10:33 Initiative Launches in Ashley County

Community leaders and figures within the Ashley County community came together to discuss collective impact in the area, or the idea that when the community works together, shares resources, builds relationships, and unite around a common purpose, they can create lasting change for surrounding individuals and families.

County coordinator Krystal Johnson introduced the event, welcoming community leaders, educators, business owners, churches, and other service providers to discuss collaborative efforts across Ashley County.

Mayor of Hamburg David Streeter also welcomed the attendees, emphasizing the importance of teaching families and participants essential life skills, no matter how simple, to help them thrive. Streeter analogized the 10:33 Initiative's focus on Ashley County to the saying about teaching a man to fish.

"It's kinda like you aren't giving this person a fish to feed their family," Streeter said. "You're teaching them to fish to feed their family for a lifetime."

Streeter thanked the 10:33 Initiative of Ashley County, and he looks forward to the lasting changes made to his community.

"Being an elected official, my job is to take care of the people and this is one of the best ways to do it, because you don't know the families' circumstances that are out there," Streeter said. "Every single individual has a certain problem, and this is a good direction to go to in."

Tonya Larmoyeux also spoke at the collective impact meeting, highlighting the importance of offering support and resources for families and participants of all ages.

Larmoyeux serves as the director of community outreach for Arkansas Baptist Children and Family Ministries, whose focus is building, strengthening, and restoring Arkansas families on a daily basis.

She knows first hand that offering life's assets to those who need it most is vital to thriving.

Carveyeta Walker-Bridges also knows the importance of serving children and families. As a social service supervisor and expert for Ashley County Division of Children and Family Services, Walker-Bridges says that by identifying needs early, connecting families with resources, and strengthening parenting skills, we can help children remain safe at home whenever it is appropriate.

"In the work of family preservation, collective impact is highly important and imperative," Walker-Bridges said. "Families remain together when it's appropriate and safe to do so."

Walker-Bridges also highlighted the fact that our service goes way beyond the position we hold professionally, and that it takes a village to create lasting change.

"My motto is: the service that we give is far more important than the seat we occupy," Walker-Bridges said.

Arkansas Family Alliance CarePortal community coordinator Dillon Swain echoed Walker-Bridges and Larmoyeux's sentiments, expressing that faith, generosity, and community connections can turn simple acts of kindness into lasting change.

"Alone, we can't do it, and we know we can't do it, and we're not even gonna try to do it," Swain said. "But we've got the resources here that we need if we're all willing to work together and pull together."

Working for Arkansas Family Alliance, Swain knows that creating change must involve getting the whole community together, especially churches. Swain cited how Arkansas congregations are meeting requests, strengthening relationships, and supporting families through practical, emotional, and spiritual care.

"If one church meets a need this month, and then another one next month, and then another one that month, if we get 15 churches signed up in two counties, we can take care of everything that we need to take care of. And so the question is: are you willing to respond?"

Restore Hope executive director Paul Chapman took the stage and introduced the new advancements being made to Ashley County.

One of these additions is the forming of a community alliance, which consists of professional members of the community driven to help moving participants and families from crisis to career.

Chapman also talked about the presence of a family advocate, who is also willing to meet those in crisis.

"They may be the only person that sees everything that's going on, and that's their job," Chapman said. "They're trying to understand the full situation."

Lastly, Chapman introduced HopeHub, a software program that allows service providers across the community to bring resources to participants who need support. Hopehub's presence in Ashley County will allow state agencies and local communities to unite, focusing on efficiency and bringing about collaboration for a stronger community.

With the coordination of nonprofits, churches, and other community leaders across Ashley County, more participants and families in the surrounding areas will now be able to easily transition from crisis to career.