Who We Are

The Foundation

With your help, children, adolescents and adults who come to The Centers will find compassionate support and create pathways for a more positive future. A gift to The Centers allows your gift to be used immediately where it is needed most. Your gifts to The Centers are tax-deductible within the fullest extent of the law.

More About Us

Give to Your Area of Passion

Centers for Youth and Families Foundation connects you to helping children, families and adults in our community find pathways to positive futures. Your gifts and support are critical to changing lives of people of all ages who come to The Centers for healing mental health services. Your gifts provide superior care for individuals who benefit from mental and behavioral health services at The Centers, helping them to grow and thrive. You invest in caring for people by giving your financial support, your time and in-kind gifts.

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Our Board of Trustees

Jeb Steen

Delta Dental of Arkansas

Melissa Dawson

President / Chief Executive Officer
The Centers

Rob Noirot

Chair
NCR

Jenni Goodman

Vice Chair
Garland & Greenwood CPAs and Advisors

Rami Kassissieh

Secretary/Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair
HCJ CPAs & Advisors, PLLC

Tami Bean

Rasco, Winter and Thomas Group

Reggie Binns

Reggie's Lock & Key

Peyton Bishop

Community Volunteer

Matt Boch

State of Arkansas Tax Appeals Commissioner

Austin Brightop

First Community Bank

Matt Buchanan

Past Chair
Bank OZK

Andrew Carroll

Encore Bank

Elyse Cullen

Nicholson Agency

Matt Finch

Gill Ragon Owen

Keith Harvey

Uniti Group

Greg Hatcher

The Hatcher Agency

Amber Hawkins

Pulaski Academy

Mary Claire Imbro

MHP/Team SI

Clark Irwin

Colliers International

Sandra Marbaise

Community Volunteer

Josh Pettus

Pettus Office Products

Don Pfeifer

Community Volunteer

Chris Ritchie

Regions Bank

Dawn Scott

Janet Jones Co.

Dudley Shollmier, JR.

Stifel

Barry Simon

Agency Board Chair

AJ Thomas

Centennial Bank

Karen Layton Thomas

Quality Trucking

Erin Whitt

The Piercy-Whitt Group

Emeritus / Advisory Board

Joellen Beard
Tommy Clements
Ellon Cockrill
Ginny Deuschle
Lee Maris
Donna Kay McLarty
Robert McLarty
Teresa Osam
Kay Patton
Brittany Paul Rugger
J.R. Bizzell
The foundation

Our Team

help to create change for an arkansas family today

Ways to Give

Online

At The Centers, we are a family for families. We work together as a team to provide support to each other and to the families we serve.
Donate Now

Phone

Text to Give: Text @cfyf to 52014
Venmo: @TheCentersArkansas
Call: (501) 666-9436

Mail

Donations may be mailed to:
Centers for Youth & Families Foundation
P.O. Box 251801
Little Rock, AR 72225-1801

In-Kind Giving

Shop our Amazon Wish List to provide in-kind gifts of school supplies, personal hygiene products, board games, books, clothing and recreational supplies to be given to children and youth who live at The Centers or are served by our community programs. Items will be sent directly to The Centers!

Legacy Giving

Leaving a legacy is not an option reserved for only the wealthy! In fact, the longevity of a charitable organization depends on charitable bequests of all types. You can choose a variety of planned giving tools, such as a will, gifts of property, insurance policy, IRA rollover, charitable gift annuities or charitable remainder trusts.

other ways you can help

Get Connected

Center Corps Auxiliary & Emerging Leaders Young Professionals Group

Join Center Corps Auxiliary or Emerging Leaders Young Professionals to volunteer with Centers for Youth and Families!

Being part of Center Corps Auxiliary & Emerging Leaders is the best way to learn about volunteer opportunities, give back to The Centers’ mission, and network with others.

Center Corps & Emerging Leader volunteers host activities like cookouts, holiday celebrations or game nights for boys and girls in our residential programs. They lead toy drives, school supply drives, and serve on committees to plan fundraising events.

We ask Center Corps & Emerging Leader volunteers to give a gift of $120/year (or, $10/month). You will receive monthly e-newsletters detailing volunteer opportunities, and you will be invited to quarterly meetings and social events.

Forms:
service. leadership. philanthropy.

Champions of Hope

Applications for the 2024–2025 year will be open May – June 30th, 2024. Young men selected for the program will be notified in July 2024.

Champions of Hope

Service. Leadership. Philanthropy.

These are the three pillars of Champions of Hope, a group for young men in their junior or senior year at schools across the Little Rock Metro, which gives them a unique opportunity to engage with The Centers and work to support the organization’s mission. Champions engage in volunteer opportunities, learn skills from local leaders, and make a positive impact in the community by participating in philanthropic events throughout the school year.

Champions and their families complete a tax-deductible gift commitment of $2,000 to be given or raised to benefit boys and girls to overcome trauma and abuse and create pathways to success. The Centers’ will provide support for fundraising activities. The program concludes with a special presentation at The Centers’ signature event, The Evolve Gala, each spring.

2023-2024 cHAMpions of hope2023-2024 Champions of Hope ScheduleNominate a Future Champion
join the fun while helping our cause

Events + Fundraisers

Centers Classic Golf Tournament

Join more than 40 teams in one of the city’s best golf tournaments! Featuring a raffle, tournament games, team photos, a player’s tee gift and awards ceremony, we invite you spend the day bettering your community and helping young people who rely on The Centers for a safe and loving place to live.

  • Monday, September 23, 2024, Pleasant Valley Country Club
  • Chairs: Jeb Steen, Delta Dental of Arkansas and Neil Day, Simmons Bank
Forms:
centers classic sponsorship

BrunchFest

  • June 22, 2024, The Hall
  • Hosted by Emerging Leaders

A fan favorite event among Centers supporters and beyond is none other than a festival of brunch, hosted by the Emerging Leaders, The Centers’ young professionals group. Celebrating Central Arkansas fare with samples from the area's best eateries, the event features all your brunching essentials – from mimosas and bloody marys to merchandise and music. Most importantly, BrunchFest pairs two pillars of your community – local restaurants and a local cause. Tickets range from $45 to $100 with Tshirts, cups and coozies as your swag!

Thank You to Our Donors

The Centers for Youth and Families Foundation extends our gratitude to the hundreds of individuals, corporations and foundations that committed to changing lives of individuals and families in need in 2021.
Click Here to View the List

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