Sam and Becky Donaldson moved to Arkansas in 1989 with plans to semi-retire after 25 years with a large retail company in California. In 1991 they decided to open their own business. They opened a flea market called “That Place in Springdale” in downtown Springdale. They slowly begin to sell furniture in the Flea Market and Sam found a new passion. They eventually converted it into furniture only and renamed the store “Sam’s Furniture”. Now 27 years later, totaling at 170,000 sq ft, they have grown to be the largest furniture destination in Arkansas! But to close friends and family, they are still just that little place in Springdale.
Joe and Larra Donaldson are the new faces of Sam’s Furniture. You might have seen them on a commercial or two: “Get It At Sam’s”. Now they are one of the Children’s Safety Center’s biggest supporters by not only sponsoring the Partners Plus Prevention awareness lunch and the Dream Big Charity Gala, but by donating a live auction item and also much needed new couches for the Center’s lobby. Please read below to find out why Sam’s Furniture continues to support the CSC in Larra Donaldson’s words.
How did you become involved with the Children’s Safety Center?
Sam’s Furniture was gifted tickets to the Children’s Safety Center’s Dream Big Charity Gala in 2017 and that’s where we were exposed to the great work the CSC is doing. We scheduled a meeting with Emily, the development director at the CSC, and were able to take a tour of the facility. Seeing the handprints and hearing the stories of some of these kids was heartbreaking! We immediately found out how we could get involved and jumped in with both feet.
Why do you continue to stay involved?
The fact that the CSC provides these services to kids in these devastating situations, as well as the counseling services they provide for the children, is so empowering; it really shows that they truly care about the well-being and safety of the children in our community.
What is your favorite thing about the CSC?
It’s so hard to pick a “favorite” aspect of the CSC because I really admire everything that they do, but I have to choose the counseling services. The trauma that these children face isn’t something that goes away once they are removed from the situation. This is something that they will spend their whole lives dealing with and the fact that the CSC offers counseling to these children is the most important thing they can do for those kids.
Why is it important to spread the mission of the CSC to the community?
For funding purposes, the more people who are exposed to the work of the CSC, the more funding the center can get to help provide services to the children. Additionally, I believe it’s important for people to realize that this truly is a big issue in our own community. I myself was blinded to the number of children who are suffering in these traumatic situations and the more people who are aware of what’s going on, the better the chances are for these kids to get help!
Fun Fact!
Sam’s Furniture spends a third of their marketing budget on community outreach. We believe that investing in our community and giving to those in need is a vital part of our purpose in the world. “To whom much is given, much is required”- Luke 12:48
