KENNEWICK – Trios’ new Family Birth Center will be a maternity space specifically for mothers to deliver babies, and the construction process is helping fund scholarships. The birth center will include a Special Care Nursery and will be located in the Southridge hospital campus. As Layton Construction builds the birth center, all metal scraps are placed in Pacific Recycling containers, as per the partnership with John William Jackson Fund and the Idaho Youth Education Recycling Partnership (iYERP). Pacific Recycling pays iYERP for the metal once recycled. Those funds are then used to create scholarships, with a priority for students in that community.
The John William Jackson Fund was created by Bill “Action” Jackson and his wife Jackie, named after their youngest son who died in a climbing accident. The fund was inspired by Jackson’s construction background and a desire to honor their son while making a difference. Starting in their home state of Idaho, the foundation has grown across communities in Washington, Oregon, Utah, Montana and Nevada. Trios’ Family Birth Center will be the first project through the John William Jackson Fund in the tri-cities.
“This really has a two-fold purpose to actively be involved with general contractors to advance environmental stewardship and to partner with construction companies, hospitals, and others to offer an opportunity to capture some of their investments through this recycling,” Jackson said.
The goal is for the funds from this project to be awarded to Columbia Basin College and Washington State University- Tri-cities nursing students. The fund has awarded around $2 million in scholarships over the last two decades. Since COVID-19, they have allocated more money for nursing and health sciences scholarships.
The construction project began early 2021 and should be done in Spring 2022. Scholarship awards will be determined in a few weeks and given directly to schools. When amounts are determined, the schools will be able to decide their recipients.
The project was possible due to over $21 million in investment from LifePoint Health.
