On Dec. 12, Neighbor to Neighbor Jefferson County, 1419 S. Pine St., received $10,000 from an anonymous donor in the name of longtime volunteer and former board member Juanita Currie.
It’s difficult to determine about which person it says more: the volunteer’s decades of community service or the anonymous donor. The donor said one of the main reasons was, “Juanita looked at the ability to serve others as a gift from God.”
Currie, a former Pine Bluff school teacher who later became a counselor, also found time to volunteer at the St. Peter Soup Kitchen, the Merrill Historical Museum and Neighbor to Neighbor.
The donor continued, “I have worked with Juanita for many years. She’s dependable, always shows up, and does it cheerfully. She’s the most wonderful person I know.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Currie said, “I was numb. Surprised. Shocked, and I’m still kind of numb. To say I’m humbled by the donation is an understatement.”
Her son, Eric Burdette, a pilot with Southwest Airlines and also a volunteer at the Ivy Center for Education of Pine Bluff, said, “One thing that stands out to me is that she’s always possessed a servant’s heart, no matter what she does in life, be it a teacher, counselor, volunteer, or church member. She always puts others before herself.”
He added, “I’m extremely surprised at the donation but not surprised. It says as much about her as the donor. Both are outstanding members of the community.”
Pat Tate, executive director of the organization, said of Currie, “She is as sweet as she can be.”
But there’s more to her than that.
“Juanita was serving on the board when I started (July 2019), and (after two decades) she just went off the board last year. She has integrity and is a hard worker. She is dedicated to the cause,” Tate said.
Tate described Currie’s passion and the anonymous donation as “unselfish and caring.”
The money was unrestricted and came without strings. It can be used to purchase food or for any other purpose the organization deems appropriate.
With the higher food costs, Tate said, “There are more demands on our resources, especially when it comes to buying food. It’s expensive to feed healthy.”
Worthy mission
Until a few years ago, Currie was an almost full-time fixture at Neighbor to Neighbor. Although less active now, she still promotes the organization on Facebook and produces brochures and flyers using her professional at-home printer.
Usually, on Mondays and Wednesdays, Currie helps fill food bags at the pantry.
Neighbor to Neighbor was formed when Trinity Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church, and the Sister Charities of St. Joseph and St. Peters Catholic Churches united under the umbrella of one organization, Neighbor to Neighbor.
Tate said, “We need long-term, dependable volunteers like Juanita to make Neighbor to Neighbor successful.”
Currently, the organization has nine paid staff members and about 20 volunteers.
Currie also volunteered for nine years at the now-closed St. Peter’s Catholic Church Soup Kitchen.
Currie said she is committed to ending hunger in Jefferson County because, “I can’t stand to see a hungry child.”
Touching hundreds
Currie grew up in Pine Bluff and attended the all-Black Merrill High School.
She is currently part of a group working to fund and open the Merrill Historical Museum, 1203 W. Pullen Ave., which will focus on the school’s history and its impact. She said museum personnel hope to have some news about the museum this spring but couldn’t say more now.
After high school graduation, Currie earned a degree from Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College in 1968. It’s now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
She later received a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas.
In 1980, Currie started teaching at Southeast Junior High School in Pine Bluff, where she transitioned from teaching to counseling students.
Burdette said his mother has “touched hundreds of lives” through education and her volunteer work.
Currie said she was initially reluctant to discuss the donation until her son put it in perspective.
“He said, ‘It might encourage others to donate to Neighbor to Neighbor,'” she said.
Burdette said, “This donation says a lot about Pine Bluff and its citizens. I’m so thankful that there are selfless members of the community who are willing to seek change and help those who are less fortunate through sizable charitable monetary donations, as well as those who give of themselves and their time and energy. Pine Bluff is full of compassion and greatness!”
Neighbor to Neighbor is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1984 to help feed Jefferson County’s hungry. It offers a free lunch from noon until 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, and other services based on income qualifications.
Details: facebook.com/N2NJeffCo/