From Our House

To Yours June 2011

www.ourhouseshelter.org 302 E Roosevelt Rd; Little Rock, AR

ASID’s Wine and Design show raises money for Our House for

a second year.

All photos by Amanda Woods, an Our House VISTA, except:

page 2 (top) and page 5 photos by Grant Harrison,

page 16 photo by UALR, pages 8 (right) & 15 photos by unknown

Our House resident LaShondra uses the Learning Center’s

resources to prepare for her future career.

Our Club volunteer Sean Morell wins Arkansas United Way’s

Volunteer of the Week.

14 Keller Williams chooses Our House for this year’s RED Day.

May donors

Top Volunteer Opportunities: The Learning Center

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16

8

10

6

Dinner on the Grounds

raises record funds.

Cover: detail of painting

by Matt McLeod, painted

on location at the event.

4

12 VSP Mobile Eye Clinic’s

bus rolls onto the Our House

parking lot with complete eye

exams and glasses for residents.

By Manon Jacob, Development VISTA

Dinner on the Grounds is our annual summer fundraiser, hosted in

the beautiful gardens of the Governor’s Mansion. In addition to the

425 Our House supports in attendance at the event, Governor Mike

and First Lady Ginger Beebe came out to enjoy the party. The

weather was perfect for this southern-style supper where we dined

on food donated by Ben E. Keith and Tyson and prepared by the

Mansion’s staff. We also had Gary Parrish frying catfish (donated

by Pride of the Pond) and delicious dessert provided by Hunka Pie.

While the band Lagniappe filled the air with incredible jazz music,

local artist Matt McLeod captured the evening on canvas. Several

danced to the wonderful music and enjoyed a signature cocktail

by Donnie Ferneau. Glazer’s Distributors of Arkansas was kind

enough to donate all of the wine and spirits for the event, adding to

the relaxed atmosphere of the evening. At the conclusion of Dinner

on the Grounds, Matt’s beautiful artwork (featured on the cover)

was sold by silent auction to the highest bidder. His donation of

proceeds from the artwork in addition to sponsorship and ticket

sales helped raise over $100,000 for the programs at Our House.

When the gates at the mansion closed, the party continued at the

Capital Hotel where our sponsors enjoyed donated libations and

excellent music. Oxford American sponsored the band True Soul

Revue, which drew many guests to the dance floor.

This year’s Dinner on the Grounds has been the most successful

event that Our House has ever held, and we are incredibly grateful

to all of the generous community members who made it possible.

The money raised from the event will go a long way in giving hope

to the working homeless.

2011 Dinner on the Grounds raises record funds

By Michelle Salgado, Education and Workforce VISTA

Learning Center prepares residents for employment

LaShondra, a 27-year-old resident at Our House, remembers

her first day at the shelter vividly. She had no idea what to

expect and little hope for a brighter future for herself and her

four children. When a case manager walked her through the

programs and resources available at Our House, she found

herself “realizing there are great people here waiting to help.”

That was six months ago.

Today LaShondra takes advantage of the resources in the

Learning Center and the Moving Up Education Program. Our

House provides a range of professional and educational support

to our residents including mock job interviews, resume reviews,

WAGE certificate training, and college search assistance. Our

House is also very fortunate to have in our Learning Center

two full-time teachers from the Pulaski County Special School

District Adult Education Program.

I can’t put into words the satisfaction that

you have when you leave Our House. The

residents are ready to learn and you can

see with certainty the appreciation they

feel for your help. You can take joy in

knowing that the feedback and time you

give the residents is invaluable to them.

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I was pleasantly surprised at how organized the experience was. It was a

very relaxed and encouraging environment, not only for me as a volun-

teer, but also for the residents. I was impressed by just about every aspect

of the process, including how prepared the residents were and the format

Our House uses to evaluate them.

- Jennifer Williams, Central Arkansas Human Resource Association

To make progress towards achieving her long-term goals of

finding employment and obtaining her GED, LaShondra is a

job trainee in Our House’s Little Learners Child Development

Center. She recently completed her third practice interview

with Jennifer Williams, a member of the Central Arkansas

Human Resource Association (CAHRA). This mother of four

made such an excellent impression that she received a business

card with an invitation to call Jennifer when she is ready to

pursue a job in her chosen career field.

