Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund PO Box 854 / Springdale, AR 72765 (479) 927-1402 / [email protected] Change A Life Today! Use your phone camera to scan the QR code or visit aspsf.org @aspsf @aspsf1990 ASPSF.ORG/GIVE 2022 Newsletter | aspsf.org Scholarship recipient Toccara (left) inspires her family (right) to work hard for their goals. Continued on page on back Few parents can say they graduated at the same time as their children, but single mom Toccara Pearson will do it twice! In May 2019, Toccara completed her associate degree from the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College as her oldest daughter, To’Kira, graduated high school. This spring, Toccara will receive her bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as her son, To’Darius, completes his high school diploma. “I’m going to try and work it out so that I can graduate with my youngest, To’Mira, who is 14 years old, with my masters because no mother can say she graduated with all three of her children!” Toccara said. Toccara has been a recipient of the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund since spring 2019. She is grateful for the scholarship — which has helped her buy food for her family, pay electricity bills, purchase a computer for schoolwork, and afford a car repair after a baseball practice ended with a smashed window — and the community she’s gained through workshops, mentors, and other single parents. Toccara’s journey has not been an easy one. She was 8 years old when her mother died. Her father turned to alcohol to cope with the stress of being a single father, and over time this led to violence in the home. She went to live with her grandmother, and then during her senior year of high school, became pregnant. “At the time, I thought that my life was ending, and I wasn’t going to graduate,” she said. “Fortunately, my high school counselor intervened. She let me know that my life wasn’t ending, it was just beginning, and she was going to be by my side.” Celebrating the Important Role of Single Parents Toccara Pearson overcomes challenges to obtaining her associate and bachelor’s degrees with support from Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Little Rock single mother shows her three children ‘it’s never too late’ to go back to school Celebrating the Important Role You Play in Single Parent Success 2023 Winter Newsletter Thanks to you, ASPSF graduate ‘never felt like a single mother’ Dear ASPSF Supporters, I would like you to know that you were essential to my son, my success, and my life! I have never felt like a single mother thanks to your support. You are no stranger; you are my family. You sat at my dinner table, you put presents under our Christmas tree, and, most importantly, you reached out to me when I decided to go back to school. In our home, I have hung up each scholarship, card, and letter of encouragement to look at and read during my most difficult moments. I was strengthened, and I want you to know that I couldn’t have done it without you. Now, I am going to take what you have imparted into me and soar like an eagle. I am going to serve my community and also open a restaurant in Newport! Thank you, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Love, Dejasia Four-time ASPSF Scholarship Recipient Arkansas State University-Newport Fall 2022 Graduate Donations to ASPSF are gifts that keep on giving! Douglas is ready to graduate just like his mom, who presented a cooking workshop to ASPSF recipients in September 2021. Your incredible generosity provided Dejasia a family she could count on. For four semesters, your ongoing aid encouraged Dejasia to make her educational dream a reality. Associate of Applied Science General Technology Degree Certificate of Proficiency in Hospitality Services Technical Certificate in Hospitality Services
You don’t need to be a gemologist to join this new kind of GEM Society! The ASPSF GEM Society celebrates a growing group of donors who Give Every Month. You’re invited to join! There’s no application form, no meetings, and no limit on who can become a member. Still not convinced? Here are three reasons why you should join: 1. Set it and forget it. One little click turns your donation into a recurring gift. 2. Better for budgets. Small, regular donations are kinder to your budget and help us plan. 3. Support single parents all year long. Your gifts allow for workshops, emergency funds, and more between scholarship cycles. A note from the executive director I don’t know about you, but I think Vern McLellan is on to something. At ASPSF, we’re bringing enthusiasm, bold goals, and determination to the new year. Last year, we focused on our core through strategic planning and implementing new systems. This year, we’re looking forward to being out more in every county, serving