Page 5 – Arkansas Community Foundation

As the year unfolds, consider whether updates to your estate and tax plans make sense. Now is an excellent time to lean on the team at the Community Foundation. Together with your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor, we can help you explore strategies that fit your unique circumstance. Here are three charitable planning strategies we’d love to discuss with you and your advisors as you prepare for the future:

Leveraging IRAs for Charitable Giving

IRAs remain powerful tools for philanthropy. If you’re over age 70 ½, consider arranging a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) of up to $105,000 (increasing to $108,000 in 2025) to a designated, field-of-interest, or unrestricted fund at the Community Foundation. Additionally, naming your Community Foundation fund as the beneficiary of your IRA or other qualified plan can offer significant tax advantages, such as avoiding estate taxes and the income tax your heirs would incur on inherited IRA funds.

Bunching Charitable Gifts for Maximum Impact

With the standard deduction still high, many donors are considering “bunching” their charitable contributions. By making a significant gift to a fund at the Community Foundation this year, you may be able to itemize your deductions while supporting your favorite causes for years to come. Giving appreciated stock to your donor-advised fund can help you avoid capital gains tax and create a tax-smart giving strategy that benefits both you and the charities you love.

Is a Charitable Lead Trust Right for You?

With interest rates remaining low, now may be the perfect opportunity to consider a charitable lead trust. Our team can help you and your advisors evaluate this option. A charitable lead trust allows you to direct an income stream to your fund at the Community Foundation while transferring future asset appreciation to your heirs with minimized tax impact. It’s also a great way to leverage the current high estate tax exemption, which may change after 2025.

Let’s Start the Conversation

We encourage you to reach out to our team! The Community Foundation is here to help you navigate the complexities of charitable giving while supporting the causes that matter most to you. It’s our privilege to be your trusted partner in philanthropy.

Principal Christie Cremo has reduced chronic absenteeism by more than 20% at Leverett Elementary with simple solutions and culture change.

Christie Cremo gets it. As principal of Leverett Elementary School in Fayetteville, she understands that to make change in today’s educational environment, you have to be tenacious and creative.

Her staff love that tenacity. “It was a breath of fresh air when she arrived,” said assistant principal Robert Fitzgerald. “She is a scrapper and resourceful. She gets our staff and students what they need and doesn’t settle. Absenteeism was the first thing she attacked.”

Principal Christie Cremo and Vice-Principal Robert Fitzgerald encourage staff, students and families to “Strive for Five” or fewer absences per year.

Cremo has reduced chronic absenteeism by more than 20% since arriving in 2022. “Before I arrived, attendance was not a priority,” she said. “But we have steadily built a culture for our students, staff and parents to help understand how important it is to attend school regularly. Some educators have told me ‘You can’t do anything about absenteeism,’ but that simply isn’t true, and we’ve proven it through data and being consistent.”

Chronically absent is defined by a student missing 10% or more of the school year, or 17.5 days or more. “After those 17+ days is typically when social services is called. Which is often the first time families are notified that there is even a problem,” said Cremo. “So we strive to stay ahead of it. Kids know when you give up on them, and they know when you care. We work hard to show how much we care for the student and their family, and we do it by starting at the beginning of the year and getting ahead of it before it can become a problem.”

The solutions are simple, but there are several levels of intervention. Cremo and her team meet every Monday to review who was absent the week prior. Once a student accumulates three unexcused absences, they begin to collect data and document interventions. When students reach five unexcused absences or 10 total absences (excused or unexcused), a meeting with the parents is scheduled and a plan is developed.

“We also intervene earlier than that for students who have a history of chronic absenteeism,” said Cremo. “The meeting with parents is so important. We aren’t trying to reprimand them; we are trying to learn and support the family to help their child attend school regularly.

“Often, there are valid reasons that students miss class, so we work with the parents to create solutions. We create performance goals together and if they aren’t met, we do a follow up meeting. When parents realize that we just want to help, it opens up the relationship and builds trust.”

Reasons for absenteeism vary — some students do not have reliable transportation, so Cremo works with the bus drivers to accommodate their pickup. “Some students have therapeutic or medical needs on a weekly basis, but the school nurse or staff may be capable of providing those treatments here. Like asthma treatments, we can do that,” she said. “Sometimes, parents just don’t fully understand that when a child misses class, the hours of lost instruction add up, ultimately affecting grades and overall performance.

