Community News

Each year the Fraternal Order of Police in Little Rock team up with the U.S. Marine Corps, iHeart Radio, and bikers from all over central Arkansas to brighten the holidays for Arkansas children through Toys for Tots.  Toys for Tots, or Toy Hill as it is often called, has helped thousands of children have a merry Christmas through the years. The money from the Rainwater, Holt & Sexton vending machine charity will go directly to buying toys for children over the next couple of days, as the distribution begins on December 10. If you are interested in attending the Toy Hill Weekend event where there will be games, food, music, and toy drop-offs, it is this weekend, December 1-3.

The Little Rock Hat Club and it’s event, Chili Fights in the Heights, is this month’s vending machine charity winner. The Little Rock Hat Club is a non-profit men’s group that works to help a variety of charitable organizations through fundraising events. Since 2010 the group has given away over $260,000 to over 32 charities.

The annual Chili Fights in the Heights event serves as a fundraiser for the Arkansas Food Bank. Last year $20,000 was donated in time for the holiday season. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, November 4 and there will be a chili cook-off, a tasting time, and live entertainment. Chili cooking begins at 1:00pm and the tasting begins at 4:00. Tickets are $5.

This month’s vending machine charity winner is The Cure Starts Now. Voted on by our staff, The Cure Starts Now is a cancer charity that focuses on exactly what their name says: finding a cure, now. By researching pediatric brain cancer, they hope to ultimately find a “homerun cure” to end all types of cancer.

The Arkansas Chapter of The Cure Starts Now was started in memory of Maylea Estridge, who was diagnosed with a type of brain cancer in March 2014. All funds raised by all chapters of this organization go directly towards cancer research and active efforts to find a cure.

At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we pride ourselves on serving all of Arkansas. Yes, we mean geographically, and we have shown our commitment with offices in four locations in the state. That also means serving everyone who lives in Arkansas. Our firm spent the last few days working with the Mexican Consulate’s mobile consulate in Northwest Arkansas. The mobile consulate travels the state helping Mexicans in Arkansas with a variety needs. One need highly expressed was legal help, especially with Power of Attorney. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday our firm had 5 lawyers and 7 staff onsite to help answer legal questions and assist in creating Powers of Attorney for families. We also called on friends of the firm who are lawyers specializing in immigration and family law.

It’s an honor to work with the Mexican Consulate, which is the Mexican government’s representation in Arkansas. We don’t take the responsibility lightly, and we are grateful for the trust they put in us. Through the work with the Mexican Consulate, we have been able to build great relationships with consulate officers and build relationships with people we can help. To learn more, check out our conversation with Univision reporter Karen Perez here.

This month’s vending machine charity winner is Food for Good, which is a project of the Arkansas Dream Center. The Arkansas Dream Center contacts those in need all over Arkansas.  In the summer Food For Good becomes a major project as they serve meals at 66 sites in central Arkansas. The meals are free to any child under 18 and serve as a way for them to eat fresh, nutritious, free meals when they are not in school and may be without food.

The Other Side Ministries won this month’s vending machine charity. The Other Side works with people struggling with drug and alcohol addictions and helps them overcome those addictions using biblical principles. The program is a six month in-house residence program that incorporates community service and biblical teaching. The goal of the program is not just improving the life of those dealing with substance abuse, it’s also a way to improve families and communities that have been effected by addiction.

The February vending machine charity donation goes to a group working to help improve the life of orphans in Guatemala through a Conway fundraiser. The fundraiser is a fairy tale princess tea for kids and families that benefits The Orphan Door and the Eagle’s Nest International children’s home in Guatemala. Adoptions from other countries are not allowed in Guatemala, so many orphans will never be adopted, which leads to a financial burden on those trying to care for the children. We are glad this money will go to such a great group working with orphans in a country closed to adoption.

As part of our continuing commitment to honor the legacy of our late partner, Stephen Holt, Rainwater, Holt & Sexton is excited to give $5,000 to the ALS Walk. The walk is the biggest fundraising event of the year for ALS Association of Arkansas.

