.png "Garland County’s Helen Bumpas named ASPSF November 2024 Volunteer of the Month")
Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund is grateful for volunteers like Helen Bumpas, the November 2024 Volunteer of the Month.
Her story of supporting single parent students began over a decade ago when Karen Garcia — who was serving on the board of the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Garland County — invited Helen to the 2013 Style Show, a fundraiser showcasing the community’s strong support for single parent students.
At this event, Helen learned how the organization served single parents in her community, and she just had to do more! Today, she’s a member of the Style Show committee and is currently planning the 15th annual Style Show fundraiser for Spring 2025.
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Helen Bumpas (right) volunteered at the 2023 ASPSF Ouachita Region graduation celebration held at First Presbyterian Church of Hot Springs.
However, that’s not all she does for ASPSF. Helen has helped plan award ceremonies and has served as the co-chair, secretary, and parliamentarian of the SPSF Garland County board.
She’s arranged local fundraising opportunities such as the Community Rewards program with Kroger, and she registered ASPSF to receive funds from the Arkansas Community Foundation’s Arkansas Gives program. Helen also directly supported ASPSF recipients by assisting with application interviews and mentoring students throughout their educational journey.
When asked in what ways she has volunteered for ASPSF, Helen laughed and said she’s done “a bit of it all.” She added that her favorite part of being a volunteer with ASPSF is when she runs into the students in her community.
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Volunteers Helen Bumpas (left) and Mari Simmons help check in guests at the Single Parent Style Show fundraiser in Hot Springs.
“It’s really cool to see them doing well for themselves,” Helen said. She’s talked to former scholarship recipients who have graduated, gotten married, or started careers they love that support their families. When asked why she decided to volunteer with ASPSF, Helen said “It’s a worthwhile program, and I believe in the mission.”
In addition to volunteering for ASPSF, Helen has given her time to the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival since 2004 and is a member of the Virginia Clinton Kelly Democratic Women’s Club. She is also a member of the First Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs, which is a long-time supporter of ASPSF.
In fact, The First Presbyterian Women of Hot Springs won ASPSF’s 2023 Outstanding Organization Award, recognizing the group’s exceptional support for single parent students. Helen helped accept the award on behalf of the Presbyterian Women, several of whom are ASPSF volunteers.
Thank you, Helen, for your incredible 11 years of helping single parent students break the cycle of poverty through higher education.
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Helen Bumpas (third from right) along with other members of the First Presbyterian Women of Hot Springs accept the 2023 Outstanding Organization Award at The Lunch Break, ASPSF’s statewide fundraiser in Little Rock.
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