“We have woven the importance of attendance into everything,” Cremo continues. “We use a ‘Strive for Five’ slogan to encourage students to miss class fewer than five days for the whole year. Morning announcements are used to recognize the percentage of students present the week before, with the goal to have 95% of students in each grade present every day. Each quarter, we have an attendance party for all students who have maintained five or fewer absences. We start small with incentives and they gradually get bigger.”

Jasaiah, a second grader who started kindergarten as extremely shy, now helps with morning announcements over the intercom, even doing his own rap to talk about not missing school. He became much more engaged and vocal at school by being given an important job. “I only have one absence so far this year,” he said. When asked why “striving for five” is so important, Jasaiah said, “For you to learn! Because if you don’t learn or can’t read, you really can’t do anything.”

In one of the main hallways at Leverett, a giant bulletin board shows the classroom attendance rates by percentage. Three years ago, most classes had 70-80% attendance, but now all classes are at 90% and above. “Students see these numbers, and it encourages them. They understand this.” she said. “Recognizing it publicly is part of the culture shift.”

Cremo isn’t leading from the gut or flying by the seat of her pants, rather, she uses data to drive changes. “If a student is chronically absent for more than one year during elementary school, they have a 75% greater chance of needing intensive reading interventions throughout their educational career. Often, these gaps become so big that it makes it nearly impossible for students to catch up. It’s important to monitor attendance weekly and intervene early so that all students have access to core literacy instruction and intentional support they may need. We can’t do this if students do not attend school regularly.”

“When our class wins the attendance award, we all yell and cheer,” said Morrison, a third grade student at Leverett. “I’ve only missed two days. If we win, we get to have a game day or a field trip at the end of the year.”

Cremo knows the name of every student in the school. If someone is absent, the student will hear, “We sure missed you while you were gone,” upon return both from the teachers and the principal.

One student who continued to be absent and chronically late got a special offer from Cremo, “I told him he could have breakfast with me every day, if he would arrive on time. Now, absenteeism is no longer a note on his report card.”

“It doesn’t matter what curriculum you’re teaching or how hard you strive to increase test scores, none of that matters if there are no ‘butts in seats,’” she continued. “I want to share far and wide how this has worked for us — because first things first, you have to show up.”

Family philanthropy is a meaningful way to support the causes you care about while strengthening family bonds. By coming together around shared experiences and values, families can deepen their understanding of one another and build lasting relationships.

It’s important to note that different generations may have different priorities and approaches to giving: from traditional grantmaking, to impact investing or exploring new philanthropic strategies. These differences offer an opportunity to better understand one another’s passions and hold meaningful conversations. Arkansas Community Foundation’s Personalized Giving Services can help families navigate these complexities, providing tailored guidance to align your giving with your goals and values. By leveraging these services, families can create a cohesive, impactful giving legacy that strengthens relationships across generations.

What Is Family Philanthropy?

Family philanthropy is the act of giving as a family. Families can practice philanthropy using tools like a family foundation or a Donor Advised Funds (DAF). A DAF with Arkansas Community Foundation provides a flexible, efficient way to establish a lasting giving legacy. The Foundation’s team is local and has extensive knowledge of community needs and the nonprofit in Arkansas. Additionally, we simplify the administrative side of giving, allowing your family to focus on joy of giving.

By partnering with Arkansas Community Foundation, you can ensure your family’s philanthropy is both impactful and enduring for generations to come.

Mary McLeod was a tireless advocate for children in Arkansas. In recognition of her lifelong dedication to youth and mental health, a $50,000 endowment was established in April 1978 in Mary’s memory donated by former Governor Winthrop Rockefeller’s estate. The fund was named the Mary McLeod Memorial Fund for Youth Home. Youth Home is a residential treatment center in central Arkansas serving youth struggling with mental illness.

Courtesy: Winthrop Rockefeller Collection/UALR Archives & Special Collections

When you examine the financial return of that initial $50,000 investment, you can see the lasting power and impact of an endowment with Arkansas Community Foundation. And how a financial legacy can live beyond a donor’s lifetime.

Thanks to careful financial management, the principal amount has nearly doubled to more than $92,000. Since the endowment started, Youth Home, Inc. has received more than $210,000 in grants, and every year, more will be issued to provide essential support for the organization’s programs, ensuring that this gift will continue to support Youth Home’s important work for generations to come.

