Springdale, AR - The Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation (NWACF) awarded two grants on May 10 to the Northwest Arkansas Crisis Intervention Center for $12,200 and $10,000 to the Northwest Arkansas Rape Crisis. These two grants, totaling $22,200, were recommended by the Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary Fund established in the Community Foundation and later approved by NWACF Board of Directors at an April 20 board meeting.

"These two grants reflect the Community Foundation's commitment to help the nonprofits in our region grow and improve their services to their clients," stated Micki Harrington, Vice-Chair for NWACF.

Jean Indorf, Chair of the Auxiliary Grants Committee, amplified on Harrington's comments.

"Both of these organizations deal with individuals or families in crisis. As a former hospital auxiliary, we could think of no better way to improve the health or well-being of the people living in our region," said Indorf.

The following approved grants went to these two agencies:

• Northwest Arkansas Crisis Intervention Center — $12,200 to support marketing and education activities.
• Northwest Arkansas Rape Crisis — $10,000 to purchase computers and a new telephone system for the offices in Springdale and Rogers.

Ruthanne Hill, executive director for the Northwest Arkansas Crisis Intervention Center, stated that this particular grant improves the organization's ability to serve more people.

"This vote of confidence from the Community Foundation builds on last year's grant which helped us to work with advertising professionals to develop a comprehensive marketing plan for promoting our crisis hotline services. We actually saw a 55 percent increase in calls to the hotline. We will use this grant to expand our marketing and education activities," stressed Hill.

Chante Crockett expressed similar sentiments for the Northwest Arkansas Rape Crisis.

"This grant will give us the ability to communicate better with clients in Washington, Benton, and Madison counties. We will now have telephones with four lines to handle the volume of calls to the hotline and office. And, now we have access to the internet with these new computers," exclaimed Crockett.

Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation was founded in 1998 as the Community Foundation of Bentonville/Bella Vista. In November 1999, its purpose was expanded to include all of Northwest Arkansas, and to serve as the lead public foundation operated in connection with CommunityCare Foundation, Inc. NWACF awarded over 991,000 in grants last year during its first year of operation.