March 20 Event to Support Single Parents in East Arkansas
ASPSF Day of Giving is a 24-hour statewide effort in honor of National Single Parent Day to raise awareness and funds for single parents pursuing higher education.
Fourteen single parents from East Arkansas celebrated their Spring 2026 ASPSF scholarships at a ceremony held March 12 at ASU-Mid South in West Memphis.
Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) will host its second-annual Day of Giving on Friday, March 20. The fundraiser is a 24-hour statewide effort to raise awareness and funds for single parents pursuing higher education.
ASPSF’s Day of Giving coincides with National Single Parent Day, observed annually to recognize the strength and contributions of single parents. To mark the occasion, Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant proclaimed March 20 as ASPSF Day of Giving.
The organization aims to raise $45,000 to fund 28 full-time scholarships, helping single parents — like EACC student Kyanna Graham — stay enrolled in college and earn a degree that leads to a career with family-supporting wages.
Named ASPSF March Student of the Month, Graham of St. Francis County is a loving mother, a business-minded leader, and a future entrepreneur. After enduring homelessness and financial abuse, she reclaimed her life and wrote a new story, one of resilience, for her three children, 13-year-old De’Andre Jr., 11-year-old Ke’Airus, and 3-year-old Kayoir.
KYANNA’S STORY
Kyanna first enrolled in college in 2017, pursuing a degree in business administration. After her first semester, she had to step back. She had just left an abusive relationship and was suddenly homeless with a newborn baby.
Thankfully, she was able to rely on her grandmother, who took her and her children off the streets and into a loving home. Her grandmother gave her the freedom to return to school.
She reenrolled stronger, thriving in honors courses and participating in extracurriculars like TRiO, a club focused on community-building and peer mentorship, at University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College. She plans to graduate with her associate degree this May and is majoring in business.
“School was therapeutic for me,” she said. “I started finding my beauty and my personality again.”
Kyanna’s interest in business is personal. After enduring economic abuse by her ex, she was left with ruined credit and deep debt. She worked hard to learn how credit works and how she can pull herself out of her situation. And that’s exactly what she did. She did even more by helping her friends and family recover their credit, too.
Kyanna has an entrepreneurial spirit. She dreams of opening an African American library and cafe where young professionals can gather. She wants to create a space for young African Americans to feel empowered and supported by their community.
Kyanna is resilient; she endured abuse that left her homeless and came back stronger. And that beauty and personality shine through.
When asked what keeps her motivated to continue her education, she pointed to 3-year-old Kayoir: “I’m all she has.”
Luckily for Kayoir, that’s a lot. Kyanna is working incredibly hard to protect her children from the hardships she’s faced. She radiates gratitude for ASPSF, for her grandmother who took her in when she was experiencing homelessness, and for her mentors who’ve guided her to her current success.
“ASPSF donors truly, truly are doing something great,” she said. “You’re making a difference because you don’t know a person’s situation. You don’t know why she’s a single mother or he’s a single father. It’s amazing that people give back. It’s extremely helpful.”
With sincere emotion, she added, “It has been an honor being picked for these scholarships. Coming from what I’ve been through, I was just happy to be seen and go to school and be out of a toxic relationship. When I make the money that I want to, I’ll give back because I know what it does.”
DAY OF GIVING
ASPSF invites all to participate in Day of Giving on March 20. Donations of all sizes, big and small, will be accepted — and those directed specifically toward scholarships will be matched by a generous, anonymous donor.
Contributions can be made online at aspsfday.org, by phone at 501.858.2010, or by mail at 2102 Riverfront Drive, Ste. 102, Little Rock, AR 72116.
Also part of the celebration, ASPSF issued the Single Parent Juggling Challenge, a lighthearted social media campaign that symbolizes the many responsibilities single parents manage daily. Community members are encouraged to share videos of their best attempt at juggling and tag ASPSF on social media. Check out some of the videos here: aspsfday.org/juggling.
The March 20 fundraiser aims to bring awareness to the approximately 132,000 single parents raising the next generation in Arkansas. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 33% of single parents in the state live below the poverty line, compared to just 7% of married parents.
ASPSF works to address these disparities by providing flexible scholarships and wraparound support services that help single parents persist through college and complete their degrees so they can pursue a professional career with family-supporting wages.
In addition to Forrest City, other cities and counties are proclaiming March 20 as ASPSF Day of Giving, including Benton, Bryant, Conway, Fort Smith, Harrison, Jacksonville, Johnson County, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Maumelle, North Little Rock, Osceola, Russellville, Searcy, Sheridan, and Sherwood.
ASPSF March 2026 Student of the Month Kyanna Graham celebrates her Spring 2025 scholarship with her children.
Forrest City Mayor Larry Brant proclaims March 20 as ASPSF Day of Giving on Wednesday, March 11 with ASPSF Volunteer Joeann Smith and ASPSF Program Manager Angela Thomas.
