How Can You Help?
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Donate Funds
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Donate Time
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Donate Labor/Services/Materials
Donate Today
In addition to grant funding, Arkansas Early Learning also operates from the generosity of community citizens, businesses, and volunteers.
All gifts received allow AEL to continue to expand our work to provide early childhood education and other family services to the most vulnerable Arkansans.
AEL is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and donations may be tax-deductible.
To make a donation by check:
Arkansas Early Learning
1901 Woodsprings Rd., Ste. B
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Volunteer Today
Join our team by becoming a volunteer! We need volunteers to assist in spreading the message about the importance of Early Childhood Education. AEL offers numerous opportunities for community members to give back.
Why You Should Volunteer: Boosts Your Health. Gives You Purpose. Relieves Stress.
Our programs cannot exist without the devotion, commitment and vision of the community donors and volunteers. Take your love of children to our Agency through our broad spectrum of available volunteer opportunities. Partnering with our communities and volunteer leadership is vital to the success of the Head Start program. Volunteers and donors are key instruments in implementing our mission. All volunteers are encouraged to investigate opportunities within the agency at any time, and we invite your ideas for new work opportunities.
Matching
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Cost-Share
Donate Services/Materials Today (In-Kind)
Head Start funds come directly from the Federal Government. Each recipient is required to match $0.25 per $1.00 of their Federal dollars received through the donation of public services and materials (in-kind donations).
In-kind donations are considered a "non-federal" match generated through donations of time, space, or materials that a program would otherwise purchase. Volunteer time is valued at the rate the program would have to pay for services. For example, a dollar amount for a parent helping in the classroom would be assigned at a rate equal to that of the teacher. The dollar amount for time, space, and materials are totaled to reach our required match.
Some examples of time, space, and materials are:
Classroom Activities
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Read or tell stories to children
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Help in all activity areas in the classroom including art, cooking experiences, building, etc.
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Share family recipes, stories, and cultural traditions
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Help teachers with walking or community field trips
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Greet children, help with arrival routines
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Assist children with teeth-brushing, playing a musical instrument, or singing
Non-Classroom Activities
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Help with playground maintenance or toy repair
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Assist with parent and classroom bulletin boards
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Translate newsletter or written materials into other languages
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Attend Parent Group meetings
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Join the Policy Council or Board of Directors
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Gather or make materials for classroom projects
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Make phone calls for special activity reminders
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Copy, fold, sort, staple materials
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Record a story for use in the classroom
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Participate in self-assessment or program review
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Donate meeting space
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Donate food for events
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Donate supplies or equipment