Author: empadmin

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2023 – Methodist Village Senior Living

2023 Methodist Village Senior Living

Methodist Village Senior Living was awarded a grant for $25,000.00 to fund the creation of a Sensory Sanctuary for residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia to engage their senses – vision, touch, smell, hearing, and taste.  Some of the equipment that will be purchased includes a light table, Gell Floor Tiles, Interactive Aroma Panel, Rainfall Panels, Tactile Panels, Shimmering Light Curtains, Bubble Tube, and Filling Pump. We cannot wait to see this sanctuary in action.

Pictured are Katee Jones, Business Development Director  and Melissa Curry, President and CEO, who are happy to receive the check and sign the letter of agreement
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2023 – Fort Smith Community Rescue Mission

2023 Fort Smith Community Rescue Mission

Heather Sanders, Executive Director of the Fort smith Community Rescue Mission, is happy to sign the letter of agreement for a $3,500.00 grant to purchase  AED and first aid equipment for the residents at the facility. Funding will include CPR training to at least 10 residents. 

Their goal is to provide emergency care for residents and basic medical needs and supplies. The Degen Foundation is proud to support this organization.

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2023 – The Monarch 61 Project

2023 Monarch 61

L to R: Haley Roop, Grant Writer, Nicole Walton (seated), Executive Director, Mishelle Davis, Board Member, and Jeannette Pham, Development Director

The Monarch 61 Project was awarded a grant for $10,000.00 to help fund the materials and resources needed for their R.I.S.E. (Resilience, Identity, Strength, Empowerment) program - designed to restore power to survivors of trauma and abuse through meditation, mindfulness, trauma-informed yoga classes and self-defense.  Located in Van Buren, Arkansas – the “project” is a creative hub of community, art, and wellness for ANY woman. This is an amazing new nonprofit organization that The Degen Foundation is honored to support.

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2022 – Donald Reynolds Cancer Support House

2022 The Donald Reynolds Cancer Support House

The Donald Reynolds Cancer Support House was awarded a grant for $17,788.00. The Support House is a place where cancer patients and connect with each other; and have a place to call their own to voice their fears, concerns, and questions.

This grant will allow weekly support groups for men, women, and children to be facilitated by licensed mental health professionals with expertise and training to help patients deal with the anxiety and fear that often arise from a cancer diagnosis.

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2022 – Fort Smith Children's Shelter

2022 The Fort Smith Children's Shelter

"We are thrilled that we have finally received [after backorders and delays] the gym equipment that we were able to purchase from The Degen Foundation grant we received in the fall. 

 As someone who enjoys fitness and the health benefits a person receives from working out, I am so excited our young adults have this beautiful equipment to use while they are in the GetREALU program. 

My hope is that they will establish healthy habits at a young age and be able to take this out in the world with them when they turn 21 and age out of foster care.

 Thank you so much for supporting the GRU program! We are so grateful for The Degen Foundation and its dedication to promoting healthy lifestyles"

--The Children's Shelter

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Student Scholarship Changes

Student Scholarship Changes

March 3, 2022

The Degen Foundation is a supporting organization to the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) that offers degrees in Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Physical Therapy (DPT), and Occupational Therapy (OTD). As ACHE offers scholarship opportunities for those students, under the direction of the board, The Degen Foundation can no longer offer scholarships to students attending another school offering the same degrees.

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2021 December Grant Award Recipients

2021 December Grant Award Recipients

The Degen Foundation announces Grant Awards for December 2021 Cycle

Fort Smith, AR (January 31, 2022) – The Degen Foundation is pleased to announce the following nonprofit organizations who received grants totaling $53,912.52

Tom Webb, Executive Director, Lisa Woodard, Clinic Director,  Marc Baker, Executive Director of The Community Dental Clinic and Rebecca Ameis, Director of Grants & Scholarships were on hand to present a $20,000.00 grant this week.  This grant will provide funds to add technology and equipment to the clinic which will include a new wall mounted computer workstation computer and monitors in all four operatives.  This will allow the dentists and hygienists to access patient x-ray and other information while working with the patients. Chair side intraoral cameras and cordless prophy will be added as well for better patient diagnostics and dental care.

2021 December Grant Award Recipients
2021 December Grant Award Recipients

Tom Webb, Executive Director of Degen, Patti Kimbrough, Executive Director of The Good Samaritan Clinic, and Rebecca Ameis of Degen were all smiles to present a $25,000.00 grant in order for the Clinic to purchase a cohesive, comprehensive, and up-to-date information system with hardware, software, networking, and communication components.  According to Ms. Kimbrough, the Clinic serves over 5,000 patients annually in the River Valley, primarily in the 18-65 age group. (See below)

Another very important nonprofit in our area is The Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy formerly known as Hamilton House.  They were presented a grant for $4,718.52 to be used to equip their play therapy room with updated equipment and purchase journaling tools for child victims of sexual abuse.  Tom Webb, Laurie Burnett, Executive Director, and Rebecca Ameis were on hand to deliver the good news.

2021 December Grant Award Recipients

Last but not least, the Gregory Kistler Treatment Center received a $4,194 grant award to purchase new cellphones and Otter box cases to be utilized daily by the CES Waiver department, the administrative office and nurse.  Below, Jennifer Kistler is seen signing the agreement letter.

2021 December Grant Award Recipients
2021 December Grant Award Recipients
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Jennifer Kistler, The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center

Gregory Kistler Treatment Center

Words do not adequately express our appreciation for The Degen Foundation’s commitment to community and to helping those less fortunate.  Jennifer Kistler, Executive Director, states, “The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center is pleased to have been the recipient of grant awards to benefit our families who are uninsured or underinsured and to provide equipment and technology support. We are thankful for The Degen Foundation.”

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Ashlyn Roffine

Ashlyn Roffine

Introducing Ashlyn Roffine of Fort Smith, AR who received a $2,000 Scholarship to UAFS where she is working to obtain her Associate's Degree of Applied Science in Radiography in May 2024. Later that fall, she will continue classes to obtain a BSIS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

On her application, she relayed that her father has been in the healthcare industry for over 30 years and her brother is pursuing a healthcare degree at UAMS – so she always knew she would go into the medical field.

She loves to spend time with her family and to travel. She has a 2-year-old chocolate retriever named “Nesleigh” and loves to take her on walks and play fetch. She describes herself as “organized” which is a wonderful trait! 

We cannot wait to see what this young lady will do once she graduates and hope that she remains in the River Valley area.

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Sarah Tolbert

Sarah Tolbert

Sarah Tolbert of Fort Smith, AR has been with the Degen Scholarship program since Fall 2021 while achieving her BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders degree at the University of Arkansas. She is continuing her education at the U of A to achieve her Master’s degree and was awarded a $3,000.00 scholarship for the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Semesters.

This bright young woman has maintained a 4.0 GPA the whole time. We admire her giving heart, as she stated “once I get settled, I plan to offer my services for free to low-income households.  People with lower socioeconomic status do not always have insurance that will cover speech therapy but that does not mean they do not have a need for it. I do not believe that the amount of money you have makes you any more or less deserving.”

Kudos to you, Sarah!  We look forward to seeing where you land!