Robby Matthews

Can you help a family that lost everything?

From Jeff Spry

We have learned this afternoon and have confirmed with Roger Elliott at the Red Cross about a young mother, Julian Smith, who has lost everything in a fire. She has two small children (3-year old boy and 6-year old girl) and literally this afternoon is desperate for help in stabilizing her life. She has used all of the funds she received from American Red Cross and at least one other church (who provided $100). She has no family to which she can turn.

She has found a place that she can stay for 15-days that will charge her $275 and likely that is her best short-term solution until she potentially can get into a place with LR Housing Authority.

Might you be willing to help with some funds to cover this $275 and then others of you potentially help get some stuff for her small children?

This is a worthy situation and I would welcome any of you making contact with her directly (her cell # is 541-9046) to learn more specifics about the children and her immediate needs. If you want to help cover this $275, you can make a check to City Connections and earmark for “Julian Smith” and we’ll see that this gets paid.

I hope we can rise to help this young mother in a real desperate situation!

Domestic Abuse Victim Needs Help

Here is an email sent from safeplaceslr.org

I am currently working with a client in need of assistance. My client was held hostage by her husband and tortured for nearly a week. After being released from the hospital, she and her son were staying with her sister in a one bedroom apartment until that was no longer safe. They have had to stay with friends outside of Little Rock which has added to their expenses due to gas prices. They have found a 2 bedroom apartment in their price range but are struggling to come up with the money for deposits and a moving van. They are also looking for a full size or queen bed. The client is still undergoing extensive medical treatment and therapy in Little Rock and the victim’s abuser was her only financial support. The victim also had no insurance to cover her medical expenses and therefore facing a monumental amount of debt. Any assistance possible would be greatly appreciated. There is a fund set up at Regions Bank if anyone would like to make donations there, they can email me for details. Thank you for all of the work you do!

Sincerely,
Tina Lord
Safe Places Advocate
1609 Broadway
Little Rock, AR 72206
tlord@safeplaceslr.org
www.safeplaceslr.org
501-374-7233 office
501-375-7233 fax
501-519-0854 cell

Warming Center Needs

Warming Center Needs (To help please call 501-944-9636 or email marieguthridge@gmail.com)
Tuesday - Friday Morning we will be open:
*Thanks for all the clothing and blanket donations, our closet is overflowing so there is no more need in that area for now.
Volunteers - Evening volunteers are needed from 4 - 10 PM (Kitchen - including meal preps, Front Door Help, General Cleaning, Hospitality, Closet/Storage Organization, Cot Set Up
Overnight volunteers are needed (3 Shifts)We need a minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 that are willing to stay awake their entire shift.All Night Shift: 9PM - 7AMSplit Shift: 9PM - 2:30 AM or 2AM - 7AM
Meals that we need covered (service of @ 100)
Wednesday Breakfast & DinnerThursday Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerFriday Breakfast
We also need financial donations to help with utilities, medical assistance, ID assistance, security and emergency expenses. You can give online at www.canvascommunityonline.org
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE THAT YOU THINK CAN HELP. Always remember who you are and whose you are and know that you are loved,
Jamey B. 

Want to continue to help at CanvasCommunity?

This is a letter from Jeff Spry:

With the prospects of warming weather coming, likely the emergency shelter at Canvas Community Church’s will close their temporary shelter very soon. Our thanks again to Pastor Jamey Bentley and the wonderful people that have come alongside of him to make this happen!

As we mentioned last Sunday at the beginning of this effort, this might very well be the opportunity while many of these individuals are there in the shelter to have different church communities consider coming and meeting many of these individuals and identifying one that they would be willing to take under their wing for 90-days and really get to know them and help “lift” and support them as the rise above such.

With the goal of eradicating homelessness in our city, let’s set our goal toward building relationships with these individuals and helping to provide them hope, a support system, and a path to come off the streets. One by one we can do this! Actually, this is the only way it will happen – one at a time as we step out in faith!

If you haven’t already done so, would you consider going to Canvas Community Church sometime today and consider “adopting” one of these individuals and help create for them something some of them have never had in their lifetime and give them a “second chance”?

