Karen Koop, AWARE 2025 president, announced the 2025 Grant Recipients. AWARE is a nonprofit organization that empowers North Texans to rise above the challenges of Alzheimer’s and other dementias together.
Each year, AWARE conducts an annual grant review process by which grant applicants are carefully and thoughtfully vetted to ensure that grant dollars are awarded to organizations that provide outstanding services to those living with Alzheimer’s and their care partners, and to those research institutions that are at the forefront of medical research in the treatment, prevention, and cure of Alzheimer’s disease. All Grant Recipients are located in our North Texas area.
Since AWARE’s founding in 1989 by a group of volunteers, the Dallas-based organization has invested more than $15 million in local providers, researchers and innovators fighting for our loved ones and a cure. Every dollar that AWARE grants stays in North Texas to benefit the local community.
AWARE also invites North Texans who care about those who have been impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementias to join Friends of AWARE – a community of individuals, caregivers and professionals with a vested interest in supporting the best care in our region today and hope for a cure tomorrow. Individuals navigating the challenges of these diseases – including patients, caregivers and professionals – connect, learn and advocate for solutions in North Texas.
The community can support AWARE’s mission by joining Friends of AWARE, attending its annual signature fundraiser, AWARE Affair, or making a donation at www.awaredallas.org Instagram: @awaredallas Facebook: @awaredallas
AWARE 2025 Grants Awarded
Baylor Scott and White Dallas Foundation
Continued support for the salary of a Care and Support Specialist at the Baylor Memory Center. The Specialist provides education, guidance and support that significantly reduce stress and improve the quality of life for families of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and enables clinical caregivers to focus on the medical needs of patients.
Bishop Arts Theatre Center
Continued support for Patio Live, a creative aging program that offers weekly workshops in partnership with memory care centers. The workshops include song, dance, storytelling and other creative activities hosted by teaching artists and designed to stimulate brain function and ease stress. The workshops also provide additional tools for the professional caregiver.
Center for Brain Health
Support for Empowered Caregiving: Leveraging Brain Health for a Better Journey, a series of two-hour workshops for caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s. Workshops are designed to help caregivers cope with the stress and demands of caring for patients and provide a personalized plan to improve their cognitive well-being and help participants approach caregiving with confidence and clarity.
Dallas Museum of Art
Support for Meaningful Moments, a program that provides art workshops for visitors to the Nasher and Dallas Museum of Art. The program engages individuals with early to mid-stage Alzheimer’s and dementia and their caregivers in 90-minute workshops that include art-based activities designed to stimulate the senses, encourage self-expression, rekindle dormant memories, promote social interaction and affirm their dignity and self-worth.
Dallas Symphony Association
Continued support for DSO Cares, a series of concerts performed by DSO musicians in nursing homes, hospitals and memory care centers. Programs include familiar classical works and other music genres that foster an engaging experience in which musicians share stories about the music, its composers and the instruments, and patients can sing along and recall memories of their own. The concerts also provide musical experiences that can be shared in their professional caregiving capacity.
Dementia Care Warriors
Support for the Revive, Refresh Caregiver Symposium, a program that addresses the critical gap in the support available to family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in underserved communities in the greater Dallas area. The day-long symposium provides important information on legal and financial planning, medical information from diagnosis to treatment and palliative care, coping skills for caregivers and many valuable caregiver resources.
First Unitarian Church of Dallas
Support for Unforgettable Friends, a program that provides stimulating physical activities, music therapy and a nutritious lunch for individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The program also offers respite for caregivers who need time to attend to their own personal needs and quarterly gatherings in which they can learn from professionals in various fields.
For Love and Art
Support for recruitment of Art Angels to expand and manage a program that provides therapeutic art experiences to individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in nursing homes and senior living facilities. Art Angels engage participants through active exploration of art from world renown collections, engagement in conversations about the works and the artists, and stimulation of social, cognitive and spiritual quality of life experiences.
Jewish Family Service
Continued support for JSF Older Adult Services, a program that provides year-round homecare and case management support to individuals and families who struggle to maintain their mental and physical health. Case workers also perform basic domestic activities on a regular basis, nutritional support and free transportation to medical appointments.
