Main fundraiser photo

Thornton Community Center Construction

Thornton, Arkansas, is a small town in south central Arkansas about 50 miles north of the Louisiana border. We had 390 people in 2018. Despite our small size, we have a very active community and are currently hoping to construct a community center for the families of Thornton, Arkansas. We have raised enough money for the building materials, but due to Covid-19, our local fundraising opportunities have been quickly depleted. Therefore, we are asking YOUR help in completing the Thornton Community Center. If you can give even $5.00, it will be so very much appreciated by all of the people in Thornton, Arkansas.

The Community Center So Far

We started working on the Thornton Community Center in 2019. We received a $15,000 matching grant which we successfully matched in-kind, allowing us to get the ground ready, get the plumbing in place, and pour the concrete slab foundation.


In June, we were fortunate to receive another $14,400 matching grant which was written to buy the building materials, and we set to work raising money to match that grant. We have sold bricks, asked for donations, compiled cook books, and we have finally raised enough money to successfully match that grant so we can purchase the building materials. By this time, we have raised about $43,800 through donations from individuals, businesses, and Arkansas grants for our community center. Currently, we only need money to pay for the remaining construction of the building, which we know will cost about $15,000 to get it in the dry. We have another grant written to be submitted next month. We sincerely hope that we get that grant because it was written to finish the inside of the building and furnish it.
 
Our Past Projects

We have a very active group called Thornton Step-By-Step, Inc. which gained 501 (c) 3 status which has helped us apply for a number of grants that have helped us considerably. Thornton Step-By-Step, Inc. also holds several fundraisers each year. In 2019, Step-By-Step was instrumental in the construction of a $90,000 Thornton Volunteer Fire Dept. substation. This was needed because trains often block the crossing, thereby not allowing fire engines to cross the railroad that bisects Thornton.

Thornton Volunteer Fire Dept. Substation Ribbon Cutting, July 2019

In addition to the Fire Dept. substation, Thornton Step-By-Step also helped erect Thornton’s Roy Yarbrough Park, named for Roy Yarbrough, a Thornton resident.

The Roy Yarbrough Park Dedication, 2015. Roy Yarbrough pictured far right.

However, Covid-19 shut down our biggest fundraiser in April, the Hogskin County Kickoff BBQ. It usually attracts 400 people and we raise $1500 to $2000. We are holding a Drive-Thru BBQ next Saturday, but since people cannot come inside and listen to the bands and visit with each other, ticket sales have not been nearly as brisk as for the past BBQs.

The Thornton Fire Station, where we currently hold community events and our Hogskin County Kickoff BBQ.

At this time, we are asking for your help to construct the community center here in Thornton, Arkansas. If you are able to give even $5.00, it would be greatly appreciated by all of the people of Thornton!

Fundraising team (4)

Sharon Scott
Organizer
Raised $320 from 7 donations
Thornton, AR
Thornton Step-By-Step Incorporated
 
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
Beverly Ellis
Team member
Raised $50 from 1 donation
John Scott
Team member
Raised $30 from 1 donation
Brett Clark
Team member

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.