Our Programs

PROGRAMS

The Women’s Council on African American Affairs, Inc, d/b/a Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits was created in 1999 as a 501 © (3) non-profit educational organization. Our mission is to promote and nurture individuals in areas of education, leadership development, community and economic development with a special emphasis on healthcare issues, We have continued all our programs and expanded several, as well as started new programs during calendar 2009. We have been able to maintain and expand our linkages in the business and civic communities, while keeping strong ties with the grass-roots/faith-based communities. This is our eighth year of integrating our community-based programs into diverse communities in a eight-county area – Pulaski, Lonoke, Saline, Faulkner, Prairie, Garland, Clark, and Jefferson.

Education and Marketing
306,000 Clients Served

Transitions Newsletter (2 editions w/ 6,000 disseminated)
The Center for Healing Hearts and Spirit, Inc. has a clearly defined marketing plan to communicate its programs to community residents, partnering entities, contributors and grantors. It marketing plan includes a quarterly news publication called Transitions. Transitions may be accessed on-site, through the mail, or
by logging on to www.hhscenter.org. Over 6,000 are disseminated annually.

Other Media
Over 300,000 residents were reached via 8 radio and 3 television stations and 6 newspaper articles.

Woman, Thou Art Worthy Conference
135 Women Served
Funding Received $13,550
The annual conference is designed to educate, motivate, and empower women in central Arkansas of all ages and races on topic such as Financial, Spiritual, and Political Empowerment, and Health and Wellness which will contribute to their overall well-roundedness and individual growth.

Tis the Season to Be Healthy Wealthy & Wise Open House
50 Individuals Served
Funding Received $0
An on-site event designed to promote the Center Initiatives, community awareness of health care issues, disseminate literature, and public safety issues.

Community Development

Community Giving
18 Clients Served
Funding Received $375
The Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits through monetary and in-kind contributions assisted families with housing needs, food, and clothing during their transitional period in 2009.

Providing Holiday Baskets for Families
38 Clients Served
Funding Received $1,100
Each year the Center board, staff, and other volunteers assist families during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with baskets of foods, clothing, and toys. Families come in all sizes – as small as one in a family to as large as 10 members

Homelessness Outreach Efforts
200 Clients Served
Funding Received $ 300
The Center provides supports to individuals who have been rendered homeless by displacement, dislocation, or lack of family support. This assistance was provided through a cash and in-kind donations to achieve sustainability. Outreach was provided at shelters and on streets.

Leadership Development
1 Client Served
Funding Received $0

AVCA Training
Center staff and board seek to mentor and provide leadership opportunities to deserving young men and women. Annually the Center financially supports by way of community donations a partial scholarship to a student or staff member to participate in a leadership program or expand their leadership and management qualities.

Youth Development
252 Clients Served
Funding Received $2,500

Annual Back to School Drive
230 students
Funding Received $2,500
The Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits provides school supplies to approximately 230 students in area schools and programs. Staff and volunteers came together to assemble back-packs of supplies that are distributed to a minimum of 22 schools. School counselors and administrators distribute these supplies to students who demonstrate the greatest need each year.

Neighborhood Afterschool Program
28 Clients Served
Funding Received $58,244

Teen Conference
175 youths and parents
Funding Received $8,800
An annual conference specifically designed to educate youths and young adults on the realities of life and empower them to survive by making the right choices. Youths were able to participate in informative group sessions regarding topics such as Sex education including abstinence, tobacco and drug prevention. They also were able to display their talents through rap, poetry, and songs.

Summer Interns Program
8 Interns
Funding Received $0
Each year the Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits participates in local summer job programs by hiring youths for a 6-8 weeks period during their summer break. This program is designed as a learning experience and monetary assistance. It gives youth an opportunity to spend constructive time in controlled environments in a positive manner.

Public Safety

Black on Black Crime Coalition
387 Clients Served
Funding Received $25,000
Black on Black Crime Coalition mission “to heighten the awareness and educate the general public about the extent and consequences of crime,” the Coalition’s primary objective is to significantly reduce black- on-black crime. More than 80% of homicides committed in targeted areas were results of Black-on-Black Crime. The Center assisted families through available community services, spiritual guidance, education, and mental counseling referrals.

Victims Services
823 Clients Served
Funding Received $73,396
Victims Services seeks to improve the quality of victim’s services delivery in high crime, urban and rural areas of Pulaski and Saline Counties ensuring equal access to diverse and under-served populations to the criminal justice system and victim services

Domestic Violence Emergency
8 Clients directly served
Funding Received $7,500
Intervention and Prevention Services
120 indirectly served
The Center seeks to respond to the devastating and long-lasting effects that domestic violence places on citizens in the state of Arkansas. We are seeking funds to assist with a domestic violence crisis and intervention program to provide services to individuals who have been affected by and are risk for domestic violence.

Sexual Assault Awareness Program
2 Clients
Funding Received $22,500
Women’s Council on African American Affairs, Inc. (WCAAA) provides minority college students, student’s grade 6th - 8th, parents and professionals in area schools in Jefferson and Clark Counties with a sexual assault prevention and educational services program

Healthcare
33,050 Clients Served

Midtown Home Health Alliance
The Midtown Health Alliance is a coalition of individuals who are interested in im-proving the health of residents in the midtown area in Little Rock. Its purpose is to use collaborative efforts to promote health and safety and to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases in central Little Rock.

Diabetes Outreach and Education
500 Clients Served
Funding Received $8,000
The Center’s mission with this program was to increase awareness, engage in prevention efforts, and provide education on controlling diabetes. Approximately 235,000 adult Arkansans are afflicted with diabetes. This disease can cause kidney damage, vision loss, and amputations. Diabetes is a serious disease but it becomes even more serious when it goes undetected. About 25% of people with diabetes are unaware that they have it

Evening to Heal A Heart Reception & Silent Auction (95)
Funding Received $ 3,000
An annual event to highlight and bring community awareness to ills that affect the heart. It presented an opportunity to heal the hearts of victims, survivors, and families affected by violent crime and terminal illness.

Tobacco Prevention and Education
Clients Served 25,000
Funding Received $132,874
The Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits’ WCAAA Tobacco Coalition was funded through to Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Minority Sub-Recipient Grant Office to provide tobacco prevention and educational out-reach in a six county area (Pulaski, Saline, Lonoke, Garland, Prairie, and Faulkner.) The initiative The WCAAA Tobacco Coalition seeks to change community norms exhibited in the target population by focusing on the following five goals. 1) Building strong coalitions and including diverse partners 2) Creating tobacco free environments 3) Reducing youth access to tobacco 4) Decreasing advertising and promotion of tobacco, and 5)Promoting quitting among youth and adults. Activities of the WCAAA Tobacco Coalition also include Red Ribbon Week 2,100 attendees, Health Fairs (11 w/more than 3,000 attendees), For Me and My House Campaigns – 6,000 students, Tobacco Pledges 879, Cessation enrollments 132, Smoke-free Car Pledges 250, and over 1,000 tobacco outreach community surveys.

Race Relations
186 Clients Served

General Improvement Fund Initiatives
Funding Received $8,330
The Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits will receive funds in the amount of approximately $8,330 to be used for “construction, renovation, maintenance, purchase of equipment, personal services and/or operating expenses”.

The Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits is a project of the Women’s Council on African American, Affairs, Inc. (WCAAA).

Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits • Joyce Raynor, Executive Director
2416 South Chester • Little Rock, Arkansas 72206 USA
Phone (501) 372-3800 • Fax (501) 372-2150 • E-mail: hhscenter@sbcglobal.net