— Situated in Ashley County, north of Louisiana, Montrose is a tiny town with a population of 526, according to the 2000 Census. The people who live there are predominantly African-American (71.9%). It’s rural, agricultural country, and jobs are few. There are no supermarkets, libraries, barber shops or gas stations.

• Per capita income in Montrose in 1999 was $10,363; for Arkansas, it was $16,904; for Little Rock, the State Capital, it was $23,209.
• 80% of Montrose homes are valued at $50,000 or less. The median house value in 2000 was $31,400.
• 48.3% of adults over 25 years of age do not hold a high school degree.

F-to-F’s nonprofit partner, the Full Gospel Church Outreach Ministry, is based in Hamburg, about 20 miles away. The Ministry assists people in Montrose and other needy small town residents in Ashley and Chicot counties. The poverty rate in Ashley County is 17.5%; in Chicot County, it’s 28.6%.

Ms. Arma Woods is the administrator and coordinator of the Outreach Ministry, which runs a food pantry (helping about 300 families each month). In addition, the Ministry has established a clothing assistance program, a mentoring program to assist individuals leaving welfare (and those that are still receiving welfare), self-esteem workshops, an abstinence program for teens, and an abuse prevention program for troubled teens and families.

Monthly contributions from Family-to-Family sending families in Virginia are sent to Arkansas.