Overcoming
starts here.
Trinity, 17
2026-2030 Case for Support
About
A Note From Our Founder & CEO, Eric Gilmore
E
very day in Arkansas, young people with little support and no clear path
immerse We’re working toward a future immersed in hope.
forward age out of foster care, experience homelessness, become victims of trafficking or run away from hard situations.
For 15 years, we’ve witnessed what’s possible when youth from crisis have
consistent care and opportunity to grow. Through God’s guidance, we’ve built a broad, reliable pathway that helps Arkansas’ most vulnerable young people move toward hope-filled futures. In rewriting their stories, they remind us that empowerment fuels transformation. Ultimately, they strengthen the fabric of their families and communities, too. We believe overcoming starts here because of the resilience within these youth, and because of the community around them — including you. Today, we sense God leading us into a new season. In response, we’re prayerfully laying the groundwork for a significant campaign to expand our resources so we can serve the growing number of Arkansas youth seeking a path forward. We see a day where young people once counted out will secure good jobs; education; safe, stable housing; and healing from trauma — a day when the cycles of poverty and trauma are permanently broken. Please join us in building a future where communities statewide are strengthened by the lives of youth who‘ve found healing and purpose; where Arkansas becomes an example of what’s possible when no young person is ever counted out. Because overcoming starts here.
I
n Arkansas, youth from crisis — those
that help them begin healing from trauma, gain
in and around the foster care system,
employment and secure safe, stable housing.
fleeing unsafe situations or surviving
Their stories testify to the power of restoration.
trafficking — face steep challenges.
One young man in our LifeBASE program
Without consistent support, they’re
experienced 13 foster placements before he
far more likely to experience homelessness,
was six. Training with our Growth & Transformation
unemployment, incarceration, serious mental
team — which provides therapeutic recreation and
health crises and lifelong instability.
personal development opportunities — he became
Founded in 2010, Immerse responds to these
the first youth at Immerse to complete the
realities. Guided by belief in the potential of every
Little Rock Marathon 5K. Today, he is preparing
young person, we built a community where youth
for a career as a chef.
could find stability, opportunity and the therapeutic
While foster youth statewide face a 24%
support to begin healing from trauma as they step
graduation gap, each spring we celebrate young
into adulthood resilient and ready for life.
people from Immerse crossing stages as high
We’ve learned that overcoming starts here —
school graduates and newly certified professionals.
on a broad, reliable pathway to healing.
Some have gone on to college — including an
Within a caring community, youth find the
alum now at the Clinton School of Public Service.
therapeutic supports and consistent relationships
We envision an Arkansas where every youth
needed to address deep wounds and imagine a
facing crisis has a clear pathway to wholeness.
restored future.
With your partnership, our state becomes a model
Cycles of trauma and poverty are broken,
of hope. Because overcoming starts here.
sparking a transformation that strengthens families and communities alike. Through our youth center, youth shelter and Eric Gilmore
transitional living programs, youth receive wraparound supports addressing practical and emotional needs — tools including trauma-
Hear from Immerse founders Eric and Kara Gilmore on how it all began.
informed counseling, therapeutic recreational experiences, job training and life-skills coaching
1
The
The
problem
reality Y
oung people who’ve been in foster care — especially those who age out — experience significantly poorer outcomes in many areas than their non-system peers.
A
buse, neglect and trauma wreak havoc on the relationships, identity and resilience of youth from crisis, making their transition to adulthood extremely challenging.
Arkansas: 2020-2024 While the total number of youth in foster care is decreasing each year, the percentage of teens in the system steadily increases. The number of young adults participating in the state’s extended foster care program continues to grow, as well. • 134,148 child maltreatment cases were investigated. • Children and teens in foster care moved placements at least twice a year. • 962 youth aged out of foster care. • 1,505 youth 18+ were enrolled in extended foster care.
Number of children (0-21) in foster care
Percentage of those (14+) available for adoption
1 in 4
youth who exit foster care at age 18 will
experience homelessness by the time they turn 21, nationally.
80%
of youth in foster care
FOR FAMILIES
FOR YOUTH
The Cost of Trauma Teen girls in foster care are
2.5x
more likely to become
pregnant by age 19 than their peers not in foster care.
experience significant
mental health issues compared to 20%
4.5x
is the rate at which youth exiting foster
care experience PTSD, compared to the general population.