Juliette Fowler Communities
Support for continued training, implementation, and oversight of the I’m Still Here program and Dementia Friendly initiatives, which include music therapy, therapeutic activities, one-on-one living skills assessments, family and resident education, staff education and more. A portion of the grant will support the salary of a Cognitive Health Specialist who will manage evaluations, and treatment suggestions for individuals experiencing impairments or concerns related to cognitive health, physical and mental skills.
My Possibilities
Support for the Aging HIPster Program, a program that addresses the growing need to help adults with intellectual disabilities facing cognitive decline, memory loss, Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Funds will be used to conduct therapeutic activities, provide support in a sensory-friendly environment, and pay for supplies and a portion of salaries for staff managing the program.
NorthPark Presbyterian Church
Continued support for Casa De Vida, a program that offers respite relief for caregivers and one-on-one care by trained volunteers to individuals living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The program offers weekly half-day sessions featuring music therapy, exercise, games, art experiences and stimulating conversations. It also includes monthly support groups in which caregivers can meet to understand experiences, share advice and find emotional support.
Plano Symphony Orchestra
Continued support for Healing Notes, a high-impact program that offers interactive music therapy for Plano’s growing number of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in assisted living communities and memory care facilities. Under the guidance of a licensed music therapist, the program engages participants in music that is both engaging and familiar and encourages interaction with musicians and each other.
Senior Attention
Support for the development of The Caregiver’s Directory, a website that serves as a single online resource to help North Texas caregivers find answers to questions and sources of support and aid for a loved one with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. With this directory, caregivers can go to one website, find an index of numerous topics, click on the subject line and be directed to the page that provides the information and links to relevant websites, and where applicable, sites of local resources.
The Senior Source
Continued support for the Senior Companions Program, which provides care for low-income families caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Funds will be used to renew membership in the National Council of Certified Dementia Care Practitioners and the Dementia Specialist Credential Program for three senior staff. Membership affords access to dementia training and continuing education programs.
Songs & Smiles
Support for publication of Joyful Memories, a 24-page printed magazine designed for families to share with loved ones living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Published and distributed quarterly, the magazine’s content is timeless and intergenerational, featuring original and curated pictures, stories, poems, and jokes designed to stimulate conversation and evoke memories.
Stomping Ground Comedy Center
Continued support for Improv for Caregivers, a fun and interactive program that uses improvisational comedy techniques to teach effective communication skills that are specific to the needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
Texas Winds Musical Outreach
Continued support for the Concerts for Seniors program, which provides interactive concerts by professional musicians to residents in nursing homes and adult day care facilities. The Concerts bring joy, relief from isolation and peace to individuals affected by memory loss. The workshops also provide additional tools for professional caregivers.
The University of Texas at Dallas
Support for Dr. Chandramalika Basak’s research to develop wearable early detectors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using functional near infrared spectroscopy and biomarkers. The goal is to develop virtual tools for early detection of MCI. Tools will utilize virtual reality, artificial intelligence and immersive sound in a head-mounted display. If early detection can be found, there is a possibility of medical intervention to arrest or partially reverse the cognitive decline.
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Support for Making Memories, a bi-monthly program hosted by trained volunteers, who offer socialization, exercise, music therapy, entertainment, other memory stimulating activities and snacks for the participants with early to mid-stage Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The program also provides respite for family caregivers of participants.
Wilshire Baptist Church
Continued support for Friday Friends, a program that provides trained volunteers who give individuals with Alzheimer’s or related dementias a stimulating day of art, music, and games in a comfortable space at the church. The program also provides respite for those who care for a loved one at home, and who have little or no assistance in relieving them of the constant care and supervision required of them.
Myrna D. Schlegel AWARE Scholarship Fund
Support for scholarships for nursing students at Baylor University, Texas Women’s University and Texas Christian University for their studies in gerontology, especially in the fields of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The List: Baylor Scott and White Dallas Foundation, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Center for Brain Health, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Symphony Association, Dementia Care Warriors, First Unitarian Church of Dallas, For Love and Art, Jewish Family Service, Juliette Fowler Communities, My Possibilities, NorthPark Presbyterian Church, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Senior Attention, The Senior Source, Songs and Smiles, Stomping Ground Theater and Training Center, Texas Winds Musical Outreach, The University of Texas at Dallas, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Wilshire Baptist Church, Myrna D. Schlegel AWARE Scholarship Fund.
Source: press release