REALTORS of HOT SPRINGS HELP THE JACKSON HOUSE WITH FOOD DRIVE
The Hot Springs Board of Realtors (HSBOR) have had a heart-felt compassion for helping the needy children of Garland County. In 2002, the HSBOR started a charity program called “Cans for Kids”. The Realtors of Hot Springs work diligently with fundraisers and individual donations on a continuous basis and routinely deliver non-perishable foods to the schools of Garland County for distribution to the needy children.
With our economy experiencing some tougher times, the HSBOR decided to reach out a little further within the community, and add another organization to their food drive - the Eleanor Klugh Jackson House, more commonly known as the Jackson House located at 705 Malvern Avenue in Hot Springs. The Jackson House is an interfaith community crisis center which provides short-term emergency assistance for basic needs – food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. According to reports provided by the Jackson House, the community crisis center provided 36,816 lunches; 14,112 bags of pantry food; 2,904 sets of clothing, and numerous other services in 2008.
While the schools were preparing to close for the summer months, the HSBOR knew that the needy children would continue to have needs and may seek help from the Jackson House during the summer months. In addition to the needy children in Garland County, the HSBOR wanted to provide help to others with needs at the Jackson House. In April of this year, the HSBOR delivered a truck-load of canned goods & non-perishable foods to the Jackson House. As Paulia Kennedy, Debi Jones and other members of the Public Relations committee/HSBOR arrived at the door with the food, Janie Smith, Executive Director of the Jackson House was stunned with the surprise visit, and thanked the group with tears in her eyes. “You have no idea how much we appreciate these donations! Our cupboards were beginning to get bare due to all the increased needs we’ve had recently, and we were beginning to wonder what was next. You guys are like angels sent from heaven” stated Janie Smith.
If you would like to help with the HSBOR’s food drive for the “Cans for Kids” program and the Jackson House, you may drop off your donation during the hours of 8:30a – 4:30p M-F at the Hot Springs Board of Realtors’ office located at 437 Orange Street, Hot Springs.
(Article written by Paulia Kennedy - Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of the Hot Springs Board of Realtors)