FOR SOCIETY
of their peers.
$60M
is the amount
the 200 youth who age out of foster care in Arkansas each year will cost taxpayers.
Londyn, 15, works with Immerse therapist
3
The
The
solution
approach Youth Center
Transitional Living
In this safe, welcoming space, youth from crisis
Through one-on-one coaching, trauma therapy,
can easily access supports including healthy meals,
relationship building, employment and education
showers and laundry to meet their immediate
support, and training for teens ages 14-18 who are
needs. From there, we build supportive community
in foster care or have been adopted, we address
around them.
past trauma and equip teens and their families for
Youth center programming statewide is modeled after The OC (Overcomer Central), our flagship hub.
the teen’s transition into adulthood. From housing and coaching to mentoring and life skills training, Immerse provides young adults
Youth Shelter Designed to serve young people ages 18-24, our youth shelter is a short-term, dorm-style residence and launch pad for life.
ages 18-24 with the tools, skills and supportive relationships they need to enter adulthood resilient and ready for life. As we care for pregnant and parenting youth
Our blueprint for programming is The Station, Arkansas’ first emergency shelter to serve youth 1824; The Station is located on our Little Rock campus.
ages 18-21, Immerse provides supportive housing, coaching, mentoring, trauma therapy, life skills training, educational and employment support, and access to recreational and transformational
W
Learn more about how we partner with youth to put the approach into action.
hen we surround youth from crisis with unconditional relationships, tools that anticipate their needs and dreams and a vision for their restored future, we create a climate that leads to healing, growth and transformation.
TraumaInformed Structures
experiences to help young parents transition into adulthood for themselves and their young families.
Alumni
Empower graduates to give back to youth coming behind them.
Transitional Living
Equip youth at every stage with trauma-informed care and essential tools for successful adulthood.
Youth Shelter
Protect youth experiencing homelessness by providing a low-barrier safe place to sleep and get help.
Youth Center
Inspire youth to achieve big goals, and connect them with tools and a community of support.
Quan, 20
5
BASE impact
The
results
*All stats from 2025
B A S E
O
ur coaches, trauma therapists and specialized staff work with youth to set and achieve goals according to our scalable BASE model. The outcomes are encouraging.
Trinity, 17
Well-Being “I have a great therapist provided by Immerse who’s helping me work through anxiety and PTSD, and the reasons in my past that have been causing it.” - SAM, 20
At Least One Caring Adult “I’m living proof Immerse just doesn’t give up. We all have things going on — no matter what, they’ll support you. I’m so happy I came here. I love Immerse. Y’all are my family.” - MYA, 24
Safe and Stable Housing “When I got to Immerse, I didn’t have anything to my name. Everyone at The Station made it a mission to make sure I had everything I needed right away. They helped me with a job, clothing, life skills and much, much more.” - QUAN, 20
Earning Potential “At Immerse, they teach you about life — for example, budgeting your money, jobs. I learned a lot. Now I’m enrolled in culinary school, and I’m putting my catering business out there so more people can taste my food.” - ZIPORAH, 21
165 289
youth engaged in trauma therapy.
youth engaged in weekly recreational therapy and transformational experiences — a 55% annual increase.
10,498
hours of one-on-one coaching sessions were provided — a 37% annual increase.
73%
of youth exited LifeBASE and The Station into safe, stable housing — representing a 3x annual increase in the number of young people who transitioned from experiencing homelessness.
78%
of youth who exited the LifeBASE program were employed or in school.
Scan the QR code to view our updated impact numbers.
7
From Isolation to Overcoming
962
Number of youth who have aged out of foster care in Arkansas over the last 5 years Source: Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services
$300,000
Average amount of public assistance required by each foster child during his or her lifetime after aging out of the system in Arkansas
$60M
Annual cost of public assistance required for the collective 200 youth who age out of foster care in Arkansas each year
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation
M E E T S TE FA N
E
ffects of compounded trauma left Stefan with sharp defense mechanisms designed
54%
75%
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation
Source: NIH National Library of Medicine
Unemployment rate by the age of 26 for youth who age out of foster care, compared to 20% for non-foster peers
to keep the world at bay. By 17, he was dealing with the toll of mental health issues
Unemployment rate for youth who have run away from home or are experiencing homelessness
and navigating the foster care system with
self-protective numbness. “So I come into Immerse, and I don’t even know what
I’ve got,” recalled Stefan, 30. Not yet ready for connection or the accountability required of him, he left Immerse for a “ramshackle little hut” where he lived for a year in selfimposed isolation with no money or support system, hours away. “This was part of the plan,” he said. “I had gone out of Immerse’s range of ability to help me.” Nearly every week, Stefan’s Immerse mentor David Neale made a six-hour round trip to spend time with Stefan. “That was the long arm of Immerse still showing me I had people who cared about me,” Stefan recalled. “For every year you spend going through seemingly irreversible emotional trauma, you have to spend an equal amount of time healing from that trauma. That means Immerse
“The path I’m on is fundamentally different than how I was.”
