Volunteer of the Month: Deanah Baker

Deanah Baker, SVP-GMM, Apparel at Walmart, has been volunteering for the NWA Women’s Shelter as an active member of the Board of Directors since early 2016. She currently serves on the Fresh StART committee and, along with Megan Crozier, she will be one of the Honorary Co-Chairs of this year’s Fresh StART event being held on October 14. Deanah explains why this cause is important to her,

My husband was in education for 25+ years and his passion was in getting to know his students and their personal stories.  He has so many examples of brave young people who struggled in their home life due to various circumstances, including abuse in the home.  While Northwest Arkansas is an amazing community with so much to offer, the statistic remains that 1 in 5 people are victims of domestic violence.  My goal is to see all of our NWA neighbors thriving; not living their lives in fear or feeling helpless and alone in changing their situation.  Our strong NWA community can come alongside the Northwest Arkansas Womens Shelter to give victims of domestic violence safety, hope and support for a new beginning.

Deanah has used her skills and her position on the board over the past year to help move the NWA Women’s Shelter out of its financial crisis and begin moving toward sustainability. As a part of these efforts, Deanah hosted a private fundraising party this spring and has raised more than $22,000 in 2017 for programs and services provided through NWAWS.

You can meet Deanah at Fresh StART or look for other ways to get connected with NWAWS by visiting our volunteer page.