Kishina Thomas, HR Generalist at the Little Rock Airport; Michael L. Smith,

Workforce Readiness Committee liaison and member of CAHRA; and Jennifer

Williams from CAHRA volunteer to help residents practice job interviews.

Practice job interviews

Each month we hold practice job interviews to help our clients hone

their interviewing skills. We are looking for hiring managers and HR

professionals to help us with this effort. The practice job interviews

are on the second and third Thursday of each month. We are particu-

larly interested in recruiting managers and HR professionals from

these types of businesses:

Restaurants and food service providers

Hotels (maintenance and housekeeping)

Hospitals and nursing homes (maintenance, housekeeping, nursing

assistants)

Warehouses and distributors

Large retailers

Top volunteer opportunities

Learning Center

x

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Job skills training

We hold hard-skills trainings for

our job trainees who live and work

at the shelter. These job trainees

work and train in the fields of child

care, security, housekeeping, food

preparation, and customer service.

Correspondingly, we are looking

for contacts with managers in:

Security firms

Housekeeping

Professional cleaning services

Day care and child care centers

Job-finding skills

Many of the residents who come

to Our House are unemployed

and looking for a job. One-on-one

help finding a job, using online

resources, and writing resumes

are very relevant for our clients.

CAHRA has done a wonderful job

providing those services to Our

House residents.

To volunteer in Our House’s

Learning Center, contact

Michelle Salgado at

education@ourhouseshelter.org

or 501-374-7383 ext. 234

Hiring from Our House

If you are a recruiting manager

or HR professional searching for

great employees, consider Our

House’s residents! The Learning

Center team is always available

to pre-screen our residents to find

qualified candidates based on your

job description and to schedule

multiple interviews at our site to

save you time.

Heart of Arkansas United Way chose Our House

volunteer Sean Morell as their Volunteer of the

Week for the week of May 16. He was presented

with a plaque in Our Club and was announced

as Volunteer of the Week on KSSN 96FM.

Even though Sean is a busy medical school stu-

dent, he finds time to dedicate to the kids of Our

Club, the after-school program at Our House.

Sean is dependable, kind, and always willing to

take initiative. He helps with homework, leads

games and activities, and volunteers extra time

during school holidays. Last Christmas, Sean

helped with Our House’s Adopt-a-Family

program to make sure every child had a special

Christmas. Sean builds meaningful relationships

with the children at Our House. Our kids see that,

and they love Mr. Sean!

By Amber Hood,

Volunteer Relations VISTA

Our Club volunteer wins United Way Volunteer of the Week

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I get more out of

volunteering at Our

Club than I give.

The whole Our

House organization

is just amazing and

a true step in the

right direction for

this community. It is

just people helping

people, nothing

more and nothing

less, just the way it

should be.

- Sean Morell

10-year-old resident Kaleb had been having trouble seeing close objects, such as

his school books and homework papers. VSP gave him the right lenses to see his

homework, and Kaleb carefully chose his own cool frames.

10-year-old resident Kaleb had been having trouble seeing close objects, such as

his school books and homework papers. VSP gave him the right lenses to see his

homework, and Kaleb carefully chose his own cool frames.

VSP Mobile Eye Clinic visits Our House

On April 29th, the Vision Service Plan Mobile Eye Clinic bus

rolled onto the Our House campus to provide comprehensive

free eye exams and glasses to our residents. During the one-day

clinic, doctors Megan and Jacob Moll conducted eye exams on

40 residents. They took special care to check for signs of chronic

conditions such as diabetes. The impact of the mobile clinic,

which visited Our House for the second year in a row, continues

even after the bus departs. In partnership with Dillards, VSP left us

100 vouchers which residents can exchange for high-end glasses.

William, a former resident and a diabetic, said that receiving

glasses helped him study better for his GED. Uninsured and un-

employed, William would have continued to suffer from poor

vision without the help of VSP.

Because of the on-site exams and vouchers provided

by VSP, over 100 residents received glasses that they

otherwise could not afford. The Mobile Eye Clinic fills

a critical gap in our residents’ health care, and we were

pleased to welcome them to our campus.

By Rebecca Zimmermann, Community Engagement VISTA

Video

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Every year, Keller Williams Realty participates in RED Day. Named for

the signature red logo, as well as for the acronym Renew, Energize, and

Donate, RED Day is a one-day volunteer event that happens all across

North America.