is prepared to get you started on 10, 20 years or more of healing. Who can you say is willing to go that far to be with
S T E F A30, Stefan, N , Immerse 30 alum
you for as long as it takes?”
“reforging,” rooted in radical accountability. Today, he welcomes community and is living the restored future of an overcomer. “I was nothing but a ball of uncontrollable emotion,” he said.
M
ore than offering programs, we’re investing in relationships with an approach that recognizes
every journey is unique. We walk alongside youth from crisis by providing relationship-based coaching with wraparound supports, equipping them for fulfilling careers that provide longterm financial stability. Their success sends a powerful, quantifiable ripple through the economy: they contribute to an overall increase in discretionary income and decrease
While Immerse provided the tools, Stefan did the grueling work of rebuilding his life — a process he describes as
We see a future where Arkansas communities are made stronger through the lives of restored young people and their families.
Hear Stefan share his story.
in unemployment rates and reliance on social services.
“One of my goals was to make salary before I turned 30. And that’s what I am on.”
When you partner with Immerse to foster a generation of employed, self-sufficient young people, you help change more than individual lives. You help create a stronger,
Fabii, 29, Immerse alum
Hear more alumni share stories of overcoming.
more dynamic economic future for everyone.
“The path I’m on is fundamentally different than how I was.”
9
A
ndrea spent years processing
me. For sure, I’m the reason the boat
a world where trust was
is floating. And because I’ve done it
a liability.
technically by myself, I’m comfortable
A mother by the time she was 14,
knowing I can do it again.”
Andrea was forced into adulthood
Now a mother of three, Andrea has
by a series of profound betrayals
built a stable life for herself and her
long before she was ready. She
family. Her job in tech for a global
came to view everyone through a
company provides a path to financial
lens of skepticism and assumed that
independence. Beyond just keeping
kindness masked ulterior motives.
the boat afloat, she’s setting its course.
Her perspective gradually began
“If you have hope, you have a lot
to change when she arrived at
of things,” she said. “Have faith in
Immerse as a minor experiencing
yourself, and keep it going.”
homelessness with her two children. “I got introduced to the idea of a mentor,” said Andrea, 28. “I never knew that was an actual thing. And I didn't think people existed who really want to do stuff just to be nice.” Andrea’s time at Immerse marked a structural shift in her life. She found authentic role models who cared about her safety, offered her guidance and empowered her to navigate parenting, cultivate patience and
“For me, Immerse is home.”
make steps toward independence by helping her get her driver’s license.
Andrea, 28, Immerse alum
“I found my love for God there,
From fragile to formidable
and I based a lot of how I carry myself in life off of how I interacted with people there,” she said. “For me, Immerse is home.” The unconditional circle of support that formed around Andrea offered her tools to redefine herself and rewrite her script, which included managing the complex cliff effect of diminishing public assistance to become the
Hear Andrea’s story in her own words.
architect of her family’s future. “If I had never found Immerse, I
MEET ANDREA
don't know if I would have been able to do it,” she said, “but now it's just
11
Our growth 2008-2012 • Eric and Kara Gilmore witness Meagan age out of
timeline
2013-2016
foster care at the Greyhound Bus Station after her
• We purchase our first two
50 placements in foster care. They sense God’s call
homes for the LifeBASE
to “do something.”
transitional living program
• Immerse welcomes our first youth at Big Country Chateau apartments on Aug. 1, 2010. • The Gathering, our Tuesday night family-style meal,
in Little Rock’s Fair Park neighborhood. • Our specialized staff identifies trauma as the core
begins in the Gilmores’
problem facing youth from crisis and begins work on
home. This tradition
a model that promotes healing. • In 2016, through prayers and the generosity of many
continues as youth, staff,
2010
together to celebrate, share
• Our scope expands to include runaway and homeless
a meal and build community.
youth and victims of trafficking — many of whom were never in foster care, but should have been.
