SWEPCO, on behalf of the American Electric Power Foundation, recently presented a $15,000 grant to the Ronald McDonald House Charities to support the non-profit’s Care Mobile, which provides comprehensive dental treatment to children lacking dental insurance in Northwest Arkansas at no charge.

The Care Mobile, offered in partnership with Arkansas Children’s Hospital, is a state-of-the-art 40-foot-long, 14-foot-wide mobile unit that travels to schools in Benton and Washington counties to help bridge the gap in dental hygiene for children who don’t have dental insurance.

It’s one of five programs offered by the Ronald McDonald House Charities, and the only program that isn’t solely focused on children in the hospital, said Erin Farrah, Marketing and Communications Manager for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma.

“The Care Mobile provides dental care from cleanings to root canals for kids 21 years or younger without a primary dental provider,” said Farrah. “The purpose of the Care Mobile is to show families and kids that there is dental care available for them, to support the longevity of dental care and to get them with a primary dental provider in the end.”

The program partners with school nurses and counselors to ensure they’re meeting the needs of children who can benefit from having access to free dental care. Since 2010, the Care Mobile has provided more than $3.9 million in dental services to over 5,300 local children.

“We are serving kids daily. So, the money from the AEP Foundation and from people in the community is important,” Farrah said. “We couldn’t have this truck without that money and support, and children would not be able to receive this kind of care. We’re extremely thankful for the support of the community.”

SWEPCO employee experiences RMHC impact

Jeremy Arent, SWEPCO Energy Efficiency and Program Coordinator, knows firsthand the impact Ronald McDonald House Charities has on families.

In December 2018, Arent’s newborn son was at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock for multiple open-heart surgeries. Given the severity of the operations, Arent wasn’t sure how long he would be at the hospital. Fortunately, he and his family didn’t have to worry about finding accommodations – they were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Little Rock for free while his son was in the hospital.

“To say that the Ronald McDonald House was a blessing to us would be an understatement,” Arent said. “They provided us warm meals and a place to stay that was right across the street from the hospital, and supplied us with everything we needed, from a washing machine to smaller items like a toothbrush.”

Today, Arent’s son is thriving as a typical 3-year-old. He has a pacemaker, but it hasn’t impacted his day-to-day life as a toddler.

“In a time of uncertainly and worry, it was nice to know that the Ronald McDonald House gave us a place to rest and refresh, even if it was only for a night or two,” he said. “I always speak well of our experience and can’t say enough about the staff and organization.”

To learn more about the Ronald McDonald House Charities, visit RMHC.org.