Little Rock Volunteers Cook, Serve Families at Free Shelter

When families face a cancer diagnosis or watch their newborn fight for life in the NICU, the last thing they need is worrying about where to sleep or how to pay rent.

For 23 years, Home for Healing in Little Rock has solved that problem. The nonprofit provides completely free housing to families navigating medical crises, letting them focus entirely on recovery instead of bills.

On Tuesday, volunteers rolled up their sleeves to help. More than 250 people from 98 companies joined Serve the Rock Community Impact Day, a Little Rock Regional Chamber initiative that pairs volunteers with nonprofits needing support.

"We house cancer patients upstairs. Downstairs are NICU mamas and daddies and ICU families, and everybody stays for free as long as they need to," said Kristin Trulock, Home for Healing's executive director.

The volunteers tackled hands-on projects across 13 different nonprofits. At Home for Healing, teams cooked meals for guests staying at the home.

This year marked a shift for the 14-year-old event. Instead of networking booths and conversation, organizers reimagined it as true community service.

"Instead of just having booths set up and people coming to talk, volunteers head directly to nonprofit sites to tackle projects and help with needs on the ground," explained Stacy Wilson, chief revenue officer for the chamber.

The Ripple Effect

For families already stretched thin by medical emergencies, community partnerships fill critical gaps. Many face hunger, transportation challenges, and housing insecurity on top of health crises.

"Any way we can take the burdens off of them and allow them just to focus on healing is what we're there to do," Trulock said.

The chamber is building something even bigger: a community volunteer hub where people can search for opportunities, board openings, and a complete nonprofit directory. Wilson said it's "not quite ready, but it's coming soon."

About 20 volunteer spots remained available at press time, including openings with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Little Rock Parks and Recreation. Home for Healing, which runs entirely on community funding, welcomes volunteers year-round.

Trulock captured why giving back matters: "It's not a job for me. It's me being able to go and serve and be able to do more for others, and I get more out of it than I give."