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Portrait of boy sitting in wheelchair at library against close-up of brown lockers

For 50+ years and counting, the legacy of Mrs. Bess Downs Jenkins, of Pine Bluff, is serving the needs of Arkansans with developmental disabilities and their families.

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<h3 class="av-special-heading-tag ">HISTORY</h3>
<p>Mrs. Bess Downs Jenkins, of Pine Bluff, founded the Arkansas Society for Crippled Children in 1926. As the wife of surgeon John S. Jenkins, who specialized in healing crippled bodies, she saw the need in Arkansas for a program to provide care and education to children with physical and developmental challenges.</p>
<p>Upon her death, she left a large part of her estate to the school for children with disabilities. These funds, along with matching donations, provided for the construction of the Jenkins Memorial Center, which began operating in 1968. The Center continues to operate with the support of the Board of Directors of Jenkins Memorial Center and Jenkins Industries, Inc. (formerly the Arkansas Society for Crippled Children, Inc.)</p>

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Jenkins Memorial Center is a remarkable non-profit organization that truly makes a difference in our community. Their dedication to helping those in need is inspiring. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to making the world a better place!

I'm grateful for the Jenkins Memorial Center's impactful work as a non-profit. Their dedication to making a difference in the community is truly inspiring. Thank you for your commitment to creating a better future for all!

My daughter Vada has attended Jenkins Memorial Center since January of 2022.  In the year and half since her enrollment, she has gone from not speaking at all, to speaking in sentences and singing songs.  She has caught up to her peers in the speech department.  In the time that she has been going to Jenkins, she has also gone from barely taking steps to being able to walk without assistance, walk up and down stairs with minimal help and even run.  When Vada started out, she could not hold a spoon to properly feed herself, she struggled to color using crayons and makers, she could not even assist me with putting her clothes on but now she can do all of those things and more!  Vada has made friends at Jenkins and learned to play and share with other children.  The care that Vada has received from the staff at Jenkins has been nothing short of amazing!  It is clear to me every day, the staff at Jenkins care greatly for her as she cares for them and as a parent, that is very important to me!

My son attended Jenkins Memorial Center for Pre-K 3 and 4. It was Godsent for our family!  When he first started attending Jenkins, he'd recently been diagnosed with autism.  Previously, he was attending another school that could not serve his educational needs and his therapy needs.  The staff at Jenkins was able to meet all of his needs.  We were told by our family Doctor that he would NEVER speak; however, by the time he graduated from Pre-K, he was speaking!  Jenkins was always very supportive and always provided my family with the most update information concerning my son's needs.  I highly recommend them to every family that has a child with special needs, they care a great deal about their children, adults and families.

Jenkins is a wonderful resource in our city of Pine Blue. Three out of my Five children attended the preschool and received speech therapy. They helped my daughter more than I could have imagined.  When I was referred to Jenkins Memorial Center for an assessment, I had an 8 month old who was meeting the milestones of a 3 month old.  She was diagnosed  with low muscle tone and even later on autism. Throughout her entire Pre-K years they helped her learn to sit, crawl, walk and talk.  She knew all her letters with recognition and could count over a hundred.  She learned her colors, shapes and her teachers were amazed at her progress.  Jenkins is an amazing place with tons of loving and caring people.

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