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Age‑Friendly Action Network asks council for quarterly reports, proposes extended foster care residence
Summary
Dr. Arlene Parham briefed the council on the Age‑Friendly Action Network’s 2025 accomplishments and 2026 goals, including forming a board, doing a community assessment, quarterly reporting to council, grant pursuit, and a proposal to convert the Woods Street Residence into an extended foster care residence for young people aged 18–21.
Dr. Arlene Parham presented on behalf of the Age‑Friendly Action Network, describing the group’s activities in 2025 and plans for 2026 and asking the council for continued partnership and quarterly progress briefings.
Parham said the network — one of two in Arkansas, along with Little Rock — is assembling a diversified board, preparing a five‑year action plan required by the national network, and planning a community assessment to gather resident input. She described partnerships with America Walks (for sidewalk and pedestrian safety audits) and the state AARP, and said the local network helped organize community cleanup events and walking tours to identify missing‑middle housing opportunities.
Parham also outlined a proposal, developed in coordination with a nonprofit partner and after discussions with the property owner and Arkansas DHS, to convert the Woods Street Residence (formerly West Memphis Residential) into extended foster care housing for young people aging out of foster care (ages 18–21). The proposal would offer state‑funded residential support paired with life‑skills, mentoring and job‑training programs and requests quarterly opportunities to update the council on progress. Parham invited the city to partner on grant writing for an upcoming challenge grant (up to $25,000) and to help connect the network with the city’s grant writer.
Councilors thanked Parham and encouraged collaboration; the council indicated it would welcome the quarterly updates and offered to put the network in contact with city grant resources.