While much has changed since the endowment’s creation, the need for legacy gifts like this has not. For those who take a long-term approach to philanthropy, an endowment offers stability and longevity — indefinitely. Endowments are permanently invested with only a portion of the fund used annually for grantmaking. The remaining funds are reinvested for the future, so long after you’re gone, it will continue to support the causes you care about.

As Arkansas faces a growing adolescent mental health crisis, Youth Home’s efforts to support teens and families across the state are more crucial than ever. “We are proud to continue honoring Mrs. McLeod’s passion and memory in the work we do every day,” said Larry Betz, chief operations officer at Youth Home, Inc.

McLeod’s passion for supporting mental health in Arkansas lives on, forever, because of the power of an expertly managed endowment, the commitment of the Foundation to honor her legacy and the passionate work of Youth Home to serve children in our state.

The Community Foundation often gets reports back from grantees and donors. Some stories stand out and move us in a special way. Our staff were pleased to receive the following story from Emily Ironside with the Jones Center telling us about their newest launch and a special donor that helped make it happen.

This is part of Emily’s report.

We were thrilled to launch Every Child Swims last month – a program we are piloting with Jones Elementary’s third grade class located in Springdale. The pilot program focuses on teaching students from across the school district to swim. Jane Hunt was so gracious with her time and attended the launch and initial swim test.

The initiative began with a swim proficiency test Tuesday at the Jones Center. 80% of the students did not pass the swim proficiency test and will be enrolled in free swimming lessons this semester. These classes, in addition to free teen and adult Learn to Swim classes this past year, have been made possible with Jane’s support.

One Jones Elementary student who attended came with his dad’s swimsuit–he had never owned a swimsuit his size. We knew swim gear might be a barrier to participating, so we were thrilled with Walmart Apparel’s team donated swimsuits and swim shoes for every child. The little boy with his dad’s suit beamed when he was presented with his very first swimsuit. It was a truly special moment.

At the launch last month, Jane shared her gift will be renewed again this year. That is wonderful news for the students of Springdale.

There are an estimated 4,000 fatal, unintentional drownings in the United States each year — about 11 per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s website. For children ages 5-14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes, according to the CDC.

Almost 40 million adults — about 15% — in the U.S. don’t know how to swim and over half, 54.7%, have never taken a swimming lesson, the CDC reported in a May news release.

Arkansas currently ranks sixth in accidental drownings despite being a landlocked state.

The Jones Center leveraged Jane’s grant to secure additional funds from Step Into Swim, a national granting branch of the Pool and Hot Tub association. If successful, their vision is to expand to every elementary school in Springdale. They will work with SPS on additional funding to help grow the program, as well as seek private support through our channels.

Dr. Jason Williams, Senior Vice President, Chief Mental & Behavioral Health Officer, Arkansas Children’s

How are you doing today? This is a question that we ask in our casual conversations but do not always answer with the truth. If you ask our kids today how they are doing, you might not like the answer. Our youth today are struggling in ways we have not seen in a generation. Suicide rates are up, more kids report feeling depressed or anxious every day, and thoughts of self-harm are commonplace. Furthermore, the influence of social media exacerbates these struggles.

As a society, we have not addressed the mental health needs of our youth. We know that our mental well-being is critical to the overall health of our children and their families. It truly impacts every aspect of our lives including how we feel about ourselves; how we cope with stress or trauma; how we build meaningful relationships; and how we feel a sense of belonging in our community. Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social aspects of who we are, and it is an essential component of overall positive health. Because we continue to treat mental health as a separate construct from overall physical health, we see increased stigma and negative perceptions of those who seek services to address their mental health concerns.

To address this crisis, we must start to think more holistically about health. We need to move away from thinking about a culture of trying to close the division between mind and body, instead we should be focusing on healthcare and community programs that have an emphasis on the whole person and on the communities where kids and families live.

At Arkansas Children’s, we have taken the step of integrating mental health professionals into our primary care, specialty care and in many of our medical inpatient programs. By having mental health professionals as part of the “physical” health environment, we can provide a more holistic care model and are able to address both physical and emotional health in the same visit or clinic.

Additionally, to ensure that families have the needed resources to help raise healthy children, we have added community health workers to the team. These community health workers have a deep understanding of the community where families live and as a result are responsible for connecting families to resources for their unmet needs. This is a particularly crucial step, but it will not fully address all the needs that exist in our youth today.

