Written by Missy Moore and Rainey Gibson Leathers – Friends of the Animal Village Board of Directors/Volunteers

Friends of the Animal Village (FAV) is a nonprofit organization that was created to supplement the needs of the Little Rock Animal Village (LRAV), the city shelter and home of Little Rock Animal Services. The LRAV staff provides excellent day-to-day care for all animals in their charge, as well as for the facility itself. Given that there are 200+ animals in their care at any given time, the nonprofit is stretched thin and unable to tend to all the animals in their care for daily socialization and training. That’s where our volunteers come in.

New volunteers are trained monthly by LRAV staff and FAV board members and provide crucial assistance in socializing and walking dogs, socializing cats, fostering kittens, taking and posting photographs to social media to boost visibility and adoption chances, handling cats and dogs at fundraising and adoption events, and transporting cats and dogs to other shelters and rescues around the country.

The shelter is constantly over capacity, and volunteers are needed more than ever. The demand puts a strain on resources, morale, and an already exhausted staff. Due to the nature of a municipal shelter, LRAV is required to accept every stray found within city limits. When the intake numbers are larger than the adoption numbers, as is often the case, the shelter runs out of space and heart-wrenching decisions must be made. No one wants to see amazing dogs not make it out of the shelter due to lack of space, but it is a devastating reality we face every week. It is often heartbreaking.

What are other ways to lessen the demand on local shelters? LRAV would benefit greatly from post-adoption follow up resources, microchip readers stationed in central locations around the city to help reunite chipped pets with their owners, additional staff, restoration of the mobile adoption unit, a larger facility with more kennels and increased pay for shelter staff. Training opportunities are also needed for staff members to become specialized in different domains, including consistent and thorough behavioral assessments to make sure animals are safe to adopt out. Many dogs do not leave the shelter due to perceived aggression, which is difficult to accurately assess in a crowded, stressful environment.

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If you are anticipating significant life changes (moving, having a baby, etc.) or you do not feel you have adequate financial resources to provide food, shelter, and heartworm, flea, and tick preventatives for your pet, please consider volunteering rather than adopting. Pets are a significant commitment, and we see so many “owner surrenders,” sometimes immediately after adopting. The stress of these rapid changes can make even the most gentle dogs deeply anxious and unhappy, which leads to unpredictable behavior and negative outcomes.

We also hope for updated legislation for spay and neuter laws and harsher penalties for backyard breeders, dogfighting, hoarders, and situations involving abuse and neglect. With pit bull breeds remaining a hot-button issue that rears its head from time to time, it is crucial we find ways to protect both adopters and adoptees without unfairly vilifying large groups of dogs.

So how can you help? Most Arkansas communities have an animal shelter that can use more support. Reach out and ask what they need. Most, including LRAV, have an Amazon and Chewy wish list to browse, and are always in need of supplies and monetary donations. If you’re local to Little Rock, please consider joining us for volunteer orientation held the second Saturday of every month at 4500 Kramer St.

Without community support, our efforts rapidly dwindle in the face of overcrowding, and without volunteers, the work is endlessly uphill. If you cannot make it to the shelter, citizens can ensure that their own pets are sterilized, “adopt don’t shop” or contact your nearest animal rescue and just ask, “How can I help?” There are always creative ways to support animal shelters.

Something extraordinary is happening in the heart of Northwest Arkansas— neighbors are welcoming the world. Since its beginning in 2015, Canopy Northwest Arkansas has grown from a grassroots charity into a vital refugee resettlement agency, helping 952 individuals rebuild their lives in a new land. The magic behind Canopy’s impact lies in its volunteer program, everyday people choosing to help.

Canopy was born from a belief that Northwest Arkansas could be a beacon of hope for families outside the U.S. fleeing conflict. Today, the organization provides support through case management, employment assistance, youth services, mentoring for newcomers, and various other forms of help. Yet it’s the human connections formed through their volunteer program that makes the biggest difference.

Central to Canopy’s mission is the Circle of Welcome program, a six-month commitment where a team of volunteers forms a support system for a newly arrived refugee family.

As Kimberly Elder, the program’s coordinator, describes, “They’re like the family’s first friends.” These volunteers offer far more than logistical help; they provide emotional and social encouragement during one of the most overwhelming transitions a person can face. Elder gets emotional talking about when the families arrive from their country of origin. “When a family arrives at the airport, they’re greeted with flowers, handmade signs, and open arms. But before they even set foot in Arkansas, the Circle of Welcome has been at work,” she says. “They secure donated furniture, decorate the homes with personal touches, stock the pantry with culturally appropriate groceries and prepare a warm meal.”

But the support doesn’t stop there. Volunteers help families navigate life in the U.S., from job interviews and school enrollments to soccer practices and dinner gatherings, they become part of the family’s new community, often forming lasting bonds. “One team enrolled a young boy in a local soccer league,” Elder shares. “They take him to every practice because his mother has to work in the evenings, and they all show up for his games.”

Canopy’s volunteers step in to fill some of the gaps that come with relocation, like translation, transportation and emergency childcare. The work isn’t always easy, but volunteers gain a new perspective, build lasting friendships, and witness firsthand the resilience of the human spirit. In turn, refugee families find safety, stability and a sense of belonging.

“Sandra“ legally arrived recently after fleeing unimaginable violence in Central America. Due to extreme corruption and violence, she was forced to seek safety outside the country. She made her way to Northwest Arkansas with her teenage daughter and an adult son with developmental delays. Her husband, grown daughter and grandchildren are still in Central America.

Sandra is still processing the traumas that she experienced and reeling from so much change. “Her children are deeply affected,” says Elder. “They are sensitive to loud voices and aggressive body language. Volunteers and staff are sensitive to these dynamics.” When she first arrived, Sandra was placed in an apartment. But it quickly became clear that as a single mother supporting a teenager and 26-year-old son with developmental needs, she would struggle to make ends meet on her own.

