Edna and Jerry Deener set the tone for the giving season with a $50,000 matching gift for the HudsonAlpha Foundation’s end-of-year Annual Fund drive

Since HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology was founded in 2008, Edna and Jerry Deener have been devoted supporters, donors, and volunteers.

Before retiring, Edna had a long career working for the government, and Jerry had worked for various government contractors supporting defense activities for over 40 years. Describing themselves as lifelong learners, the couple had a keen interest in science and healthcare and were looking for ways to get involved in the community after retirement. 

After retiring, Edna volunteered at other local nonprofits with Emily Robertson, daughter of the late Lonnie McMillian who co-founded HudsonAlpha with Jim Hudson. Emily invited Edna and Jerry to join a special tour of HudsonAlpha, and the two were instantly captivated.

“If I were 40 years younger,” Jerry said after the tour ended, “I’d want to work here.”

The couple quickly found ways to get involved at HudsonAlpha, regularly attending the Institute’s special events throughout the year. Jerry even encouraged a member of HudsonAlpha’s staff to launch a docent program to share HudsonAlpha’s mission with others, which he later participated in as a docent.

Edna and Jerry are especially passionate about HudsonAlpha’s neurodegenerative disease research. Edna has a strong family history of Alzheimer’s disease, while Jerry has witnessed the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease on friends and loved ones. These experiences drive the couple’s ongoing support for HudsonAlpha’s groundbreaking work in these areas.

This year, Edna and Jerry demonstrated their generosity with a $50,000 matching gift to the HudsonAlpha Foundation’s Annual Fund. “A matching gift carries so much power to help get people excited to give,” Edna shares. “It’s our pleasure to support HudsonAlpha in this way, and we plan to continue supporting HudsonAlpha.”

Keep reading to learn more about why Edna and Jerry are so passionate about HudsonAlpha and how their matching gift reflects their dedication to advancing life-changing discoveries.

HudsonAlpha Foundation: Why is philanthropy important to you?

Jerry Deener: We have always believed in giving of our time and resources, and we prioritize finding opportunities to make a difference in our community. We’ve been fortunate in life and try to give back to the community that’s been good to us.

Edna Deener: We do not have a very big family, so one thing we want to do is support the community around us. 

HAF: Why do you enjoy supporting HudsonAlpha?

JD: Educating the public about what researchers are doing at HudsonAlpha is almost as important as the research that is happening on campus, and it means a lot to us that HudsonAlpha prioritizes both mission areas. I have always been impressed by the number of people who attend HudsonAlpha’s public events. It speaks to the value people find in that information.

ED: I also have very personal reasons for supporting HudsonAlpha. Three of my aunts and uncles suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. These were people I learned so much from and enjoyed them every time I saw them, and then I watched them fade away. Because of this, HudsonAlpha’s neurodegenerative disease research is very important to me.

HAF: One of the many ways you’ve supported HudsonAlpha is through a $50,000 matching gift to the Annual Fund for our year-end fundraising campaign. What inspired you to make this gift?

JD: We already support HudsonAlpha every year and we know we want to continue to do that, so as we looked ahead to tax season, we saw this as an opportunity to support something we really care about that was also tax-advantaged. 

ED: We’re very careful with our money and how it’s invested. Through the years we have enjoyed life and today, we have everything we need. We will continue to give back.

HAF: What impact are you most excited or hopeful for your gift to have?

JD: We’re excited about our donation, as well as funds raised through the Annual Fund, to support finding means of mitigating the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parksinson’s, ALS, and Huntington’s have far-reaching consequences for everyone in a patient’s life. Supporting HudsonAlpha gives you a chance to say you helped contribute to solving these problems.

As a nonprofit organization, HudsonAlpha relies on philanthropic support to fuel genomics research and STEM education. The Annual Fund supports critical programs in these areas. When you make a donation to the Annual Fund by December 31, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 thanks to Edna and Jerry’s generous matching gift.

If you’re interested in learning how you can support HudsonAlpha as a donor, please contact Elizabeth Herrin, Senior Director of Advancement, at eherrin@hudsonalpha.org or 256.327.0442.