Parkland Auxiliary provides support for patients, staff
Long history of service began in 1940
April is National Volunteer Month, but at Parkland Health & Hospital System there is a group of volunteers whose hearts are filled with thoughts of giving year-round. The 180 members of the Parkland Auxiliary provide comfort and assistance to patients, guests and employees in a myriad of ways that spread the spirit of caring from January through December.
Founded in 1940, Parkland Auxiliary is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with two main fundraising ventures: vending machines located throughout the system and the Parkland Gift Shop in the hospital lobby.
The organization supports 16 Parkland projects and programs including the Collegiate Fellows Program, Employee Benevolence Fund, Hospitality Services, Pastoral Care, the ‘Love Thy Baby’ partnership and employee scholarships.
For the Pastoral Care department, the Auxiliary has been a godsend.
“They have supported our Clinical Pastoral Education program by providing money for salaries for CPE summer interns over the past several years, and historically they have provided funding for the Parkland chapels including the beautiful chapel in our new hospital,” said Linda Wilkerson, Director of Pastoral Care.
The group also supports the Parkland Cares for You program, which connects staff who are in need at the holidays with other employees who are willing to “adopt” their children and provide holiday gifts.
“I am tremendously grateful to the members of the Parkland Auxiliary for their generous support and their partnering with us to support patients, families and staff,” Wilkerson added.
The Auxiliary’s scholarship program assists employees’ children who are graduating from high school and plan to attend college, and the Collegiate Fellows program is a summer internship that gives college students the opportunity to work in a healthcare environment. Both programs create a pipeline for future workers at Parkland and other healthcare institutions.
Thanks to the scholarship program, Mirna Bernal’s daughter, Amanda, is completing a double major in psychology and mathematics at Austin College in Sherman with a goal of becoming a university professor.
“The grant has been instrumental in Amanda’s pursuit toward achieving her PhD in psychology,” said Bernal, an executive assistant in Information Technology. “We are grateful for the opportunities this grant has provided.”
For Ashtyn Zapletal, being part of the Collegiate Fellows program opened the door to an opportunity she might not otherwise have received. Assigned to the Pastoral Care department, Zapletal gained first-hand hospital experience, forged important professional connections and made life-long friends.
Reflecting on her time at Parkland, Zapletal said it’s the people who made the program worthwhile.
“The people of Parkland truly made this a learning experience like no other. Every person I met, from the patients to the staff, taught me important life lessons. Additionally, being part of such a historical institution made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself,” she said. “I was not the only one benefitting from my time at Parkland, but I was benefitting the community at-large.”
Zapletal’s time at Parkland further solidified her idea of pursuing a career in medicine. She is studying to take the MCAT and will apply to medical school in May. “I plan to graduate in December from Texas A&M University with a 4.0 GPA and a degree in Biomedical Sciences and I can honestly say that participating in the Parkland Auxiliary Collegiate Fellows program has prepared me to be the best physician I can be,” she said. “I am forever indebted to Parkland and the members of the Parkland Auxiliary.”
In addition to school-based programs, Auxiliary members believe in comradery among the Parkland family and the group has even been known to fund registration fees and uniforms, if needed, for recreational sports teams comprised of Parkland staff.
Throughout their nearly 80-year history, their support of Parkland, its patients and staff has never waned.
During the fundraising campaign to help build the new hospital, the Parkland Auxiliary donated $3 million to name the chapel in honor of the late Ron J. Anderson, MD, Parkland’s long-time CEO. In addition, the Auxiliary has recently made gifts of $294,000 for a stereotactic prone biopsy table, $80,000 for the ATEC breast biopsy system, and $560,000 for tomosynthesis (3D mammography) equipment at the breast center.
“We are grateful for the ongoing support and generosity from the Parkland Auxiliary,” said David E. Krause, President and Chief Executive Officer, Parkland Foundation. “Their gifts are helping patients receive the care they need while also making Dallas a healthier place to live. Their unwavering commitment to providing care for those in need is an inspiration.”
The Auxiliary has come a long way from the days when they gathered around a card table to roll cotton bandages for patients. Still, the job they do today is just as valuable.
For more information on the Parkland Auxiliary please contact Marcy Barron, Auxiliary Services Coordinator, at ParklandAuxiliaryServices@phhs.org or 469-419-2410. For more information on Parkland services, please visit www.parklandhospital.com
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