That’s when a door opened, literally and figuratively.

Christopher’s House, a modestly restored transition home made possible by the First United Methodist Church of Springdale, became available after another family moved out. The Circle of Welcome volunteers decorated the house with care and warmth, turning it into a sanctuary for Sandra and her kids. When she walked in and saw the space for the first time, she turned to her case manager and asked, stunned, “This is for us?”

After settling into Christopher’s House, Sandra and her children began to heal. Volunteers and case managers describe her as becoming part of the fabric of their new community little by little, building trust, confidence and hope. Her story is a reminder of the stakes involved in refugee resettlement. These are not statistics — they are mothers, daughters, and sons seeking refuge, safety and dignity.

“While families like Sandra’s give me hope,” remembers Elder, “the road to resettlement is growing increasingly difficult because of shifting policies and funding structures that underpin the work Canopy does every day.”

Canopy is facing one of its most severe challenges to date as 68% of their revenue comes from federal sources. The organization has had federal contracts terminated, leading to concerns about future program delivery. The most recent scare came in January, when a stop-work order for the Reception and Placement (R&P) Program was issued, stopping essential services to refugees within their first 90 days in the United States. This decision left 25 newly arrived families, about 65 individuals, without the support they had been promised, during the most critical window of their resettlement journey.

Thanks to years of careful stewardship, committed volunteers and diversified funding, Canopy was able to pull from emergency reserves, funds that would have otherwise supported staff salaries and operations.

Amid the uncertainty, Canopy’s team and the community surrounding it have shown unwavering resolve. “The outpouring of support from the local community has been incredible,” says Elder. “Many of these volunteers continue to volunteer long after their official commitments end. Their love doesn’t come with an expiration date.”

To learn more or help Canopy’s mission, visit www.canopynwa.org.

In downtown Pine Bluff, a modest building buzzes quietly each morning with the work of compassion. This is Opportunity House, an organization dedicated to helping the unhoused population of Pine Bluff get back on their feet. Core to their mission is meeting people where they are — whether it’s under a bridge, in an unlit, unheated home, or in emotional despair.

Opened in spring of 2024, Opportunity House is marking a year of deeply impactful work for their clients. “Our primary goal is helping people find housing,” says Chris Taylor, program director. “But first, we meet basic needs — meals, showers, laundry. Then we create individualized plans to get people back on track.”

It’s a simple formula rooted in dignity: meet basic needs, then address the deeper struggles. Each participant is paired with a case manager, who serves as a conduit for accessing other services. Together they build a personalized action plan, whether that means regaining access to public benefits, employment training or seeking addiction counseling.

Taylor will never forget an early success story. “Our very first participant walked in with nowhere to go. He had lost his wife and just didn’t know how to take care of himself in fundamental ways. He was homeless for the first time in his life. Through our case manager, within 15 days his veterans’ benefits were restarted, and we found him a home in DeWitt. Now he has reconnected with his daughter and grandchild. He just needed someone to show him what was available and give him a little help to get there.

“Access to affordable housing is a problem in Pine Bluff,” says Taylor. “Some of our clients live in abandoned or decrepit homes. They simply have nowhere else to go.”

The economic landscape has added additional strain, ramping up the demand for Opportunity House’s services. As Taylor explains, the south side development in Pine Bluff of big-box retailers and the construction of bypass highways redirected commerce — and people — away from the city’s core.

“We lost our downtown businesses. Now, there’s little reason for travelers to pass through Pine Bluff,” he says. “Over time, that put a quietstranglehold on the local economy.” Efforts are underway. City programs, the federal housing authority, and local real estate agents are working to create affordable housing but progress is slow.

That’s where Opportunity House, with a growing volunteer program, is working to fill in some of the gaps to serve those in need.

“Volunteers are absolutely essential,” Taylor emphasizes. “The volunteers run the front desk, serve meals, sort clothing — everything. We couldn’t function without them.” Groups from local churches, the United Way, and soon AmeriCorps, show up week after week to help the house run smoothly, but more are needed.

Some volunteers help every now and then; others, like Colleen Sandal, become pillars of the organization.

“Colleen is our point guard,” Taylor says with a smile. “She’s been at our front desk since the beginning every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Everyone calls her ‘grandmother.’ She brings cookies, teaches soft skills like manners, and builds relationships with people who maybe haven’t experienced kindness in a long time. We couldn’t do this without Colleen.”

Volunteer roles vary, and all are critical. Mornings start with a hot breakfast, often prepared and served by volunteers who may be the only friendly faces participants see that day. Other volunteers help maintain the clothing closet, organize donations and help work the front desk.

“We are building community,” says Taylor. “You get to know the regulars, and they get to know you. It’s beautiful.

“The volunteers are vital,” he continues. “But equally important is the case manager here, Melissa Brock. Our clients work directly with her to figure out their barriers, then build a plan from there.”

Brock is the only case manager for the entire organization.

The process doesn’t happen overnight. “You’re not going to find out everything in that first session,” Taylor says. “Some folks just need one-time assistance, but others need consistent support.”

Brock builds trust with the clients, often uncovering underlying issues like undiagnosed learning disabilities, mental health concerns, or a lack of financial literacy that have contributed to their homelessness.

Every person who walks through Opportunity House’s doors has a unique story — some marked by loss, others by trauma, addiction or sheer bad luck.

“Everything the staff and volunteers do here is about showing people that someone cares. Whether it is Melissa working on an action plan with a client, or Colleen greeting clients with a smile,” says Taylor, “Our job is to listen, understand and make a way.”

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