LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — For the last week and a half, the people in the Fordyce and surrounding areas have worked together to bring hope back to their community after the shooting outside of the city's only grocery store, The Mad Butcher.
We've shared numerous stories of groups from out of state and in south Arkansas that have been stepping up to help out. However, now an opportunity has arisen for people in Central Arkansas to be involved.
"Arkansans are extremely generous, and we are extremely generous to our neighbors and when our fellow Arkansans are hurting, then we respond," said Heather Larkin, CEO of the Arkansas Community Foundation.
The Arkansas Community Foundation established the Fordyce Survivors Fund in response to the devasting mass shooting.
"Our donors and people from all over the state are asking, you know, where can I give? Folks can give to the Fordyce Survivors Fund. They can go online to the community foundation and hit a link and give by credit card they can mail a check," Larkin explained.
She said each donation goes into one fund and a local committee will decide how the money will be distributed.
"We don't know what each family needs, what each survivor needs I mean, someone may need their house remodeled to be ADA compliant. Others may need some support because they can't go to work for a while you know, we don't know, know all that," Larkin said.
The organization's resources don't stop at just financial support. They have also worked with other organizations that have worked with mass shootings before.
"We have access to some wonderful partners across the country that have worked with mass shootings, so the first thing we did was connect those resources to the folks in Fordyce. The Mass Violence Survivors Fund and Victims First are two national groups that have experience in over 50 mass shootings in our country," Larkin said.
While the organization specializes in helping with grants and donations, Larkin said it always answers the call when an Arkansas community is in need.
"It's just knowing when you've been through that experience. Just knowing that people in your state care for the community of Fordyce. I would just say that we are there. Arkansans are standing beside you and behind you," Larkin explained.
The Arkansas Community Foundation will be accepting donations until September 30. 2024.
For more information, please click here.