News Release > Entergy Arkansas awards grant to Searcy’s McRae Elementary for accessible playground equipment

Entergy Arkansas awards grant to Searcy’s McRae Elementary for accessible playground equipment

11/11/2024

Quality education an important part of charitable foundation's mission

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Nearly one out of five students at McRae Elementary has a recognized disability, which can make not only classroom activities but recess a challenge. Part of the mission of Entergy Arkansas is to address the needs for quality education across the state, and providing a grant to make the school’s playground more accessible was a natural fit for the Entergy Charitable Foundation.

“As a corporation, Entergy Arkansas invests in solutions and partners with nonprofits, schools and government organizations to provide opportunities and programs that create sustainable value and improve the quality of life for all our customers – young families, older Arkansans and everyone in between,” said Brandi Hinkle with Entergy Arkansas Corporate Social Responsibility. “We do this a number of ways, from providing grants and advocating for our customers to volunteering our time.”

The $5,000 grant will be used to purchase two pieces of inclusive equipment to make the playground more accessible for those with disabilities and allow their classmates to play together more easily as well. The pieces will include an Aro Spinning Chair, which is set at transfer height for those in wheelchairs and has a tilted seat and higher back, and a sensory bench. The Novo^® Playful Bench allows kids to sit, relax, engage their senses, play games, learn numbers, and practice language skills in a relaxed space while engaging with each other, their caregivers, or playing solo.

“Learning cooperation and how the world works around them are invaluable life skills that begin during play,” said McRae Elementary School Principal Heather Franks, “and an inclusive playground provides opportunities for children to interact face-to-face and use their imagination. By including a variety of options on the playground, there will be developmentally appropriate challenges that meet kids wherever they are at while letting them build comfortably on the skills they already possess.”

Across the company, Entergy’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts are focused primarily on the broad pillars of poverty solutions, education and workforce development, and environmental programs. Additionally, the areas of healthy families, arts and culture, and community enrichment are part of the overall strategy to contribute to a society that is healthy, educated, environmentally safe and productive.

“Studies show more than 85 percent of adults with disabilities who report losing their jobs attribute it to a lack of social skills,” Hinkle said, “and that negatively impacts all of our workforce. Play is where we learn from each other and the more opportunities we create for that face-to-face play and social interaction, the more these life-long skills will be developed. We encourage other companies to invest in our children of all abilities to improve our workforce outcomes.”

Entergy Arkansas has awarded nearly $500,000 in shareholder profit and donations to scores of nonprofit partners in Arkansas during the better part of the year. Programs funded range from emergency response and relief services to scholarships and youth services, food pantries and community safety events. Entergy Arkansas employees clocked 29,000 volunteer hours in 2023 based on a goal of 25,000 and hope to meet or exceed that number this year.

To qualify for volunteer service and grants from the company, organizations must be:

• A public charity or private foundation that qualifies as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.
• A state or local government, but only if the volunteer service/donation thereto benefits the public at large.
• A school, hospital, or religious institution that holds nonprofit status similar to that of 501(c)(3) organizations, but only if the volunteer service/donation thereto benefits the public at large.
• Certain tax-exempt war-veterans’ organizations, domestic fraternal societies and volunteer fire departments.

For more information about Entergy Arkansas Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, charitable grant applications, employee volunteerism and more, visit www.entergy.com/csr/.

About Entergy Arkansas

Entergy Arkansas, LLC provides electricity to approximately 730,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy Arkansas, visit the Newsroom and connect with @EntergyArk on social media.