North Little Rock Spreads Holiday Cheer to Homeless Children

On December 1, the North Little Rock (NLR) Facility held its annual volunteer event which benefitted Our House, a shelter for the working homeless, this year. NLR employees received holiday wish lists from homeless and low-income families living at Our House to fulfill, with items ranging from toys and books to bicycles and a baby stroller.

Our House is a vital community resource for central Arkansas, ensuring that families and individuals who have fallen on hard times, but who are willing to work to improve their fortunes, will have a place to stay and the support they need to turn their lives around. Our House is the only provider in Arkansas that can serve homeless families of any size or shape, including single father families; they offer the state's only child care and youth programs for homeless children; and they offer the state's only comprehensive support services to help families and individuals overcome homelessness permanently.

On December 3, a group of NLR employees, including NLR General Manager Paul Rivera, delivered the presents as well as a surprise - a gift from the Caterpillar Foundation that would support Our House's child care and youth programs.

"We are so grateful for the support of the NLR Facility and the Caterpillar Foundation, and will use this gift to provide a safe, nurturing environment and educational programs for the homeless children who come to Our House," said Georgia Mjartan, executive director of Our House. "Many of these children come onto our campus with literally nothing - no shoes, no diapers, no safe place to call home. This gift gives these children a chance just to be kids and provides our organization with the resources to ensure they do not become homeless adults."

"During my tour of Our House, a little boy named Taylor greeted us at the entrance to the women's shelter and showed us the bed he shares with his family, as well as a small playroom that usually houses 15 other children," said Rivera. "I'm proud Caterpillar supports organizations like Our House that are committed to equipping families, like Taylor's, with the skills to be successful in their own families, in the workplace, and in the community."

The Caterpillar Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Caterpillar Inc. Founded in 1952, the Caterpillar Foundation has contributed more than $500 million to help make sustainable progress possible around the world by providing program support in the areas of environmental sustainability, access to education and basic human needs. To learn more about the global impact of the Caterpillar Foundation, please visit www.caterpillar.com/foundation.