Janie Smith, Jackson House Exec Dir

Speaking to the knights at their April 7 membership meeting, Janie Smith shared her passion for assisting individuals and families in need through her efforts as executive director of Jackson House. 
Its mision statement reads, "Eleanor Klugh Jackson House for Crisis Intervention Services Inc, commonly known as Jackson House, is an interaith community crisis center which provides short-term emergency assistance for basic needs - food, clothing, shelter, medicine - without regard to race, creed, gender, or nationality - and without imposing our values or beliefs upon those we serve."

She cited an Arkansas statistic that one in four seniors lives in poverty as does one in four children.  Every 42 minutes, a child is born into poverty in Arkansas.

For every dollar that Janie receives at Jackson House, she can purchase $3 worth of basic food items.  The food that is received from Sacred Heart of Jesus and other churches as well as businesses provides a bit of variety that can be offered to clients.

She referenced two recent situations that, unfortunately, are all too common: 1) after receiving her lunch bag,a girl stuffed a whole sandwich into her mouth at one time, because she had not eaten for several days;  and, 2) a lady was discharhged from a Hot Springs hospital one afternoon with the hospital gown she wore as her only possession (her apartment had been cleaned out and leased to someone else).  Janie got personally involved in both situations until resolved, including having the lady set up in another apartment that was fully furnished by nightfall.

Jackson House statistics for 2014:
Noon Lunches................................................55,612
Pantry Food.....................................................10,917
Clothing (up to 16 sets each)........................2,462

Thank You from Jackson House

Rent/Utilities......................................................1,385
Household Items (including fires)................1,064
Infant/Toddlers - formula kits, diapers, etc.....810
Medicine Purchased...........................................317
Miscellaneous.................................................19,273

The estimated dollar values of these services:
Noon Lunches valued @ $4.00 each....$222,448
Pantry Food @ $60 per bag.....................$655,020
Clothing and Household..........................$  30,463
Travel - gas and bus passes...................$    7,638
Infant/Toddlers.............................................$ 18,691
Miscellaneous.............................................$    7,178
Medicine Purchases..................................$    2,913
Financial Assistance - rent/utilities.........$    8,517
Food Purchased.........................................$  43,889

Volunteer Hours..............................................52,801
Number of new client files opened...............1,392