Now is the time to think about how we view integration. Integration does not have to be unique to a hospital system nor does it need to solely focus on healthcare.

We all need to feel supported and connected to the community around us. Along with the Natural Wonders Partnership Council, we have started a series of community listening sessions across the state. We must create a space for communities to share their perspective and to help us understand their needs. One thing is clear from those conversations, we need to think more creatively about how we provide support to address the mental health crisis.

What if we start to think about the integration of physical and mental health at a community level? Think about how powerful it would be if we created teams of community members and professionals who could work collaboratively, in the very communities they live and serve, to offer comprehensive care along with needed community support to address the overall wellbeing of the children and their families!

Additionally, we must get creative about alternative places where these supports are accessible. We need to be connecting and working closely with schools, the faith-based community, boys and girls clubs, social clubs, and any other community organizations who are willing to be at the table. By integrating services into the community, we start to break down the stigma of mental health and, with time, increase the overall wellness of the child, as well as the entire community.

We must not only invest in programs that have solid evidence, but also new ways of promoting this type of integrated approach to health. We can do this by partnering with like-minded organizations and investing in innovative ideas, technologies, and care models. And, most importantly, amplify the voices of youth and families in our communities. At Arkansas Children’s, we are committed to championing children by making them better today and healthier tomorrow. Will you join us?

References:
Benjamin F. Miller, PsyD, Emma C. Gilchrist, MPH, Kaile M. Ross, MA, Shale L. Wong, MD, MSPH, Larry A. Green, MD. Creating a Culture of Whole Health: Recommendations for Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care. February 2016.

Protecting Youth Mental Health. The Surgeon General Advisory, 2021

n a world where homelessness and extreme poverty cast long shadows over countless lives, organizations like Arkansas’ Our House stand out as beacons of hope, striving to create lasting, positive change for those in need.

Executive Director Ben Goodwin paints a vivid picture of their ambitious vision — one where individuals can leave behind the specter of instability and focus on goals, hopes, and dreams for themselves and their children.

“We want them to be able to put homelessness and instability in their rear-view mirror, and then keep their eyes on the prize,” said Goodwin.

His insights shed light on the multifaceted nature of homelessness, revealing that it is not just about lacking a physical shelter, but also encompasses the absence of a job, transportation, childcare, and more. This holistic understanding serves as the foundation for Our House’s approach, where every aspect of a person’s well-being is carefully considered and nurtured.

“You need a lot to get out of homelessness, to go from that place of great instability, to a greater place of stability,” said Goodwin. “And to get there, you’ve got to have so much confidence, resilience, determination, coping skills, relationship skills, and self-awareness. And that is a tremendous accomplishment that exceeds what probably most of us will ever achieve in our lives.”

Goodwin explains that at the core of Our House’s mission lies a deep commitment to serving the community — from providing shelter for 80 to 90 residents each night to offering programs that cater to every member of the family.

The focus on children is particularly poignant, with early childhood education initiatives and a robust children’s program that engages with 300 young people daily. By investing in the youngest members of society, Our House is doing its part to ensure that the cycle of poverty is disrupted at its roots.

Recognizing the profound impact of mental well-being on one’s journey out of homelessness, Our House’s dedication extends beyond physical needs and includes a comprehensive mental health program that empowers individuals with the resilience, determination, and coping skills needed to navigate life’s challenges.

“We want to be the partner to people who are going through a hard journey, achieving great things, that are going to help themselves and their families, and turbocharge that with our mental health services,” he said.

In a world where barriers to healthcare can be insurmountable, Our House stands out for its “low to no barrier” approach, ensuring that residents receive the support they need without unnecessary obstacles.

Through strategic partnerships with healthcare providers and organizations, Our House has created a seamless network of care that meets people where they are and guides them towards a path of transformation and empowerment.

“The journey towards a brighter future is not without its challenges. But it’s our belief in the transformative power of our approach that drives us forward, propels us to find innovative solutions and cultivates a community of support around our mission.”

By providing accessible, supportive, and impactful programs and services, Immerse Arkansas helps young people who typically have a difficult time accessing mental health resources overcome the challenges they face as they transition into adulthood.

Eric Gilmore is the executive director of Immerse Arkansas. During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, he shared with Arkansas Community Foundation staff and donors the mission of Immerse Arkansas and its unique approach to addressing the mental health needs of young people in foster care.

