On a bright May morning at Shadow Valley Country Club in Northwest Arkansas, the 12th Annual D&F Charity Trust Arkansas Golf Classic brought together golfers, sponsors, and community supporters for a day of competition, camaraderie, and purpose. Among the players on the course was someone who embodied the very heart of why D&F Charity Trust does what it does—Jack Graham, a student in the EMPOWER Program at the University of Arkansas.
Jack was not there merely as a guest. He was there to speak, to play, and to remind every person on the course what it means when an organization chooses to invest in people.
Getting to Know Jack
Jack Graham is enrolled in the EMPOWER Program at the University of Arkansas, a four-year, non-degree college experience designed for students with cognitive disabilities. EMPOWER, which stands for Educate, Motivate, Prepare, Opportunity, Workplace Readiness, Employment, and Responsibility, offers students the chance to fully participate in university life while developing the practical skills they need to live and work independently.
For Jack, that opportunity has been transformational.
“It has meant a lot to me and my family. Me being independent, living on my own, getting ready for a job or an internship in the future, and just getting ready for the future to be independent as a young man.” –Jack Graham
The EMPOWER Program gives students like Jack access to 15 hours of coursework built around real-life readiness: vocational preparation, financial literacy, healthy relationships, and independent living. It is a college experience, not a parallel one. Students are part of the University of Arkansas community, attending classes, living on campus, and growing into the adults they are meant to be.
Jack’s father, Chase Graham, shared what it means to see his son thrive in this environment,
“It means the world that there are organizations that are supporting EMPOWER, that support students like Jack and his peers to be able to have this experience, but also learn the skills necessary to live an independent life after college.”
A New Partnership, A Lasting Impact
D&F Charity Trust‘s support of the EMPOWER Program represents one of its newest and most meaningful partnerships. Alongside its long-standing commitments to scholarship recipients at the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, Arkansas Children’s Northwest, scholarship recipients at Auburn University, and Alabama Children’s Rehabilitation Services, D&F Charity Trust has made a deliberate choice to invest in programs that build futures, not just fund moments.
EMPOWER does exactly that. Its goal is to produce self-sufficient young adults who are equipped to integrate into their communities, sustain employment, and live with purpose. When D&F Charity Trust supports EMPOWER, it is funding independence. It is funding possibility. It is funding students like Jack.
Chase Graham put it simply and sincerely: “We absolutely appreciate D&F Charity Trust supporting EMPOWER, supporting Jack. It really means the world to us.”
Why It Matters
Stories like Jack’s are the reason D&F Charity Trust hosts these events year after year. Because of the generosity of every sponsor, golfer, donor, and volunteer, real students gain access to real opportunities. The funds raised at the Arkansas Golf Classic go directly toward programs that change the trajectory of lives. The money goes to programs like EMPOWER, which give students the tools to step confidently into adulthood.
D&F Charity Trust believes in doing Whatever it Takes to support the people who need it most. Jack Graham is proof that when a community rallies around its members, the results are extraordinary.
We invite you to get involved. Donate year-round, consider sponsoring a future event, or simply spread the word. Together, we can ensure that students like Jack, and the programs that serve them, continue to receive the support they deserve.
