-income residents. A&B Animal Rescue also receives a matching grant from the Martha Barber Animal Welfare Fund of the Arkansas Community Foundation.
The Alzheimer's Alliance, Tri-State Area – Receives a grant for new equipment to increase outreach in the community and upgrade safety within their facility. Alzheimer's Alliance also receive a check from the Goesl Endowment.
American Red Cross -- Receives a grant for disaster response to clients providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, and vital financial assistance that allows clients to return to a sense of normalcy while maintaining their financial independence. American Red Cross also receives a check from the Goesl Endowment.
Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry -- Receives a grant for weekend backpack programs through schools in the Texarkana area schools. Arkansas Hunters provides shelf stable wild game snacks.
Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund -- Receives a grant for the removal of financial barriers of scholarship recipients like child care expenses which would cause them to discontinue their pursuit of post-secondary education or skilled trade certification. Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund also receive a check from the Goesl Endowment.
The Ark-Tex Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging Receives a grant to purchase T-Line bus tickets for veterans. Many veterans have to go to the VA clinic in Texarkana to make their required scheduled appointments to ensure they continue to receive their veteran benefits.
Bowie County Child Protective Services Receives a grant to provide additional Christmas gifts to the 70-85 kids in CPS care.
City of Texarkana – Receives a grant to benefit the Texarkana Farmers' Market and a grant for the Texarkana Arts & Historic District for the revitalization of downtown Texarkana which enhances the enjoy-ability and uniqueness of the District.
Community Alternative Prevention Program – Receives a grant to teach youth job skills by reviving and repairing the Foreman Gazebo which is in disrepair and an eyesore. They will be supervised by a carpenter and craftsmen.
Domestic Violence Prevention, Inc. – Receives a grant to provide direct support for the victims and children who reside in the emergency shelter. Funds will be used to purchase groceries so that victims and children are able to have 3 fresh, healthy meals and snacks daily; and provide much needed direct victim assistance and shelter needs so that each victim and child have all the tools necessary to re-establish their lives and secure safe housing. DVP also receives a check from the Goesl Endowment.
Friends of Texarkana Parks -- Receives a grant to construct a new concrete pad for the George Tobolowskly Statue in Spring Lake Park.
Gateway Farmers Market – Receives a grant to paint and install flooring in the Men and Ladies restrooms and to replace florescent lights with LED lights.
Habitat for Humanity – Receives a grant to fund a project manager to implement the Aging in Place Program, including repairing a front porch for an elderly lady and a bathroom floor repair for an 83-year-old man. Habitat also receives a grant for production and installation of vinyl graphics on the sign for the New Boston Road store and for a trailer wrap sign on a Cargo Trailer. Habitat for Humanity also receive a check from the Goesl Endowment.
Harvest Regional Food Bank – Receives a grant to purchase food items for the Backpack Program to provide weekend and holiday nutrition for 20 students on campuses in the Texarkana area.
Hospice of Texarkana – Receives a grant to provide Hospice of Texarkana with a secure firewall that will ensure the necessary encrypted maintenance of confidential medical records, and also to provide ergonomic seating in our training and admissions conference room. Hospice of Texarkana also receive a check from the Goesl Endowment.
Howard County Historical Society – Receives a grant to purchase a new computer for day to day business, research capabilities, and grant writing and to recondition a donated 1934 Dodge Firetruck for display in the Fire Station Museum.
The Jamison's Center of Kindness, Inc. Receives a grant for the E.N.R.I.C.H tutoring and Summer enrichment program for children.
Jeni Lynn Ministries (Haven Homes) Receives a grant for their women's facility to purchase beds, a computer and printer.
Just Love and Kindness, Receives a grant to support the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department Pride Academy (grades 6- 12th) for youth, veterans and other community members on a case by case basis.
The Literacy Council of Bowie and Miller Counties, Inc. Receives a grant to teach fundamental workforce skills through use of a career fair to help students connect with business partners who are committed to helping students find employment. The Literacy Council also receives a check from the Goesl Endowment.
Little River County Historical Society – Receives a grant to cut a door to an adjoining donated building, replace two external doors, and connect a/c and update the bathroom, also to deep clean, paint, and repair the additional area for storage.
Main Street Texarkana -- Receives a grant to continue the beautification and preservation of the downtown community. This impacts the Texarkana area and Miller and Bowie counties that depend on Texarkana for living, shopping, and work.
Mission Texarkana -- Receives a grant to purchase a Vulcan VC5GDN Natural Gas Single Deck Full Size Convection Oven with Legs, 50,000 BTU.
New Boston Education Foundation – Receives a grant to provide an extended learning opportunity for the students grades 3 - 5 through in-person and virtual field trips. The extended learning opportunities will provide 'hands-on' and visual experiences beyond the campus classroom world.