2017-2019 • Street outreach and operation of The OC youth
2020-2021 • After 10 months of
center begin. • LifeBASE Care launches to provide specialized
construction, the renovated
supports to pregnant and parenting youth and their
OC reopens in August 2021.
young families.
It now serves more youth by
• Encounter Night launches as a monthly opportunity to invite youth to experience God’s love and care.
offering onsite showers, laundry, hot meals, life skills
• Demo begins in July 2022 on land that will house The
support to teens and their foster and adoptive families.
Station, Arkansas’ first homeless shelter for youth
2025
ages 18-24.
• We release
• Growth & Transformation program launches in
T
hese young people found tools at Immerse to rewrite their stories. Today, they show us what’s possible when youth from crisis are
equipped for resilience and self-sufficiency.
14
Youth Impacted:
8
“Fifteen years
“Fifteen years ago,
ago, I was broken
I was in Georgia,
and scared. Now,
dealing with a tragic
I am proud to say
loss, and now I’m a
I am healing
student at Philander
and brave.”
Smith University.”
— Mic, 28
— Mya, 24
HOW IT'S GOING
2025
“Before I came to Immerse, I was a criminal. I was someone that took advice from the wrong people,
Total Donors:
was doing the wrong things, wasn’t paying attention
660
in school, wasn’t really doing anything. Now I’m at
Youth Impacted:
spiritually, physically, mentally.”
524
Immerse, and I’m succeeding at everything: financially, — Everett, 20
classes, mentorship and one-on-one coaching. • LifeBASE Teen launches to provide transitional
2022-2024
overcoming
Total Donors:
friends, we purchase 5300 Asher Avenue.
mentors and volunteers get
a Northwest
Fall 2022 to provide comprehensive mental health
Arkansas needs
supports for youth, fully integrating trauma therapy,
assessment to a crowd of 125 stakeholders and
recreation and transformational experiences into
advocates at NorthWest Arkansas Community College,
Immerse's model of care.
HOW IT STARTED
From crisis to
“Fifteen years ago,
“Fifteen years ago,
I was homeless
I wasn’t being
and jobless. One
taken care of, and
of my goals was
I went into the
before I turned
system. Today, I’m
30 to make
healthy, I’m happy,
salary, and that’s
I’m married with
what I am on.”
two kids.”
— Fabii, 29
— Steve, 23
sharing plans for our expansion into NWA in 2026.
• The Station
• After launching with a staff of two
opens on
in October 2023, Immerse Conway
Sept. 9, 2024.
celebrates relocation on June 12 to a new site with expanded program
“Fifteen years ago, I was homeless and starting out on my own. Today, I am a husband, a father and a student.” — Ed, 33
space and room for a full-time staff of five to serve more youth from crisis in Faulkner County.
13
The
initiative I
mmerse equips youth from crisis with a proven pathway to healing. By scaling to meet a growing need for trauma-informed care, we’re doubling our reach to help more Arkansas youth and families transform from crisis to overcoming. K’Torri, 21, Immerse alum
15
Plans for a campus in NWA will be based on proven program models and sites in Central Arkansas.
Strengthen Little Rock E N H A N C I N G TH E B LU E P R I NT
O
Sam, 20
Launch in Northwest Arkansas
ur flagship campus is where the tools of transformation were forged. Since 2010, hundreds of youth who were once counted out have been empowered here to reclaim their futures and
rewrite their stories. To support the courageous work of our young people, we’re deepening our clinical infrastructure, building a first-of-its-kind
E M P OW E R I N G A N E W G E N E R ATI O N
therapeutic recreation center and shoring up operations at The Station, Arkansas’ first emergency shelter designed specifically to serve young adults 18-24. This expansion solidifies a foundation where every young person can find the resources to fuel their journey from crisis to overcoming.
N
o young person should have to navigate
life by bringing our proven, scalable model of
the path to adulthood alone — especially
specialized care to NWA.
in one of the most prosperous, innovative,
generous regions of the country. At the invitation of the Arkansas Division of
The Station has been a place of hope and healing for so many overcomers since it launched in 2024. Scan the code to walk through with our youth who experienced it when the doors opened for the very first time.
