Methodist Village receives grant for second phase of expansion

Methodist Village Senior Living received a $154,000 challenge grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation to help fund Phase II of its Legacy of Faith – Vision for the Future Campaign.

“The campaign’s strategic campus improvements and additions will ensure that (Methodist Village Senior Living) can continue to live out its mission and realize its future vision,” said Melissa Curry, CEO, in a news release.

She said the challenge grant “marks the continuation of a relationship” between the Mabee Foundation and Methodist Village, which has been in Fort Smith since 1961 and will celebrate its 60th year of “serving elders in the community” in March.

In 2017, Methodist Village received an $800,000 challenge grant toward Phase I of the campaign, which was the addition of Assisted Living/Alzheimer’s Special Care Unit that opened in April 2019. The facility, which cost $8 million to build and equip, was at resident capacity within a few months.

“This is the second time the Mabee Foundation has expressed its confidence in and support for (Methodist Village Senior Living) to improve the well-being of the community it serves. We are truly grateful for the Mabee Foundation’s continued support …, its mission and vision,” Curry said.

Phase II of the Legacy of Faith – Vision for the Future Campaign is budgeted at $770,000. This phase will include an enclosed connecting corridor between the Care Center and the assisted living/Alzheimer’s care unit. The corridor will allow residents easier access to visit their spouse, family and friends, as well as give residents of the assisted living/Alzheimer’s care unit access to additional inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, the press release said.

This phase of the campaign also includes the addition of administrative offices.

Methodist Village has raised $308,483 of the $770,000 needed. The challenge grant gives the facility until January 22, 2022, to raise the $307,517 in remaining funds required to finish the project in cash and multi-year pledge commitments in order to receive the $154,000 challenge grant funding from the Mabee Foundation.

Phase III of the Legacy of Faith Campaign, which does not yet have a start date, will include a training center and remodel of the existing care center, some of which has not been updated since 1961, said Carol Smith, business development director. That phase is budgeted at $2.5 million.

The Midland, Texas-based J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation provides financial support to a variety of charitable organizations, religious organizations, institutions of higher learning and entities focused on scientific, medical and health care activities.