Why we exist
Our Purpose
For hospitals.
We work closely with hospital administrators to identify needs of the infants they serve, the infants’ families, the hospital staff, and the facility itself. For this reason, our projects will look different for each facility with whom we partner. For example, at Willow Creek we fund a noise monitoring system for the babies to have a more quiet space to heal and a healing garden for families to find reprieve; at Washington Regional we have funded their milk labs, lactation support materials for mothers and their stabilization room; and at Arkansas Children's Hospital we’ve purchased a technology for nurses and doctors to communicate more quietly and efficiently as well as sponsor a sibling playroom.
For families.
Family-centered care is at the core of our mission. It reduces stress and improves outcomes for people involved in critical care situations with their baby. The foundation has funded the most immediate personal needs of families – from toiletries and activity packs for parents to a sibling playroom for brothers and sisters of sick babies.
We’ve advocated for and helped implement dedicated spaces for children and families at local hospitals.
We have supported families during infant loss with burial gowns and connecting them with bereavement resources.
For babies.
The Foundation is also currently partnering with Arkansas Children’s Hospital to provide developmental items such as sensory toys, books, crib mobiles and mirrors, as well as clothes and other items for infants and toddlers.
At Washington Regional Medical Center we sponsor the Stabilization Room. It provides immediate resources during high-risk deliveries. It includes neonatal equipment and specialty gases right in the delivery room. This allows for infants to be able to be stabilized before being transported to the unit.
For nurses.
The Audrey Harris Vision has one simple goal: to further the education of neonatal nurses. We merged with Audrey Harris Vision in 2019. Together we host an annual neonatal conference, offer professional development opportunities and scholarships to NICU nurses and staff. In the medical field, especially neonatology, standards of care are constantly changing with the availability of new research. We believe this is made most possible by providing our nurses with the most up to date information. It is our desire to have highly educated nurses to provide excellent care to our community’s smallest members.