16
Here in the home of Arkansas’ first bank, first public school, first degree-granting college and the five-and-dime that became a worldwide retail
Children & Family Services, we’ll partner with the
juggernaut, we’ll help make sure
existing community of care in Northwest Arkansas to
every young person in need has the
provide area youth with a seamless, local pathway
tools to achieve their own goals and
to enter adulthood healing, resilient and ready for
dreams — and no one walks alone.
17
Kimberly, 22
Grow in Conway
Protect the Pathway
E M B R AC I N G TH E F U T U R E
W
Christian, 16
TH E PROM ISE OF PE RMAN E NCE
F
e’re expanding our footprint in Faulkner County to focus on the high-stakes bridge
like a foreign concept. By establishing a robust endowment and deep
years, the volatile gap between foster
cash reserves, we can build an unshakable foundation
care and adulthood.
that allows us to offer something rare and vitally important
By deepening our coaching and
to young people in and around the state’s foster care
trauma therapy resources for teens
system: the promise of presence and stability.
and young adults, we can empower
This investment protects the broad, reliable pathway for
our youth to navigate the complexities
every youth from crisis who hasn’t yet walked through our
of the transition to adulthood —
doors. It guarantees that regardless of shifting economic
to see a world of possibilities
winds, Immerse will be here to walk with them. The tools
for themselves and access tools that turn those possibilities into reality.
18
or many youth in foster care, permanence can feel
Quan, 20, works with Immerse therapist
of transformation will remain sharpened and available. And for generations to come, overcoming will always start here.
19
The
vision Chase, 14
W
e work toward an Arkansas where a history of crisis no longer dictates a destiny of despair.
Where every youth once counted out steps into adulthood with the tools to build, the confidence to lead and the stability to thrive; where success is found in the degree or job training earned, the stable home built, the resilience fostered within a restorative community. As our young people rewrite their stories, their transformations revitalize the very fabric of our state. When one youth breaks cycles of generational trauma and poverty, each branch of their family tree draws nourishment from a wellspring of wholeness in perpetuity. This $40 million investment brings that future within reach, positioning Arkansas as a nationwide leader in equipping youth for flourishing. With God’s help and your partnership, we’ll build a permanent pathway to hopeful, profoundly purposeful change for future generations of young Arkansans in need. Because overcoming starts here.
Our Leadership
ERIC GILMORE, MSW Founder & CEO eric@immersearkansas.org
SCOTT BULL Northwest Arkansas Executive Director sbull@immersearkansas.org
JEROME STRICKLAND JR., MBA Central Arkansas Executive Director jstrickland@immersearkansas.org
JUSTIN SANDERS, LCSW Chief Financial Officer jsanders@immersearkansas.org
SYDNEY FOSTER, LMSW Director of Grants & Impact sydney@immersearkansas.org
LAYNE MOSS, LMSW Chief of Staff lmoss@immersearkansas.org
ASHLEY HOOTEN Director of Generosity ahooten@immersearkansas.org
Our Board TANNER MEZEL President Strategy Consultant BO BOSCHETTI Treasurer Director of Loan Operations, Simmons Bank ROBBI RIGGS Secretary Attorney, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. JIMMY ALESSI Co-Owner (Retired), Alessi Keyes Construction
20
MATTHEW DeSALVO, LCSW Chief Program Officer mdesalvo@immersearkansas.org
ROBERT COOK Bishop, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church KILE GRAVES Senior Partner, Cornerstone Coaching STEVE LANE Managing Director, Northwest Arkansas Office Colliers International CHRIS LARSEN, MD Chief Executive Officer, Arkana Laboratories
HANNA MANNING Director of Academics, Conway Christian School REBECCA MILLS, DRPH Medical Affairs Business Process Lead, Boehringer Ingelheim CHARLIE SIMPSON, LPC, LMFT Owner & Therapist, Arkansas Relationship Counseling STEPHANIE WILCOX Child Advocate DAN WILLIAMS Chief Executive Officer (Retired), Garver
21
(501) 404-9890 immersearkansas.org info@immersearkansas.org 5300 Asher Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204 P.O. Box 45385, Little Rock, AR 72214 708 S. Baridon Street, Conway, AR 72034 106 Parkwood Street, Suite C, Lowell, AR 72745
2026-2030 Case for Support