The Wal-Mart Foundation today announced $843,000 in contributions to local non-profit organizations and projects across Arkansas.
 
The Wal-Mart Foundation’s State Giving Council for Arkansas accepts applications year-round for grant funding.

“Nonprofits and service organizations are often the first to suffer when economic times are bad,” Governor Mike Beebe said. “The Wal-Mart Foundation is setting a laudable example by holding strong to their commitments of support to these Arkansas community efforts.”

“In these difficult times, the work that we do to support the communities in our home state is more important than ever,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation. “We are committed to helping organizations that create opportunities for individuals and families to live better and we will continue to look for ways to improve the lives of Arkansans.”

The following organizations are receiving donations:

Arkansas Literacy Councils, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that supports local Arkansas literacy councils that recruit and train volunteers to help adults improve their basic reading and writing skills. The Wal-Mart Foundation will donate $250,000 to support 50 literacy councils that help provide free services to adults in need. The grant will allow the organization to purchase print and electronic instruction materials. These include materials for English language instruction, reading and math skills.

The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation is an educational foundation that supports programs of the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission, which is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. The Commission works to establish improved litter-abatement practices, solid waste reduction policies and scenic beautification-enhancement programs throughout the state. The $110,000 donation will help develop a "School Litter Free Zone" curriculum and support The 2009 Great Arkansas Cleanup.

The Twentieth Century Club’s Lodge is a housing facility in central Arkansas for financially needy cancer patients and their families at no cost. The Wal-Mart Foundation will donate $100,000 to help in the construction of a new lodge, Hope Away From Home.

Our House provides the working homeless with safe housing, food, free child care, education and job training so they may return to independent, productive living. Established in 1987, Our House also offers free services including addiction recovery, after school programs, parenting classes and job search assistance. The $90,000 grant will help fund the Our House Learning Center where individuals have the opportunity to transform their lives by providing them with supportive services for themselves and their children while they are trained for jobs in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Fallen Firefighters’ Memorial is raising funds to build The Angel of Mercy Statue on the State Capitol grounds. The Wal-Mart Foundation will donate $75,000 to support construction of the tribute.

Mission Outreach of Northeast Arkansas is a not-for profit organization in Paragould serving the needs of the homeless and indigent people of the community. Their vision is to equip and encourage individuals to sustain or regain self sufficiency through housing, food, resources, supportive services and networks. The $50,000 grant will be used to assist with the organization’s annual food service budget.

Economics Arkansas is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization that promotes economic literacy in Arkansas. Economics Arkansas is an affiliate of the National Council on Economic Education. The Wal-Mart Foundation is contributing $35,000 to Economics Arkansas sponsored programs that provide materials for teaching and funding competitions among teachers and their classes.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Band also known as the Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (M4) will receive $25,250 to help support their participation in the inaugural parade in Washington, D.C. for President-elect Barack Obama. M4 performs for all home football games and travels to almost all games away from campus. The marching band has made appearances at the Gateway Classic, professional football games, national television appearances and countless "Battle of the Bands" competitions.

The Pulaski Technical College Foundation is a fundraising and private gift-receiving agency for Pulaski Tech. The Wal-Mart Foundation will contribute $25,000 toward the completion of the college’s Little Rock South Library.

TOPPS, Inc. - Targeting Our People’s Priorities With Service is a non-profit community based organization focused on providing youth in Jefferson County with services including education, recreation, job training, cultural awareness and physical fitness. The Wal-Mart Foundation will donate $25,000 to help purchase equipment for establishing a job training program for at-risk teenagers.

The Fort Smith Adult Education Center works to serve the community by providing every student a comprehensive education of the highest quality in a safe and nurturing environment. The Wal-Mart Foundation will donate $22,750 to help fund the Career Readiness Center.

CARTI Foundation, Inc.- Central Arkansas Radiation Treatment Institute serves cancer patients from all 75 counties in Arkansas. Approximately 80% of CARTI patients are over the age of 50. Thirty percent of patients live in rural areas of less than 2,500 people, with 50 percent from areas with a population of 50,000 or less. The $10,000 grant will benefit low income Arkansans from rural areas who must commute or who live too far to travel to a CARTI location.

Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-South is dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medial conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. The Wal-Mart Foundation will grant the Mid-South Chapter with $10,000 to help sponsor two Northeast Arkansas children’s wishes.

The Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure will receive a $10,000 donation to assist with statewide educational programs and produce their bi-annual Community Profile. The profile provides demographics, breast cancer statistics and assessments on breast health and breast cancer needs.

The Ozark Mountain Treatment Center provides substance abuse treatment, detoxification and halfway house services for short and long-term periods. The $5,000 grant will go to support the center’s Specialized Women's Services, focused on combating substance abusing mothers in an attempt to help them become sober, responsible, nurturing young women.