Fraternally,

Jeff Spry

Family in definite need

This family is definitely feeling the hurts of the economy right now.  Emma expressed to me that she needs the following: queen bed with mattress, 2 frames for full sized beds with boxsprings, microwave (they have no stove or means of warming things to eat), nightstands, bunkbeds.  They are in need of gas money, especially since the daughter in law just delivered a baby last night.  Mom cannot get a WIC appointment to help with formula needs until Dec 18th.  They believe she will use Enfamil with iron.  There are also 2 eleven year old boys.  We will try to take care of their needs as best we can.

Please forward to as many as you believe can help.

Please Contact
Emma Morris: 775-781-8343

Help for a family of 6

Looking for air mattresses, beds, table, chairs, couch, lamps, kitchen appliances and household “stuff” for family of 6, newly arrived in LR from Nevada without much of anything except a job for one of them. Will move into rental house Tuesday 11/17, but have pretty much nothing except clothing. Please let me know if you can help…thanks!

Two kids who lost their mother need help

This is an email sent from Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Arkansas

It saddens me to send this email, but I am hoping there are individuals on the distribution list that might be aware of resources to assist with funeral arrangements for a family in our program.  Two of our Little Brothers have unexpectedly lost their mother due to health complications.  One of the boys found her.  We are working with the Big Brother, who is working with the family, to find resources for the most basic funeral service and the cost is ranging from $800 - $1000.  They are trying to gather the money needed, but will not have enough to cover the cost completely.

If anyone is aware of programs or resources that assist with this type of situation I am hoping they would share any information or contact me.  The family is working with a funeral service in North Little Rock.

Thank you,

Christel Cater
VP Marketing and Recruitment
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas
501-374-6661 ext 229

www.bbbsca.org

Christmas help for those less fortunate

Salvation Army

With Christmas just over two months away, the Salvation Army is preparing for its annual Angel Tree Program.

Three-thousand children ages 12 and under are needed to sign-up for the free holiday gift program.

The Salvation Army will be accepting applications from October 18 - 21 and again October 25 - 28.

Where to sign up:

North Little Rock Salvation Army at 1505 W. 18th Street
(Spanish interpreters will be available at each shift).

October 18 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
October 19 - 9:00 a.m. to Noon, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
October 20 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
October 21 - 9:00 a.m. to Noon, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
October 25 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

October 26 - 9:00 a.m. to Noon, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
October 27 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
October 28 - 9:00 a.m. to Noon, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  

Applicants need to bring the following items:

•           Picture ID
•           Social Security Cards for entire household
•           Birth certificates for children 15 and under
•           Custody Papers (if child that is not their own)
•           Income for all household members
•           All monthly bills

Children selected for the program will have their names placed on an Angel Tree that allows more fortunate members of the community the chance to play Santa Claus and buy them their wished-for items, such as toys.

Watershed

Watersherd is taking application for Christmas and Thanksgiving Now 501 378-0176 contact for more information

St. Francis House

St. Francis House will take applications from 8:30 until 11:00 daily from now until November 15, 2010 on a first come first served.

Help foster kids who are aging out of the system…

Good Morning To All –

Next Tuesday, Oct 26^th, we are focused on serving at Immerse Arkansas which is a newly formed organization dedicated to walking with older and former foster youth through their transition into adulthood by connecting them to existing resources and helping them get into an apartment!

Immerse Arkansas is developing a showroom composed of new and gently used items to assist these young adults in furnishing this first residence. Attached you will find a list of those items that are needed by all of these youth.

On Tuesday, Oct 26, at the Mosaic Church (6420 Colonel Glenn Road, Suite 1), Eric Gilmore and a team of volunteers will be collecting and building this showroom of furniture.

Here’s a wonderful opportunity for all of you interior designers / home décor experts! Would you consider bringing items and/or helping Eric in creating this showroom of furniture that will be available to these youth who are aging out of the foster care system?

About

Robby has vast experience in Marketing/Advertising/Communications. He was a founder of Craws for Paws, the state’s largest Crawfish Boil benefiting the Humane Society of Pulaski County. He also has media planning/buying experience, including internet, with budgets up to the mid six-figure range. Robby has been active for several years in social media and also has many years experience in sales & community relations.

He went attended the University of Central Arkansas where he briefly played Soccer and joined Sigma Nu fraternity. He finished his BBA in Marketing and MBA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He returned to UALR as an Adjunct Instructor of Marketing in 2008. 

Robby is 30 years and resides in Jacksonville, Arkansas.  While he does marketing for a living, in his spare time he enjoys playing music and volunteering for several charities and non-profits in the Central Arkansas area.