Arial Craft (right) receives her Spring 2025 scholarship certificate from ASPSF Program Manager Joy Smith. Craft also received a Spring 2026 scholarship. (Photo provided by ASPSF)
The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund raised $61,000 during its second annual Day of Giving on March 20, surpassing its initial $45,000 goal.
The fundraising total comes as the nonprofit awarded $659,600 in spring 2026 scholarships to 453 single parents. The funding supports student parents across 69 counties, helping them remain in college or trade school while providing for their families.
In Independence County, three students at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville received a total of $4,000. The recipients include early childhood education major Jenna Birkhead and business majors Ariel Craft and Danielle Crafton.
“Working full time and going to school full time, it makes it difficult to do things to make an extra income,” Craft said. “This helps me fill the gaps.”
Crafton said her goal for the spring semester is to show her children that hard work and dedication pay off.
The scholarships, which reach a maximum of $1,600 per semester, cover expenses such as child care, transportation, housing, and utilities. The financial aid is paired with support services to help nontraditional students balance school, work, and parenting.
Jenn Morehead, the fund’s executive director, said the Day of Giving demonstrated how deeply Arkansans believe in the determination of single parents.
“Every gift helps remove barriers that can keep a student parent from finishing school and moving into a career with family-supporting wages,” Morehead said.
The campaign, which coincides with National Single Parent Day, raised nearly twice as much as last year’s event.
Students from Eagle Mountain Elementary School in Batesville produced promotional videos for ASPSF Day of Giving, helping the nonprofit raise $61,000.
Have a news tip or event to promote? Email White River Now at news@whiterivernow.com. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather from the First Community Bank Newsroom on Arkansas 103.3 KWOZ every weekday morning and afternoon. White River Now updates are also aired on weekday mornings on 93 KZLE, Outlaw 106.5, and Your FM 99.5. Catch CBS News around the top of every hour on 1340 KBTA.
