EVENTS

Dr. Barbara Taylor

This year's Courage Award will honor the remarkable women who founded Peace at Home Family Shelter: those who, in 1977, answered a critical need in our community long before systems or funding existed to support them. At the heart of that founding story is Dr. Barbara Taylor, who will be present on stage to accept this recognition on behalf of all the founding mothers as we look ahead to our 50th anniversary in 2027. Beginning with Frances Woods, whose research and organizing spark ignited the effort, and carried forward through the dedication of Suzanne Pharr, Beverly Maddox, Judy Jones, Sharon Gannaway, Cherry Brooks, Nancy Edelman, Kathy Reddick, Martha (Butler) Hipp, Linda Brown, Honore Hughes, Julie Gram, and many others, these women built something extraordinary from the ground up for our community.

Together, they launched the Project for Victims of Family Violence (Peace at Home’s original name). Judy Jones, Sharon Gannaway, and Barbara Taylor pooled their own money to purchase the home that became Arkansas's first domestic violence shelter, at the corner of Mountain and School.

This generosity has made a profound impact on thousands of lives in Northwest Arkansas over the past 50 years.