This Saturday, the Jefferson County Foster Care Coalition will host its annual Jefferson County Kids Fest from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. inside the White Hall City Park at 101 Parkway Drive.
The event is free and open to the public.
There will be free food, crafts, activities and games, giveaways, and educational and service materials available.
It’s held “in partnership with The Children’s Advocacy Center of Southeast Arkansas and Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services” and is designed to raise awareness about foster care and child abuse prevention while bringing the community together for a day of fun, said Candace Jordan, executive director and founder of the coalition. Kids Fest is an annual, family-friendly event held every April in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Kids Fest is a mission of love for Jordan. Not surprising, since three of her five kids were adopted through the state’s foster care system.
“It can be tough,” Jordan said. So, her idea was to make it easier for parents who were struggling or for adoptive parents.
The coalition has been operating in Jefferson County since early 2022, when the nonprofit opened the Care Closet.
The volunteer staff works with the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Children and Family Services, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southeast Arkansas and other groups. In 2023, they moved to a space donated by the St. Luke United Methodist Church, 28 School St., near the old Dollarway High School, and renamed their place the Provision Community Care Closet.
Along the way, businesses like Hunter’s Refuge, Terry Hardware, Affordable Auto Glass, Diamond State K9 and JR Brown Moving in White Hall; Ohio Street Thrift Shoppe/Storage in Pine Bluff; and groups like the Progressive Women’s Association of White Hall and St. Luke’s have offered their services or donated items.
“This is a special area with a lot of caring people,” Jordan said.
Jordan said about her organization: “We work to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable and loving family.”
For many, one setback like an unpaid light bill “can be an impossible hurdle for a family to overcome,” Jordan said.
It can snowball from there until parents find a case manager from the state’s child welfare system knocking at their door.
“We feel early intervention is better for the community, the parents, and especially the child. It avoids all the problems and the trauma associated with removing children from the home. We focus on meeting the needs of the whole family, serving Jefferson County and the surrounding area,” Jordan said.
Jordan said the coalition has an online community resource directory for parents, but they’re working on a print version they hope to have available soon.
The coalition is preparing to grow again. ARcare donated an 8,000-square-foot facility at 2522 Pryce Street in the Dollarway area, Jordan said.
A support center will become the cornerstone of the coalition’s mission to support families and children. Once the renovations are complete, it will provide resources and spaces, including visitation rooms for families, laundry, training and event spaces, offices, a playground, and room for a care closet and diaper bank.
It will also be accessible 24/7 to the Division of Children and Family Services, enhancing their ability to serve the community effectively.
“This center will be a safe, welcoming space for families to access the support they need to stay together or rebuild after challenges,” Jordan said.
The coalition had a fundraising campaign in February and is planning a second, but a date hasn’t been set yet.
The Care Closet is a vital program dedicated to serving families and individuals in need across Jefferson County and surrounding areas. Jordan said it was initially established to support children in foster care but has expanded its mission to include foster care prevention and community assistance.
It offers clothing, shoes, household items and other essential goods.
“These donations are available to anyone in need, whether through referrals or walk-ins, without income or residency requirements. By reducing barriers to assistance, we ensure that help is accessible to families working toward stability, reunification, or simply navigating difficult circumstances,” Jordan said.
The Care Closet also collaborates with community partners such as the St. Luke Food Pantry and organizes special initiatives such as the annual Toy Swap.
This service “reflects our belief that no one should have to face hardship alone. Together, we can support families, prevent crises, and build a stronger, more compassionate community,” Jordan said.
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