Today we’d like to introduce you to Kasey Pickett Allen.
Kasey, before we jump into specific questions about the organization, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My name is Kasey Pickett Allen. I am the widow of Texas State Trooper Damon C Allen. Thanksgiving day in 2017 (November 23, 2017), my husband was killed in the line of duty by a man who was stopped for a speeding violation. My life forever changed that day, and I wanted to do something to remember my husband and help others at the same time, so the Trooper Damon C Allen Memorial Foundation was formed. The foundation was officially launched on August 7, 2019, after we received our 501(c)(3) status as an approved non-profit, which gives us the ability to provide the documentation required after a donation so people can receive a tax deduction for their generosity from the IRS. With my husband being a State Trooper and me being a Paramedic, I wanted to make it a foundation that assists first responders with almost any need they may have. We provide assistance with many different avenues for mental, emotional, material, and financial needs and try to make it an easy process to get the help they need. They can go to the website, www.trooperallen.com and email me by pressing the email now button or send a simple email to kasey.allen@trooperallen.com and state their need, how they need about, attach any supplemental paperwork that they may think we will require and within 24 hours we get back to them. We have to raise funds to achieve the goals of helping as many first responders as we can and to do that, we sell foundation merchandise such as shirts, hats, challenge coins, etc. The foundation is also starting a family fun day this year on July 18, 2020, that will include a festival-type day filled with games, food, music, an auction, and other family-friendly activities. That night we will have a concert under the stars. The foundation had the opportunity to help many with mental support. It even helped a DPS CID Trooper and his deputy wife with medical bills incurred when their three-year-old was diagnosed with Leukemia in the fall of 2019. We are hoping to do many more acts of kindness but need the donations and word of mouth to do so. The help donations provide obviously, but word of mouth isn’t what you would think it is. We need your help to spread the word about the Trooper Damon C Allen Memorial Foundation so we can put the donations to good use and find more people that need the assistance we can provide them. You can find us on Facebook as Trooper Damon C Allen Memorial Foundation and also online, as I mentioned at Trooperallen.com, or by phone, 877-322-6173.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We have hit a few stumbling blocks along the way, even though we haven’t been established for long. The first being is maintaining the support of donors and growing our community consistently. When you first go through something like this it is very public, and many people watch your personal Facebook page to see what you are doing, After starting the foundation and great success initially, the interest does fade over time. It is very important to find new ways to draw new people into your social media and encourage them to help you promote the foundation, all the while keeping in mind that for every dollar you spend, that is cash that you won’t have to help someone in need. In this day and age, everyone is so busy with their own lives that they don’t have the time to volunteer, so that has a negative impact also. There are also many positives though, all of the followers we currently have are very loyal and excited about everything we have done and are planning to do this year. They have been a great group who has been the reason we have been so successful, so very quickly, we will be forever thankful for these wonderful supporters!
Please tell us about the organization.
Trooper Damon C Allen Memorial Foundation gives support for first responders who have gone through some critical incident at work and need someone to talk to that has gone through the same or a similar situation. We have volunteers who are Firemen, Emergency Medical Service professionals, Nurses, Police officers, State Troopers, Dispatchers, Military veterans, or a combination of these listed professions, so they are very experienced in the stresses and unique situations each job can bring. We also provide some equipment that these jobs require in certain situations or will help the applicant get the help they need to acquire the needed equipment. We help out of the individual has gone through a tragedy such as an illness of the first responder or their family, loss of a job, loss of a spouse, loss of a house in a fire or act of God or loss of a vehicle needed for transportation to and from work. There are many other ways we assist, but quite frankly, there are too many to list, we try to be as helpful as we can in every respect and to react to a request for help as quickly as possible.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Being so new, I can honestly say I don’t have any regrets yet. I’m quite sure they will come, along with the “I wish I would have known that sooner” comments. As of right now, I am content with what I have done in my husband’s memory and how I have spread his love of helping others around even two years after his death.
Pricing:
- Memorial Lanyards, $10.00
- Pray for Police Bracelets, $5.00
- Trooper Damon C Allen Memorial Foundation Bracelets, $5.00
- Trooper Damon C Allen Memorial Foundation Logo Decal (2 different designs), $5.00 each
- Memorial T-Shirt $24.00
- Memorial Snapback Hat $22.00
- Memorial Flexfit Hat $30.00
- Memorial Beanie $20.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.trooperallen.com/
- Phone: 877-322-6173
- Email: kasey.allen@trooperallen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trooperallenmemorialfoundation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heroforeverremembered/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DamonTrooper
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=Trooper+Damon+C+Allen+Memorial+Foundation&ludocid=11286206152708288291&lsig=AB86z5Vx0diLgpxN-6F1CnBZPt_D#fpstate=lie
Image Credit:
Governor Gregg Abbott, Honorable Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, State Representative Kyle Kacal, State Representative Charles “Doc” Anderson, Director Steven Mccraw, DPS
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