Author: empadmin

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2026 – Donald Reynolds Cancer Support House

2026 The Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House

The Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House received a grant of $17,000.00 for its Patient Nutrition and Access Support Program. This funding will provide protein shakes and gas cards for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. Gas cards will help patients travel to chemotherapy, radiation, and other essential medical appointments, while nutritional supplements will support patients experiencing treatment-related weight loss or difficulty maintaining adequate nutrition. These services help reduce barriers to care and improve quality of life during treatment.
Pictured left to right front row:  Mitzy Little, Degen Vice Chair; Ashley Boyd, DRCSH Community Engagement & Grants Administrator, Brooke Runser – DRCSH Board President and son, Dylan; Grace Wilmath, DRCSH Executive Director; Rachel Harper, DRCSH, Carmen Oxford, Degen Board Member; Rebecca Ameis, Director of Grants & Scholarships
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2026 Community Dental Clinic

 

2026 Community Dental Clinic

 

The Community Dental Clinic, a program of the Crawford-Sebastian Community Development Council, received a grant in the amount of $20,301.74 to modernize their diagnostic capabilities through the purchase of digital intraoral sensors for peripheral (PA) and bitewing X-rays and the software required for integration of imaging into their existing Dentrix practice management system.

 Enhanced radiographic imaging will improve the clinic's ability to detect tooth decay, identify infection and bone loss, determine tooth viability, diagnose conditions below the gum line, and better plan for extractions and denture fabrication.

The Degen Foundation is proud to support this investment in technology that will improve access to quality dental care for the patients served by the clinic.

L – R: Tom Webb, Degen Executive Director;  Rebecca Ameis, Director of Grants & Scholarships; Marc Baker, Executive Director of CDC; Lisa Woodard, CDC Manager; Mitzy Little, Degen Vice Chair & Marketing Director of United Way Fort Smith Area, and Bob Cooper, Degen Chair
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2026 Community Services Clearinghouse

2026 Community Services Clearinghouse

 

The Community Services Clearinghouse received a grant for $7,800.00 to fund their “Fresh Food to Fight Cancer” project.  Funding will provide six  (6) months’ worth ($300.00 weekly!) of fresh fruit and vegetables for clients of The Donald Reynolds Cancer Support House undergoing cancer treatment. Access to nutritious food is especially important for individuals facing the financial, physical and emotional challenges associated with cancer treatment. This program will provide approximately $300 worth of fresh produce each week to help meet those needs.   

L - R: Tom Webb, Degen Executive Director, Rebecca Ameis, Director of Grants & Scholarships, Aubrey Severe, CSC Director of Operations, Mitzy Little, Degen Vice Chair and United Way of Fort Smith Area Marketing Director, and Bob Cooper, Degen Chair  
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2026 Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

2026 Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) was awarded a grant of $450,000.00 to support a variety of projects, including:

  • $160,000.00 for new LED Screens for both ARCOM Lecture Halls
  • $35,000.00 for Anatomy Lab Tablets
  • $30,000.00 to assist with the 2026 Remote Area Medical Event (RAM)
  • $25,000.00 for the ACHE Journal of Medicine & Executive Leadership;
  • $200,000.00 to establish the John Taylor/Degen Foundation Endowed Scholarship Program
Pictured:  Chris Brown, ACHE Chief Financial Officer, Garon Kerns, Director of IT Operations, pictured with the new LED screens that will enhance instruction in both ARCOM  Lectures Halls, Dr. Joanne Peterson, ARCOM Chair of Anatomy, pictured with newly acquired tablets that will support anatomy laboratory instruction   
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Sarah Tolbert

Sarah Tolbert

Sarah Tolbert of Fort Smith, AR  attends the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville working towards a MS in Speech-Language Pathology. She received a $3,000.00 scholarship for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 term and will graduate Spring 2025. She has been part of our program since 2021 and has maintained a 4.0 GPA the entire time.

Sarah grew up watching her father, a physical therapist, play a large part in changing people’s lives – he helped rehabilitate people who had strokes, heart attacks, or had been in serious accidents. He inspired her to want to help people in a similar way and Sarah felt by becoming a speech pathologist, she could do that. She wants to “improve people’s quality of life and increase their self-esteem.”

Watch as her dreams come true.  Congratulations, Sarah!!

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Miranda Smith

Miranda Smith

Meet Miranda Smith of Barling, AR who first joined our program last year. She is working on her Doctorate of Nursing Practice – Nurse Midwifery degree and will graduate in May 2025!

This remarkable young woman has dedicated her life’s work to “serve the women and children of Arkansas by bridging gaps in care and educating them on bodily autonomy and care choices.”

She relates “from foster care to graduation, her hometown of Clarksville rallied to help her destroy generational chains. My soul yearns to cultivate a clinic in the Arkansas River Valley that provides specialized care for at-risk teen mothers and their children.” We know she will succeed!

Congratulations, Miranda!

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Ashlyn Roffine

Ashlyn Roffine

Ashlyn Roffine of Fort Smith, AR received her second $2,000 Scholarship to UAFS where she is working to obtain her BSIS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, with plans to graduate in Spring 2026.

After high school graduation in 2021, she chose to stay in Fort Smith to pursue her degree in radiography and has already received her Associates of Applied Science Degree.

This young lady describes herself as a “very hard working and driven individual” who studies a lot and sets high standards for herself.  She is just the type of person you would want to take your x-ray!    

We know that Ashlyn will do her absolute best when working with her patients.

Congratulations, Ashlyn! 

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Mikelle Porter

Mikelle Porter

Reintroducing Mikelle Porter of Van Buren, AR who is attending UCA to obtain her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She was awarded  a $3,000.00 Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 scholarship and will graduate in Summer 2025. 

A summer job in 2020 led her to interact with multiple children who had delayed language development – which hindered their ability to communicate clearly – and sparked an interest in speech and language disorders which was something she didn’t know existed. 

She states, “The magnitude of diversity and variety within the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) results in a never ending passion I can continuously work towards”

This incredibly determined young woman will truly make a wonderful Speech Pathologist.

Congratulations, Mikelle

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Kobe Panis

Kobe Panis

And here is repeating recipient Kobe Panis of Greenwood, AR. He received the Dr. James Greene Nursing Scholarship Award in the amount of $2,000.00 for the FY 2024-2025 terms to the University of Fort Smith, AR. 

We felt that Kobe would be an outstanding recipient of this incredibly special honor. He states, “all my life I have been very driven to achieve goals and overcome hurdles.” Diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder at an early age, he achieved his goal of completing high school with an Honor’s Diploma and 35 college credits! We can’t wait to watch and see what he does next.

He will graduate with his RN degree  in Spring 2025!  Congratulations, Kobe!