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Current updates

5/8 Update:

Over 350,000 pounds (183 tons) of debris has been removed so far from the roof and chapel of St. Joseph Center! East Harding Construction crews are working hard to stabilize and clear the building of rubble from the catastrophic fire that occured on March 19. Once cleared, a structural engineering analysis will be made. The origin and cause of the fire has not yet been determined and it is still unclear what will happen with the building. After the structural integrity report is available, the insurance folks will work the numbers and present them to the owners (Diocese of Little Rock). 

Many lives continue to be disrupted by the fire. Thankfully, no one was injured but the loss is great. Most of the SJ artists have been able to collect the contents of their studios but unfortunately the seven artists on the 4th floor have still not had access. Water damage has been more destructive than the fire and not everything was able to be salvaged. Artists are resilient! Some have found new studio space and begun the restoration process. Their creative spirit is sorely missed.

Thank you for continuing to support St. Joseph's ongoing fire recovery efforts. Help is still needed as we navigate the path forward to reestablish programming. Donations are still being accepted at https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/help-st-joseph-farmily-3192025-fire and an online auction "Harvesting Hope" will soon launch so stay tuned. The "Resurrect the St. Joseph's Farm Stand" goal has been reached and we are working hard to get things back up and running and we hope to be open in some form or fashion soon! In the meantime, the SJ Farmers Market/Beer Shed is now open every Thursday from 4:30-7:30pm so stop by, meet the farmers/makers and stay a while. 2nd Saturday Volunteer Orientation (10am) and Farm Tours (11am) are resuming so stop by.

Life on a farm helps give rhythm to the days when everything else is in a state of flux. SJ gardens are lush, animals are thriving, and staff/volunteers continue to pour their love and attention into this special and historic place. Our farmily can feel the positive thoughts and prayers from all of you and that is what is helping get us through these uncertain days. Please keep them coming and we will continue to update everyone as new information is available.

NQBTM (Not Quitting Before The Miracle),



Sandy DeCoursey, Executive Director

4/16 Update:

It has been one month since the fire at St. Joseph's. Your generous support has helped us continue operating the farmstead while also navigating next steps for our former tenants, the historic building, and our future.

While the future timeline for the building restoration remains unknown, we are happy to report that our public events scheduled for next week will resume as planned. Our first weekly Arkansas Food Market that includes 12 local farmers and food producers will take place next Thursday April 24 from 4:30-7:30pm. Our Annual Earth Day Celebration is also Saturday April 26 from 10am-2pm and includes local vendors, live music and performance, goat yoga, free trees and seedlings, interactive activities including the Rover mobile library and yarn decorating, and more fun! *Due to limited parking please try to carpool and follow the signs when you arrive.

We are excited to finally invite the public back to the farmstead (outside) and hope you will join us next week or soon. We will continue these updates as news on the progress of the building becomes available. We are now at 89% funded for our Farmstand resurrection campaign and next month we are organizing an online auction (May 12-18) with many generously donated items, gift certificates, gift baskets, memberships, and more exciting items to share soon. 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for all of your support over these past 30 days that have carried us through such a challenging month. We look forward to spring harvests, summer fun and are hopeful for a resurrection.

With Gratitude,

St. Joseph Farmily

4/2 Update:

There have been new developments since our last update one week ago. Engineers were onsite and their initial assessment indicates that fire damage has compromised the structural integrity of the building. As a result, a perimeter fence has been constructed around the building and the structure  will need to be shored up before anyone can gain access. The upcoming weather poses a real threat to the already compromised structure of the building so please continue to send positive thoughts and prayers our way.

St. Joseph Center  continues to pivot in light of these ongoing developments and our current focus remains on the farm and upcoming market season. The year-round Farmstand and store provided a large percentage of revenue that supports our efforts as a nonprofit organization and every day that the St. Joseph farmstand remains closed is a daily loss of income. We also work with over 100 local farmers and food producers who count on spaces like St. Joseph's to earn a living through wholesaling of their products. We have 5 farmers onsite through our Growing Urban Farmers program and harvests have begun. In  a little over 2 months, our blackberry season will be coming to fruition followed by watermelons in our Hunger Relief garden.

Response to the initial fire recovery fund has already helped cover the following costs we’ve endured due to the fire: staff relocation and salary, returning rent and deposits for 30 artists, & loss of income from the  Farmstand, rentals and programming that we continue to incur daily. Continued assistance for our former artists in securing space, materials, and other fundraising efforts is still a priority.

In order for St. Joseph’s to rebound from the daily losses, we will need to resurrect the St. Joseph Farmstand immediately. We have started a new campaign after receiving a $10,000 donation match towards our goal of $40,000 in 1 month. This campaign will help us restock and rebuild after our farmstand lost over $9,000 in inventory so that we can reopen this summer.

We are asking everyone who has pitched in to share our new Help St. Joseph Resurrect Our Farmstand   campaign so that we can reach our goal by May 1. 

Thank you so much for your continued support.

3/23 Update:

The team has been hard at work since the fire Wednesday navigating through a quagmire of details requiring attention after a disaster of this scale. A bit of history to help frame the challenge of navigation. In 2010, the St. Joseph Center of Arkansas signed a 50-year lease for the property with the owner, the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock and assumed all fiscal and management responsibility. As owners, the Diocese is working directly with the insurance company and communicating with SJ.

We learned yesterday that the Diocese has selected East-Harding Construction as lead on the project. The insurance company is working with forensic engineers who will be onsite next week to do inspections. Hopefully, the path forward will be made clearer after the structural integrity of the building has been determined. The good news is, with the exception of the chapel, the interior sustained minimal fire damage. Updates will be posted as they become available.