This year, Keller Williams wanted to show their support for Our House

on RED Day, reflecting their year-round commitment to serving and

bettering Central Arkansas. Twenty-five Keller Williams associates, led

by Juanita Patton and Tracy Rice, arrived at Our House with a generous

donation and an enthusiasm to serve our residents. They organized the

food pantry in the shelter kitchen, spent time with the children in Little

Learners, and put down new mulch in flower beds around the Our House

campus. Their simple yet incredible acts of service left an impact on our

campus. Keller Williams was a joy to have on campus and an impressive

team of volunteers.

By Amber Hood, Volunteer Relations VISTA

Keller Williams RED Day

In 2010 the South Central Chapter of ASID helped furnish the Our House

Family House with the funds raised at their annual Wine and Design event, and

they were excited to benefit Our House again this year. Hosted at Next Level

Events in Union Station, the evening was a combination of an interior design

trade show and a creative fundraiser. With designer vignettes provided by

local retailers, it was a place to view new materials and trends in home décor

fashion while meeting Central Arkansas interior designers.

By Manon Jacob, Development VISTA

Wine and Design benefits Our House

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Though the event serves as a trade show,

it also provides a fun evening for all in

attendance. Delicious Italian, Greek, and

Californian cuisine was available for all

guests, and Pool Boy from Alice 107.7

was there to DJ live. He was also the

announcer for the runway contest that

took place during the evening. This

friendly competition hosted models in

original pieces designed by Little Rock

interior designers that were fashioned

from various construction materials such

as tile, carpet, and upholstery fabric.

With limitless wine served throughout

the evening, Wine and Design certainly

lived up to its name. The organization

was generous enough to donate the full

ticket price from each guest to Our

House, and we are incredibly grateful

for their continued support.

All clothes in the fashion show were

made of construction materials such

as tile, carpet, and upholstery fabric.

Individuals

Katrina Alewelt

Maureen and Robert Burnham

Sarah and Theodore Hood

Martha and H. Rance Perkins

Chris Schaffhauser

Bridget and Andrew Upchurch

C. Mike White

Rev. Donn and Amelia Walters

Lawrence Young

Congregations

Cathedral of St. Andrew

Christ the King Catholic Church

Church of the Immaculate Conception

St. Anne Catholic Church

St. James United Methodist Church

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

Corporations

Dillard’s

Entergy

Tanmark, Inc.

Grants and Foundations

AR Dept. of Workforce Services

AR Special Nutrition Program

City of Little Rock: HPRP

Dollar General Literacy Foundation

HUD: Supportive Housing

Pulaski County

May Donors

UALR Greek Week

This year’s Greek

Week raised over

$2,500 for Our House.

Presenting Sponsor

Chester Phillips

Gold Sponsors

Entergy

Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens Inc

Southwest Power Pool

Vestcom

Dinner On The Grounds Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Advanced Cabling

Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield

AT&T

Baptist Health

CDI Contractors

Christie and Steve Bardwell

City of Little Rock

Darrin Williams

Delta Trust

Democratic Party of Arkansas

with Rebecca Gwatney

Dr. Jason and Robyn Stewart

Dr. Mary Good

East-Harding

Hadidi Rug Company

Hosto Buchan and Prater PLLC

IBERIABANK

Karen Flake and Associates

Law Office of C. Michael White

Marriott Wealth Advisory

Mendel Capitol Management

PDC Construction

Sherwood Beverage

Sol Alman Company

VCC

Wren Law Firm

Wright Lindsey & Jennings LLP

Silver Sponsors

Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Bank of the Ozarks

Barbara Graves and Barry McDaniel

Delta Dental

Edward Jones Investment—Kirk

Bradshaw & Kevin Kordmeier

JPMS Cox / Jennifer & Clay Glasgow

Law Office of Danyelle Walker PLLC

Law Office of Peter Miller

Mitchell Williams Selig Gates and

Woodyard

Summit Bank

UPS

USAble

In-Kind

Ben E. Keith

Capital Hotel

Custom XM

Ferneau Restaurant

Glazer’s Distributors of Arkansas

Grant Harrison Photography

Hunka Pie

Oxford American

Pride of the Pond

The Nicholson Agency

Tyson

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