Stephen passed away on January 28, 2014 after being diagnosed with ALS the previous summer.  We saw firsthand the toll that ALS can take on someone’s body and Stephen fought hard to stop its progress. Ultimately there is no cure for ALS.  That is where great organizations like ALS Arkansas step in and provide care for patients and families that so desperately need it.  We quickly realized ALS Arkansas and Rainwater, Holt & Sexton will be forever linked.  It is an honor to continue Stephen’s legacy through supporting an organization that was with him every step of the way.

Each year a large team from RHS participates in the ALS Walk. It serves as a great opportunity to educate everyone about the disease and about the life the Stephen lived. We look forward to another great time at this year’s ALS Walk.

This year’s ALS Walk is on Saturday, April 8 with check in beginning at 9:30 and the walk starting at 10:30. If you would like to be involved or donate you can do so on the ALS Arkansas website.

Since 1944 Easterseals Arkansas has been helping Arkansans with disabilities and special needs. Easterseals helps individuals and families with everything from child development, to physical therapy, to job training. Because of the work Easterseals is doing in the community many people with disability are able live fuller lives. Today Easterseals helps more than 20,000 people each year. To read more about Easterseals check out the article in the new Soiree Magazine about the upcoming Easterseals Arkansas Fashion Show fundraiser.

Unfortunately many people in Little Rock don’t have access to affordable, quality produce. Fresh 2 You Mobile Market is trying to change that. The mobile farmers market is part of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance’s “Arkansas Hunger and Nutrition Initiative” and strives to make fresh produce accessible and affordable to the Little Rock community. After a 5 month trial period at the end of 2016, Fresh 2 You officially launched earlier this month. Combined with the trial period Fresh 2 You has already served about 2,000 people.  Fresh 2 You also participates in the USDA Double Up Bucks program so that people on SNAP benefits can get double the produce.

At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton we’ve placed a great deal of importance on giving back to those in need. Our firm is honored to have been featured in the Arkansas Trial Lawyer Association’squarterly journal, The Docket, for our community work throughout Arkansas. We’ve transformed our office culture to put charitable work at the forefront, whether it’s donations to ALS Arkansas, time spent at the Daisy Bates Elementary Community Garden, or continued involvement in efforts like Recycled Bikes for Kids. Our staff is committed to lending a hand to our Arkansas communities!

Being able to take part in the performing arts is something every child should have the opportunity to do. At Bearden Productions that is not just a saying, it is the entire goal of the organization. This month’s charity has a goal of making quality performing arts programs and classes easily accessible and affordable for the entire community. Since its inception in 2014, Bearden Productions offers normally expensive classes in dance, acting, and even cooking at little or no cost. It offers families on a budget the opportunity to send their kids to a constructive and fun environment.

Rainwater, Holt & Sexton is proud to support the Arkansas Bikers for Children. They are the winners of our November monthly charity give away. This group hosts fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for lifesaving equipment at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Earlier this year they were able to buy ventilators for children, which have already saved lives. Rainwater, Holt & Sexton is happy to donate $840 to Arkansas Bikers for Children and their pursuit to help the children at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Our monthly charity giving is one of our favorite things to do. Each month employees nominate and vote on a charity in the community they would like to help. Throughout the month employees “donate” by buying snacks and drinks that the firm subsidizes. All the proceeds from the snacks are then matched by the firm. We are honored to have such great employees that not only pick out wonderful organizations, but also help by donating all month long.

Every year around Thanksgiving Rainwater, Holt & Sexton holds a food drive for the Arkansas Food Bank. In conjunction with the drive we host our annual employee thanksgiving potluck, an event we look forward to all year! In 2016, we were happy to donate enough food for 282 meals to the Arkansas Food Bank!

Many families need a place to stay when they are at UAMS for an extended period of time, and that is where the UAMS Family Home can play a big role in their life. The Family Home provides affordable ($10 a night) lodging and a home like setting for cancer patients and parents of premature infants that are being treated at UAMS. As a private, non-profit facility the Family Home operates because of donations from groups and individuals throughout the year. Rainwater, Holt & Sexton is happy to help by donating $1,079.24 as a part of our monthly charity giving.

Our monthly charity giving is one of our favorite things to do. Each month employees nominate and vote on a charity in the community they would like to help. Throughout the month employees “donate” by buying snacks and drinks that the firm subsidizes. All the proceeds from the snacks are then matched by the firm. We are honored to have such great employees that not only pick out wonderful organizations, but also help by donating all month long.