Not Your Typical Advocates — A Salute to The Hat Club of Little Rock and its Philanthropy for the UAMS NICU
| Advocates of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) come in many forms — volunteers, donors, alumni and board members to name a few. Though not fitting neatly within any given category, taking a unique and creative approach towards fundraising, The Hat Club of Little Rock is a group that UAMS is fortunate to count as longtime supporters.
The Hat Club is a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization that provides its members with a social outlet through “innovative fundraising events and volunteer service projects.” The mission of The Hat Club is to create a path for young men in Little Rock, enabling them with a sense of philanthropic and socially responsible, while supporting a variety of nonprofits in central Arkansas through advocacy, volunteerism and fundraising.
The UAMS NICU honored the The Hat Club of Little Rock with a plaque of recognition in the lobby of the NICU.
“Since its inception, The Hat Club’s mission has been to support other nonprofits, and that has remained steadfast. That said, over time our membership has changed, what started as a group of close friends hosting events has evolved into well over 100 diverse, ambitious members, many of whom did not know each other prior to joining,” said Chad Brown, president of The Little Rock Hat Club. “This has led to our core duties expanding to create regular messaging and programming to ensure our members have the opportunity to connect with each other in addition to helping our partner nonprofits.”
The UAMS Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was one of The Hat Club’s earliest beneficiaries, receiving $247,945. Next year, the group will celebrate the 15th year of its support of the NICU.
The Hat Club events are equally known for philanthropy and celebration.
Since 2010, the Hat Club has raised over $790,000 for more than 32 local charities. In addition to UAMS, the club supports the Arkansas Food Bank, Project Zero, the Arkansas Autism Resource & Outreach Center, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Boys & Girls Club of Central Arkansas, CARE for Animals, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children, The Centers for Youth & Families, the American Cancer Society, and the American Childhood Cancer Organization.
There is an important reason why The Hat Club chooses to support so many nonprofits.
“The Hat Club believes that philanthropy is not just a part of what we do, it is everything — for our organization, philanthropy is at the core of our mission,” said William Ogles, the 2023-24 board chairman of The Hat Club. “It is important to support numerous organizations because it allows us to thoroughly connect with our community in meaningful ways that allow us to give back and make a positive impact on the world around us.”
However, The Hat Club doesn’t simply raise money for a cause. No, they have gained a reputation for bringing excitement and awareness of causes through highly engaging events such as The Hat Club Classic, a charity golf tournament, Chili Fights in the Heights, a block party hosted in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood, and the Crawfish Salute, which benefits the UAMS NICU.
The Crawfish Salute has grown so large that the event has moved to Dicky-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. The 2024 event, hosted April 11, resulted in $40,000 being donated to the UAMS NICU greatest needs fund.
The Hat Club leadership is also adamant that they do not want to be passive supporters of the nonprofits that they support — thoroughly understanding the mission and functions of beneficiaries is important to the organization. Each spring, members of The Hat Club tour the UAMS NICU, meeting with staff and leaders, and seeing how the unit functions.
“Once a year, members of The Hat Club Crawfish committee partake of a special tour of the UAMS NICU — this visit allows us to witness firsthand the incredible work being done at the NICU,” said Ogles. “It is a place of comfort and care for families facing unimaginable stress and uncertainty. It really struck me when I learned that more than a tenth of babies born in Arkansas this year will spend time in the NICU.”
Members of The Hat Club visited the UAMS NICU in March for its annual meeting and tour of the facility.
Beyond the tangible impact of its donations, the immeasurable influence of The Hat Club must be the many philanthropic-minded men who will carry on the philosophy and lessons to the many organizations that they represent.
“To us, philanthropy means using our resources and our platform to uplift others and create a better future for everyone — it is about coming together as a community to make a difference and leave a legacy that will last for generations to come,” said Ogles. “Through our efforts, we are able to support local organizations that in turn assist our community and our state. The Hat Club provides opportunities for men with a calling to do more and enables them to take actions in our community that make a difference in the lives of others.”
“We are always humbled and truly amazed by the support received from The Hat Club of Little Rock — their ability to rally so many people around the nonprofits that they champion is impressive, and we are grateful that the UAMS NICU is included as one of their causes,” said Rebecca Sartini, DNP, RNC-NIC, clinical services manager for Labor & Delivery. “The young men that serve in the Hat Club are one reason Little Rock and Arkansas is one of the most special places to work and live.”