“Our big goal is to create an expansive pathway to healing that would be available to every Arkansas youth in crisis,” said Gilmore. “And specifically, we zoom in on a critical decade, ages 14-24, in the lives of youth who’ve suffered trauma and have more mental health needs.”

Understanding the profound impact of trauma on young people’s identities, relationships, and resilience, Immerse Arkansas strives to provide holistic support that is deeply rooted in building unconditional relationships, providing tools and resources to meet their needs and instilling a vision for each youth’s restored future.

Gilmore added, “Mental health services need to be readily available to these youth, along with a clear understanding of how to access these services. After that, we have to support them in getting on a path to address and manage mental healthcare longer term.

“One of the most pivotal programs we offer is a youth center that provides assistance to young people in crisis situations,” he said. “We also run a transitional living program that fosters a sense of independence and helps individuals develop essential life skills.”

Immerse Arkansas recently opened a new shelter dedicated specifically to young adults called The Station. The 15-bed shelter will give each person his/her own unit with a bedroom and bathroom so the residents have their own space to start the healing process.

Gilmore also looks to expand the group’s impact by establishing Arkansas’ first statewide network dedicated to serving youth in crisis in the 14 to 24 age range. By extending its reach beyond Little Rock, Immerse Arkansas aims to provide essential support to young people and families across the state, recognizing the unique needs and challenges faced by those in rural areas.

“Our pursuit for healing is driven by our hope to change lives,” Gilmore said. By advocating for mental health strategies that are relationship-first,
trauma-informed, and focused on promoting a restored future, Gilmore believes they can revolutionize mental health support for vulnerable youth in Arkansas. This will transform their experiences and challenges into opportunities for healing and success.

On August 24, 2024, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents, highlighting the urgent need to better support parents, caregivers, and families to help our communities thrive.

• 33% of parents report high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults
• Additionally, 48% of parents reported that most days their stress is completely overwhelming
• Nearly 70% of parents say parenting is now more difficult than it was 20 years ago, with children’s use of technology and social media as the top two cited reasons

The stressors vary: financial strain and economic instability, time demands, concerns over children’s health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, difficulty managing technology and social media and cultural pressures.

When parents are stressed, their children feel it. Data shows the impact on high school youth. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• 40% of high schoolers experienced persistent feeling of sadness or hopelessness (up from 30% in 2013)
• 20% of high schoolers seriously considered attempting suicide (up from 17% in 2013)
• 1 in 5 youths, (ages 13-18) either currently or at some points have experienced debilitating mental illness.

Read the U.S. Surgeon General’s full Advisory here:

As you’re looking ahead to year-end giving, you’re likely thinking about transferring cash or appreciated stock to your donor advised fund to maximize tax benefits and support the charities you love. A donor advised fund can be a fabulous component of your overall charitable giving portfolio.

Consider thinking beyond donor advised funds, though, especially at year-end. The Community Foundation offers a wide variety of funds to meet your charitable giving goals and help you maximize your tax and financial planning efforts.

Two excellent fund types that are sometimes overlooked are designated funds and field of interest funds.

A field of interest fund at the Community Foundation, sets aside charitable dollars for a specific charitable purpose and/or community. For example, you might decide to set up a field of interest to support research for rare diseases, to support organizations that assist homeless families in getting back on their feet, or to enable art museums to acquire works that celebrate the region’s diversity. With a field of interest fund, you entrust the knowledgeable team at the Community Foundation to distribute grants to achieve your wishes. As is the case with a donor advised fund, you’ll choose a name for your fund, whether you wish to use your own name (e.g., Samuels Family Fund or Samuels Family Fund for the Arts), maintain anonymity (e.g., Maryville Fund for the Arts), or something else altogether (e.g., Bettering Our World Fund).

A designated fund is a good choice if you know you want to support a particular charity or charities for multiple years. This is useful so that the distributions can be spread out over time to help with the charity’s cash flow planning. A designated fund also allows you to potentially benefit from a larger charitable tax deduction in the year you establish the fund if Your designated fund document allows you to specify the charities to receive distributions according to a spending policy you select.

Last but not least, if you are over the age of 70 ½, both designated funds and field of interest funds are eligible to accept “Qualified Charitable Distributions” from IRAs–up to $105,000 per person in 2024! As always, thank you for the opportunity to work together!