The Vilonia high school football team will be playing two games at War Memorial on August 30th (4:30 and 7:30). Each player will be wearing a pink arm band in support of breast cancer awareness. Kristy Bondurant and Alison Pantuso will be there to help pass out information before/during the 4:30 game. If you have any questions, please contact Alison at ALISON.PANTUSO (at) baptist-health (dot) org.

The Arkansas Affiliate of Komen for the Cure

Now Accepting Grants Applications for
Breast Health and/or Breast Cancer

            Little Rock, ARK. (August 2, 2010) – The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Arkansas Affiliate is announcing the availability of grants funds for fiscal year 2012.  The upcoming year marks the 16^th for the Komen organization to award grants to programs around the state who are working in the fight against breast cancer.  A total of $1,190,132 was granted during the current year.

            Applications for breast cancer and breast health programs from non-profit organizations, governmental agencies and educational institutions in the following counties are eligible for funding: Arkansas, Ashley, Baxter, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Green, Hot Spring, Howard, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Logan, Lonoke, Marion, Mississippi, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Ouachita, Perry, Phillips, Pike, Poinsett, Polk, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saint Francis, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sevier, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, White, Woodruff and Yell.

 “Our grants have become more crucial than ever,” said Arkansas Affiliate Executive Director Sherrye McBryde.  “The BreastCare program administered through the Department of Health in the past has covered 14,000 women with free mammograms.  It will provide only 9000 this year.   Our grant money is often the only source for the women being turned away by BreastCare.”

            The Komen Arkansas Affiliate first awarded grants totaling $78,700 in 1994.  This year the largest grant totaled $217,770, and the smallest was $1,920.

“We are fortunate in Arkansas to have the support of so many for Race for the Cure,” McBryde said.   “The efforts of our race participants, volunteers and sponsors allow us to provide funding to our outstanding grantees.  They enable us to work toward fulfilling our promise to end breast cancer forever. While we are delighted with this year’s results, there are many worthy programs that go unfunded.  Our goal for 2010 is to raise more funds to assist even more women throughout the state.”

            The Arkansas Affiliate has given over $415,000 to the national headquarters for research grants in 2010.  In addition to funding research, the Affiliate funds non-duplicative, community-based breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment projects for the medically underserved in the 63-county service area.   

            The fiscal year 2012 grant cycle will run from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012.  Eligible applications must be postmarked by 5:00 p.m. on November 10, 2010.  Announcements of funding will be made by February 28, 2011.

            To obtain the Request for Proposal and a list of helpful grant writing resources, visit the Arkansas Affiliate website at www.komenarkansas.org/grants.  RFP packets will not be mailed out this year, all forms must be downloaded from the website.

Please contact the Affiliate Missions Director, Elizabeth Clark, at elizabeth.clark@baptist-health.org or 501-202-4399.