Levi Community Foundation Awards $90,000 Grant to LifeNet for Wheelchair-Accessible Transport Van

Hot Springs, AR — February 25, 2026 — The Levi Community Foundation has awarded LifeNet a $90,000 grant to support the purchase of a wheelchair-accessible transport van, strengthening behavioral health response and community transportation needs across Garland County.

The Levi Board approved the grant agreement in July 2025 following the closure of Levi Hospital, which resulted in behavioral health patients requiring transport outside city limits for care. During this transition, additional challenges became clear. One of LifeNet’s behavioral health transport vans was nearing 400,000 miles and required frequent maintenance, and the organization did not have a wheelchair-accessible transport van to accommodate patients with mobility needs. These limitations created delays when serving patients with mobility needs and placed additional strain on emergency response resources. As transportation demands increased, the high-mileage van was required for more frequent use, highlighting the need for a reliable, accessible replacement.

LifeNet is a nonprofit emergency medical services provider that serves nearly 350,000 people across Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and parts of Oklahoma. In addition to emergency response, LifeNet regularly assists with non-medical transportation needs and other charitable acts when community members require help, even when those situations fall outside traditional emergency responsibilities.

The new wheelchair-accessible van will improve response times, increase efficiency, and allow LifeNet to transport behavioral health patients more quickly and safely. The vehicle replaces the older high-mileage behavioral health transport van and will also support broader community needs as they arise.

Libby Harrington, Executive Director of the Levi Community Foundation, said the grant reflects both practical need and shared community values.

“This new wheelchair-accessible van will help behavioral health patients reach care more quickly while also supporting the broader community when charitable needs arise,” said Harrington. “Transporting wheelchair-bound patients without the proper equipment requires extra time, added cost, and constant problem solving. We are grateful for LifeNet’s willingness to step in and help wherever they are needed, and we are proud to support work that makes an already demanding job a little lighter.”

Harrington added that recent developments in local behavioral health care will further strengthen support for patients in crisis.

“With National Park Medical Center opening an adult behavioral health unit in Hot Springs, and with the addition of this new transport van, patients will have greater access to timely and appropriate care close to home. Together, these efforts represent meaningful progress for behavioral health in our community,” she said.

Alyssa Moore, CEO of LifeNet, expressed appreciation for the partnership.

“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Levi Community Foundation for their generous donation of a wheelchair-accessible van. This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration in advancing community health and accessibility,” said Moore. “The new vehicle provides our Arkansas team with the appropriate means of transportation to better serve patients, ensuring comfort, dignity, and continuity of care for those who rely on our services.”

In response to emerging behavioral health transportation needs in the community, the grant represents an unusual early award for the newly formed foundation. Levi Community Foundation leaders emphasized that the organization is not a source of emergency funding and will soon launch a structured grantmaking process for local nonprofits.

The foundation’s first public grant application cycle will open April 20 for nonprofit organizations serving Garland County. Eligibility requirements and application guidelines are now available at www.levicares.org/grantmaking, where community organizations may also sign up for notifications through the contact form.

ABOUT THE LEVI COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Founded in 1914 and operating as a hospital for more than a century, Levi has been committed to service in Hot Springs with a focus on physical rehabilitation and behavioral health care. The hospital’s mission now continues through the Levi Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health outcomes across Garland County through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs.