Saving Grace Northwest Arkansas of Rogers welcomed scores of volunteers Jan. 29 to Grace Stables in Bentonville for a community work day. The effort to help clean up and organize the stables and farm area -- where three horses, Alvin, Butterscotch and Henry, currently reside -- is another step toward adding equine therapy to the nonprofit's offerings.
Saving Grace, a Christ-centered organization, works with young women 18 to 25 who have "aged out" of foster care or group homes. Providing transitional living, the group also equips residents with independent living education, educational assistance and a support system that is missing for most of the girls. An integral part of Saving Grace is that each girl has three mentors -- one who is a sister age, one a mom age and one a grandmother age.
Becky Shaffer, founder and executive director, tells me: "Saving Grace has been home to more than 130 young women since 2010 ... Our program receives over 140 applications per year, but in our current space we can only serve 12 girls at a time. We have a responsibility to grow to serve more. We are excited that we are in the process of big growth and part of that includes 'Grace Stables' where our girls go to experience healing through equine-assisted therapy."
Saving Grace provides residents safe housing in a dorm-style setting, educational assistance, career guidance, personal coaching and professional counseling while encouraging girls to continue their education with an educational incentive program. Residents are required to have jobs and are responsible for their household expenses such as rent and groceries, but if enrolled as full- or part-time students may have free or reduced rent or help with other needs. Shaffer says the girls have the potential to earn every dollar they pay in rent back when they graduate.
Life skills curriculum includes money management; cooking and meal planning; personal development; time management; relationship skills; and car care.
Next up for the nonprofit organization is the Butterflies & Blooms benefit luncheon April 28 at the Rogers Convention Center. The luncheon is planned as an in-person event but will also broadcast live at savinggracenwa.org/bb.
Organizers say the nonprofit organization is 100 percent privately supported through donations and grants, with no federal funding. Proceeds from the luncheon comprise approximately one-third of the group's annual budget.
For more event photos -- nwadg.com/photos/society.
Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected].
Hailey Watkins (from left), Ember Burk, Lissah Lane and Alex Lane stand for a photo at Grace Stables on Jan. 29. Hailey and Alex are Saving Grace alumnae. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Carin Schoppmeyer)
Karen Clarkson (from left), Anna Sneed Amy Leitermann help out at Grace Stables on Jan. 29. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Carin Schoppmeyer)
Christina Roling (from left), Wendi Seidel, Cara Gooch and Alex Lane gather at Grace Stables on Jan. 29. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Carin Schoppmeyer)
Hailey Watkins (from left), Ember Burk, Lissah Lane and Alex Lane stand for a photo at Grace Stables on Jan. 29. Hailey and Alex are Saving Grace alumnae. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Carin Schoppmeyer)
Ally Stevenson (from left) and Jasmine White laugh as they eat smores, Thursday, March 25, 2021 at Saving Grace in Rogers. Saving Grace is a transitional housing program for girls who have aged out of foster care. Check out nwaonline.com/210326Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Volunteers take a break while helping at Grace Stables on Jan. 29. (Courtesy photo)
Kylee Paterson (from left) and Jasmine White grill chicken, Thursday, March 25, 2021 at Saving Grace in Rogers. Saving Grace is a transitional housing program for girls who have aged out of foster care. Check out nwaonline.com/210326Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)