Northeast Texas CASA, Inc. -- Receives a grant to help cover travel costs for CASA Children staff. Staff travels up to 25,000 miles annually in Arkansas and Texas to check on children who are part of the child welfare system.
Rainbow of Challenges, Inc. – Receives a grant for instructional play materials for children aged birth through five that are served by the Making Rainbows Developmental Delay Services project. Children participate in the specialized therapeutic in-center training for developmentally delayed, and those at risk for delay.
Randy Sam's Outreach Shelter – Receives a grant to provide a variety of supplies and transportation to those experiencing homelessness. Supplies include food, paper products, medication cost, hygiene items, id. documents, sleeping items, etc: transportation includes Greyhound and local bus tickets for job interviews.
Rock Solid Resource Center, Inc. -- Receives a grant to increase ability to give out more fresh dairy products, milk, cheese, yogurt and more meat (proteins).
The Salvation Army – De Queen Receives a grant to purchase a refrigerator/freezer for the food pantry and a washer to help the homeless and burnout victims.
Southwest Arkansas Counseling & Mental Health Center, Inc. – Receives a grant to pay for three licensed mental health professionals in the Texarkana Clinic to become certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which has proven to be highly successful in treating persons who have suffered trauma.
Stuff a Bus of United Way of Greater Texarkana Receives a grant to purchase school supplies and backpacks to prepare children in need (K-12) for school. United Way partners with the local Rotary clubs, the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana, and Texarkana Resources for the Disabled as well as other community groups to collect and distribute the needed supplies. This helps each student to start school on an equal footing.
Telford Prison Ministries, Inc. receives a grant to provide school supplies to children of inmates and children of correctional officers at the Telford Unit in New Boston, Texas. TPMI becomes familiar with student needs through visits by parents and grandparents at the Visitation Center and Haven of Hope in New Boston, Texas.
Texarkana Area CrimeStoppers – Receives a grant for the monthly fee for a 24/7 answering service manned with trained staff for citizens of the Texarkana area to call at any time. Tips are then provided to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Texarkana Arkansas Municipal Auditorium Commission -- Receives a grant to purchase portable stage drapery for a background for performers. The Commission also receive a check from the Goesl Endowment.
Texarkana Historical Society and Museum – Receives a grant to expand and promote The Talking Dead Cemetery Tours and other Walking Tours, including additional lighting, audio equipment, costumes, and work on additional scripts and advertising. TMS also receives a check from the Goesl Endowment.
Texarkana Arts and Historic District – Receives a grant for development of a Two States Tactical Urbanism Guide and two Tactical Urbanism projects within the Arts and Historic District of Texarkana, Arkansas and Texarkana, Texas.
Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council Arts Integration Institute. Receives a grant to purchase equipment to develop remote learning experiences in the arts for students and professional development for teachers in the Texarkana area.
Texarkana Resources for the Disabled – Receives a grant to purchase health and wellness equipment that is accessible to all people even with physical and developmental limitations to incorporate into the Resources Unlimited training program, which teaches life skills to individuals with disabilities.
Texarkana Special Education Center (Opportunities, Inc.) – Receives a grant to provide lifelong-learning, social connections and authentic community inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through weekly or bi-weekly community-based book club meetings that include readers at all levels.
Texarkana Sunrise Rotary Club -- Receives a grant to expand the Nash Christmas Project for Christmas 2021. Sunrise Rotary Club works with the school counselors and other leadership at Nash Elementary School to identify the Children with the most needs during the holiday.
Texarkana Symphony Orchestra – Receives a grant to underwrite a portion of the $5 cost per student for attending TSO's May 2022 Student Concerts.
Texarkana Volunteer Services, Hands on Texarkana -- To purchase supplies for students and teachers including printed brochures with volunteer opportunities, printed log sheets to track hours, flash drives with powerpoint presentations and videos for student use. Hands on Texarkana also receive a check from the Goesl Endowment.
United Way of Greater Texarkana -- Receives a grant for the Dolly Parton "Imagination Library" which mails hard-bound books monthly to children's households; putting books in the hands of newborns all the way up to age 5. All children are eligible to receive books for free. Their parents/guardian fill out a card at the hospital and they will begin receiving books up until their 5th birthday. United Way also receives matching grants from the Arkansas Community Foundation and a gift from the Goesl Endowment.
Other gifts from the Andrew G. and Sarah S. Goesl Endowment:
Angel Fund Foundation; Girl Scouts – Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas; Hands on Texarkana; KTXK FM Texarkana Public Radio. Ozark Mission Project; Partnership for the Pathway, general support; Texarkana Animal League, general support; Texarkana Area Community Foundation, Giving Tree Endowment.