more single parents, and forming new partnerships. We’re also launching two new giving societies, which you can read more about in this issue. Still, the most valuable thing we’re bringing into this new year is — can you guess? It’s you! Whether you’re new to ASPSF or a cherished supporter who’s been with us for decades, you’re bringing the incredible power of education to single parents across the state. We are honored to have you on our team and excited to see all the good we’ll do together in the year ahead! Ruthanne Hill ASPSF Executive Director “What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” –Vern McLellan, author Giving hope during uncertain times As if finals aren’t already hard enough, rising prices are making everything harder. Last fall, Valerie was worried how she’d get through the holidays with her three kids. Then a simple trip to the mailbox left her in happy tears. She’d received a special “inflation fighter” stipend check made possible by you. With your help, we were able to surprise every fall recipient with this extra aid just in time for the holidays. You made this possible! Become a GEM today! You can set up your monthly gift at ASPSF.ORG/GIVE. Sparkle and shine in the GEM Society Betsy Baker | Larry Crutchfield | Cheryl & Matt Fulton | Freda Grandy Kurt Kaiser | Dr. Brinda & Fred LeGrand | Michael O’Bryan | Katy & Dane Wagner Mike Weaver | Ray Winiecki THANK YOU TO THESE GEMS
Texarkana’s very own Jake from State Farm — the agent, not the actor — doesn’t wear khakis every day, but he is a good neighbor! “I love meeting people from all walks of life and assisting them with their insurance needs,” he said. Jake began donating to ASPSF in 2021. He gives because investing in single parents benefits his entire community, not just an individual. And thanks to a company-matching program, his gifts go even further. “Allowing single parents the opportunity to benefit from a scholarship so their earning potential can improve is a cause worthy to support,” he said. SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT Jake Hambleton State Farm Agent, Texarkana Tell us why you give! Email a photo & quote to [email protected], and you may be featured in a future newsletter. Why we give The incredible parents who have chosen to make education an investment in their family’s future are truly inspiring! Helping them achieve their goals helps local businesses and communities prosper. We are pleased to support ASPSF.” Michael Polk Cadence Bank Jonesboro, Arkansas Market President “Higher education is a proven pathway out of poverty for Arkansas’ workforce. Longtime supporters First Presbyterian Women of Hot Springs’ First Presbyterian Church have given so much to help single parents! For many years, this group has raised funds, reviewed scholarship applications, and donated generously. Pictured: ASPSF Program Manager Laura Lee Williard (center) thanks First Presbyterian Women members Terri McKissack, Dawn Cattaneo, Helen Bumpas, and Sally Joy Pierce for their thoughtful end-of-year contribution. Thanks, Jake, for giving the gift of an education!
Workshops help recipient buy her first home Now a homeowner, Katherine (left) can build generational wealth for her four children! Single mom Katherine closed on her first home in January thanks to donors like you. Your gifts not only provided her with a scholarship but also home buying and credit repair workshops that helped her qualify for a loan. “ASPSF is part of the reason I am able to build generational wealth for my kids!” Katherine said. Every dollar you give supports flexible scholarships and services. This combination — unique to ASPSF — equips single parents to navigate their futures with confidence. Your contributions help single parents like Kimberly create brighter futures for their families. We can’t thank you enough! Feel like sharing some love for Valentine’s Day? Scan the QR code or visit ASPSF.ORG/GIVE. Kimberly of Little Rock is working on her associate degree at University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College. If you have a passion for education and a desire to champion other women, we’d love to welcome you the ASPSF Women’s Giving Circle! Through meetings and social functions, members engage in professional networking, community outreach, leadership, and collective philanthropy. Plus, each chapter awards a portion of its membership fees to support ASPSF students! Chapters across Arkansas are forming right now, so sign up today at ASPSF.ORG/WGC. Women’s Giving Circle We’re swooning over you! $200 Connect Students & recent alumnae ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP LEVELS: $300 Grow Young professionals $500 Lead $1,000 Inspire $1,500 Empower Be among the first 100 women to join, and you’ll receive special lifetime status as a founding member!