Page 23 - 2024 Community Profile

QUALITY OF PLACE

is open to the public year round. ways that no single agency, individual, or “At United Way of Fort Smith Area, we
Over the years, KVBB has been government can to enhance the ability of believe working together is the best way
recognized by both Keep Arkansas people to care for one another. UWFSA to improve people’s lives and have the
Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful as and its agencies are committed to tackling greatest impact on the most vulnerable
an exemplary local affiliate. Keep America a wide-range of critical issues – from throughout our six-county area,” said
Beautiful was so taken by Van Buren’s combating food insecurity and lowering Shea Foldvary, President and CEO of the
cigarette butt control program that they prescription costs to empowering organization.
used the community as a production site individuals out of homelessness and For more information about United
for a training and education video that is supporting the elderly. Way, visit www.UnitedWayFortSmith.org.
used nationally. In addition to its agency partnerships, Robert Jack VFW Post 1322
To learn more, follow @KeepVBB on United Way also operates a number of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Facebook. community impact programs, including Post 1322 has served the Van Buren
United Way of Fort Smith Area Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which community for 98 years, making it one
For 95 years, United Way of Fort mails books to 6,000 local children each of the longest-tenured organizations in
Smith Area (UWFSA) has led the region in month, and Fill the Bus, which places the area. In recent years, its members
identifying, funding, and implementing more than 50,000 packages of school have donated over 6,000 service hours of
programs that help strengthen supplies into the hands of students in volunteer time working in the community.
communities. The organization works in need. Each spring, United Way also Member outreach includes teaching
conjunction with its 31 partner agencies connects hundreds of volunteers with patriotism and flag etiquette at area
to address needs in the areas of health, non-profit agencies for Day of Caring. schools. In 2022, the Post fed 127 families
education, financial stability, and crisis These individuals share their time at the holidays and provided 136 children
impacting those who live and work in and talents doing repairs, installing with Christmas presents. Members honor
Crawford, Franklin, LeFlore, Logan, equipment, landscaping, interacting with late veterans by placing more than 700
Sebastian, and Sequoyah counties. clients, and other crucial tasks which save Christmas wreaths on gravesites at Gill
United Way’s rich legacy comes from the organizations thousands of dollars and Gracelawn Cemeteries in Van Buren.
its ability to mobilize the community in annually. For Memorial Day, they adorn the graves

vanburenchamber.org Van Buren Chamber 2024 Directory 23