Arkansas Children’s announced a $2 million gift from Lynn and Don Parker and their children to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) expansion project. The Jonesboro family is a long-standing supporter of Arkansas Children's and have, once again, demonstrated their commitment to the health and well-being of children.
In addition to this generous gift, the Parkers have committed a $1 million planned gift to the ACH Jonesboro Clinic, further enhancing the facility’s ability to provide exceptional care to children in the northeast Arkansas region. This is the family’s second $1 million gift to the ACH Jonesboro Clinic. They also gave $1 million in 2019.
The support from donors like the Parkers enables Arkansas Children's to build a new generation of care with its $318 million expansion project at both hospitals, announced in 2023. The plan will expand bed capacity, transform inpatient and outpatient surgical approaches with the addition of an ambulatory center, redesign clinical spaces to promote multidisciplinary care and create an inviting and accessible campus experience. With the Parker family donation, companies, individuals and organizations have donated $12.1 million toward the $253.2 million expansion project at ACH.
“Arkansas Children’s served 180,000 children last year — more children than ever before,” said Marcy Doderer, FACHE, president and CEO of Arkansas Children’s. “Arkansas Children’s historic expansion will increase access to pediatric care, enhance exceptional outcomes for kids and elevate patient experience on both hospital campuses.”
Lynn Parker, a member of the Arkansas Children’s Foundation board since 2018, knows firsthand the power of philanthropy and the transformative impact giving has on Arkansas Children’s.
"Our family firmly believes every child deserves access to the best health care available," said Lynn Parker. "For more than a century, Arkansas Children's has been at the forefront of pediatric care for our state and the region. As a family, we are honored to add our names to the long list of supporters of this life-saving mission. We all benefit from the impact of generosity in our community. We see it every day in the lives of children and their families.”