Pictured above, from left: White River Now’s Teisha Bee and Eddie Woodruff; Citizens Bank’s Ashley Engles; White River Now’s Chad Whiteaker; and the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches’ (ASYR) Matt Cleveland at today’s Giving Tuesday event for the ASYR at Citizens Bank’s headquarters in Batesville.
UPDATE, Dec. 2, 11:59 a.m.: The figure has been updated. See below.
UPDATE, Dec. 2, 11:40 a.m.: Figures from the Citizens Bank/White River Now Giving Tuesday campaign for the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches have been released, and this year was a record: 135 donations with a total of $60,457. Add an extra $5,000 to the total, Cleveland said in an email to White River Now Wednesday afternoon, making it: 136 donations with a total of $65,457.
For comparison:
2016: 58 donations, $17,248 raised
2017: 85 donations, $25,877 raised
2018: 125 donations, $43,938 raised
The five-year total going into Tuesday was: $158,688 from 443 donations.
The White River Now family of radio stations was live on-air (and online) broadcasting from the Citizens Bank corporate headquarters on Giving Tuesday to help support the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches (ASYR). Listeners and other citizens drove through the bank’s parking lot throughout the day and contributed at the event’s broadcast location.
This year, representatives expected to see donations somewhat limited due to strains from the almost year-long fight against the pandemic, but early in, individuals and area businesses began submitting donations at a consistent pace.
Walmart was just one of the regional merchants to stop by the broadcast location, providing a $1,000 check to Cleveland for the ASYR.
Representatives from Walmart joined with Matt Cleveland (center) of the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches (ASYR) on Tuesday for another year of supporting ASYR on Giving Tuesday at the Citizens Bank headquarters. The Batesville location donated $1,000.
Citizens Bank also helped give back in a big way. For every dollar donated to the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches (ASYR) during Giving Tuesday, Citizens Bank initially planned to match each gift dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000. As the afternoon moved on, the bank upped the match to $7,500.
“Citizens Bank is grateful to everyone who donated so generously on ‘Giving Tuesday’ to the Arkansas Sheriffs Youth Ranches,” said Ashley Engles with Citizens Bank told White River Now. “We know that times are really tough right now. We are just overwhelmed that despite everything else that is going on in the world, so many people have given so much — both with their hearts and with their pocketbooks. We thank you for caring. We thank you for your generosity. We want everyone to stay well, and have a happy holiday. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!”
Here are some ways you can still help the ASYR on Giving Tuesday:
- Make an online donation by clicking here.
- Text the word ranch to 41444 or call (501) 940-3440 to make a gift of any amount with a credit or debit card.
Since 1976, the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches have provided hope and healing for children who, through no fault of their own, need a place to call home. Your gift to the ASYR on Giving Tuesday supports their mission of providing homes for some of Arkansas’s most deserving children.
The ranch is 100 percent funded by private donations and receives no federal or state funding. It has been home to over 2,000 children since 1976 and costs approximately $2 million annually to operate.
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