CoBank donates $10,000 to Valley Children’s
Valley Children’s Healthcare, one of the largest pediatric healthcare networks in the nation, has accepted a donation of $10,000 from CoBank on behalf of J. “Less” Guthrie, a member of the cooperative bank’s board of directors.
The network, which covers a 45,000-square-mile service area in Central California, includes the Valley Children’s Hospital campus in Madera, as well as numerous satellite facilities, more than 550 physicians, neonatal intensive care units and specialty care centers.
The Valley Children’s network serves more than 1.3 million children in the 11-county region that stretches from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. About 125,000 patients receive care from Valley Children’s Hospital each year.
“Valley Children’s provides each of our young patients with the highest-quality healthcare available regardless of their ability to pay,” said Robert Saroyan, vice president and chief development officer. “We’re grateful for CoBank’s gift. Through the generosity of our donors, Valley Children’s can respond to financial needs as they arise and support our efforts to increase the wellbeing of everyone we serve.”
CoBank’s donation will be earmarked for The Children’s Fund, which focuses on providing advanced technology needs, recruiting pediatric specialists, improving care and services for complex patient needs, and developing exceptional specialty programs.
“Few things in the world are more important than our children and each of them deserves the chance to have a joyous, long life. CoBank and I are happy to contribute to Valley Children’s mission of guarding the health of our communities’ youth,” said Guthrie, who owns and operates a cow/calf and stocker cattle ranch and a diversified farming operation in Porterville.
He sits on the board of the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation, Guthrie Investment Co., Inc., and the California Cattlemen’s Association. He also is a partner in McGruder Partners.
The contribution is part of CoBank’s corporate citizenship program which, in 2015, provided more than $8.4 million in aid to charitable organizations throughout the country. As part of the program, CoBank allows its employees and board members to direct bank donations to their choice of non-profit organizations and programs, benefitting local communities where its employees and directors live and work.
Since opening in 1952, Valley Children’s Hospital has grown to 358 licensed beds and performs more than 12,000 pediatric surgeries a year. It was designated by U.S. News & World Report in its 2016-2017 rankings as one of the best children’s hospitals in neonatology in the country. For information, visit www.valleychildrens.org.
CoBank is a $125 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. For information, visit www.cobank.com.
