By age four, Justen Christensen had made progress beyond anyone’s highest hopes, despite his brain injury. His parents, Brad and Linda, now share their own renewed hope with other parents.

    Renewed Hope Foundation recently received a grant from the Flying V Donor Advised Fund of the Wyoming Community Foundation.  A donor advised fund is a beneficial alternative to a private foundation because it allows the donor to bypass the costs of creating a foundation while continuing to advise on grantmaking. 

    Greg Dyekman, the representative and professional advisor for the anonymous fund, said “going the donor advised fund route is much cheaper, both to establish and to maintain over time. It is also simpler.”

     The advisory board members have seen the fund’s founding mission, to demonstrate an appreciation for Wyoming over the long term, materialize through its grantmaking.

   “The unique thing about the fund being with the Wyoming Community Foundation is the focus on Wyoming projects; that was a real selling point,” Dyekman said.

    Dyekman said he and the rest of Flying V’s board enjoy receiving the solicited grant applications from the WYCF instead of searching for giving opportunities.

    “I do a lot of work with nonprofits, and most of them are living hand-to-mouth all the time. They rarely have an opportunity to grow or to do something special or innovative, and grants can encourage that. I also do a lot of estate planning, and this tool should be used more than it is,” he said, regarding donor advised funds.

   “We’ve definitely accomplished the kinds of things that we wanted to accomplish,” Dykeman said.

   Grants may be sums of money, but the lives they

impact are the real treasure. Dyekman said: “That

human aspect really makes a difference. I think that must be important to everybody who’s making grants – that the money is wisely used and goes as far as it can.”

    In 2008, Flying V awarded Renewed Hope

Foundation a major grant to help them expand the reach of their teaching to more Wyoming families with brain-injured children.

   “It’s been fascinating going around the state. It’s really wonderful to spread the news about this information,” Linda Christensen said.

    The Christensens direct Renewed Hope from Casper for children who commonly suffer from cerebral palsy or autism. With their grant, the

Christensens set off on a 10-city tour to spread the good news of the possibilities and optimism that exist for these children.

    “These kids are in there – they are trapped in a body like a prison, and you need to get in there and bring them out,” Linda said.

   Her son Justen was born with extreme brain damage from strokes he suffered in the womb. 

    Refusing to accept his bleak prognosis, Brad and Linda traveled many miles to acquire training and knowledge about how to help improve their son’s quality of life. The Christensens brought him from blindness to sight, and from seeing to reading with techniques they learned and are now passing on.

    Renewed Hope Foundation trains and educates parents on how they can take the primary role in improving their child’s physical and intellectual wellness.

   “I believe parents are the best people to affect change,” Linda said.

    Today, Justen is a happy 9-year-old who reads at or above his grade level.

    Greg Dyekman said that Flying V likes to see a clear indication of an organization or people who benefit from grants. “It’s just the human impact of it,” he said.



Cutline for photo: Laurie Fast works with her son, Sammy, in their Casper home on one of Renewed Hope Foundation’s visual stimulation techniques