FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2018
Contact: Yolanda Fields
Community Resources Director
479-575-8290
yfields@fayetteville-ar.gov
Text-To-Give “Help A Neighbor Fund” Launched by City and HARK
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.– The City of Fayetteville, in an effort to combat the challenges that can cause homelessness, has created the Help A Neighbor Fund in partnership with the HARK Center for Collaborative Care. The fund uses a text-to-give platform that allows the public to donate funds which HARK will distribute to those in need within our community.
To promote the Help A Neighbor Fund, staff is placing more than a dozen roadway signs near some of Fayetteville's busiest intersections throughout the City. These signs will present drivers with text-to-give information and also provide a phone number and website through which Fayetteville residents in need can connect with HARK Community Liaisons. The Liaisons will coordinate personalized care for these individuals, connecting them with a host of providers who can assist them with housing, food, medical or mental health care, or other needs.
Donating to the Help a Neighbor Fund is easy. Anyone with a mobile phone can donate by texting “FAY” to 50155 and following the prompts. All proceeds go directly to assist Fayetteville residents in need. Help A Neighbor Fund recipients must be Fayetteville residents, of low to moderate income. Funds may be used to cover expenses not covered by other social support services (such as SNAP benefits) in a reasonable amount of time.
To learn more about the Help A Neighbor Fund, visit the City’s Community Resources Department webpage at www.fayetteville-ar.gov/helpaneighbor. Residents seeking resources can connect with a Community Liaison through www.harknwa.com or by calling 479-709-2492.
About HARK Center for Collaborative Care
The Center for Collaborative Care was developed in response to findings from the 2015 Join the Solution research project facilitated by Mercy NWA. More than 3,000 quantitative surveys and 348 qualitative interviews and focus groups were conducted with teachers, parents, human service providers, and individuals in Northwest Arkansas evaluating the climate of mental health, physical health, and basic needs services being offered to children and families. The study revealed that providers from mental health to housing to dental services to education are faced with overwhelming community needs and searching for a better way to collaborate. In response, the Center for Collaborative Care was developed to facilitate organizational support, build connectivity, and provide data and information. HARK connects providers and clients through sector development, deep relationships, and innovative technology to empower the community toward full collaboration.
HARK is a technology platform that bridges the complex human services systems and empowers individuals to take ownership of their care community, all from one user-friendly screen. To learn more, visit collaboratenwa.com.
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