Patty and Noel White Invest $1 Million in Arkansas Children’s Northwest

(SPRINGDALE, Arkansas) July 29, 2025 | Patty and Noel White have committed a $1 million irrevocable estate provision in support of Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW). Their generosity will benefit northwest Arkansas’ first and only children’s hospital and help serve children in the community for many years to come.

In recognition of their generous investment, the inpatient unit at ACNW will bear the White family name — a testament to their lasting commitment to children’s health.

A Legacy of Leadership and Philanthropy

From the boardroom to the community, the Whites’ service to ACNW exemplifies their dedication to advancing child health. Patty and Noel are currently serving as chairs of the 2025 Gala of Hope, ACNW’s signature black-tie event—held on August 1, 2025—in conjunction with the volunteer-led Will Golf 4 Kids tournament. As chair of the Arkansas Children’s Northwest board of directors, Noel also lends decades of executive leadership and business expertise to benefit the hospital.

Noel is the former chief executive officer of Tyson Foods and a current director of the Tyson board of directors. A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Noel joined Tyson in 1983; his tenure included serving as president and CEO from 2018 to 2020 and as executive vice chairman until his retirement in 2023.

Family Roots Inspire Community Impact

With two grown children and five grandchildren, the White family is passionate about investing in their home community and ensuring all children in northwest Arkansas have access to expert care.

“We’re proud to raise our family in this vibrant, growing community — and we’re committed to doing our part to make sure that every child who calls this region home has the best chance at a healthy future,” said Patty White.

Married since 1983, Patty and Noel are proud parents to Ashley White Guziec and Taylor White. Ashley and her husband, Kyle, have three children: Addison, Connor and Collins. Taylor White and his wife, Brooks, have two children: Kennedy and Wesley.

“Patty and I believe deeply in the power of community and in building a future where all children have access to world-class care,” said Noel White. “It’s an honor to support an organization that is redefining pediatric health care in Arkansas.”

Arkansas Children’s Northwest, which opened in 2018, is the region’s only pediatric hospital and serves as a vital hub of care for children and families across the region.

“This generous legacy gift demonstrates Patty and Noel White’s extraordinary leadership and will create a lasting impact for generations of children,” said Fred Scarborough, executive vice president and chief development officer for Arkansas Children’s. “This is such a thoughtful gift and is a beacon of hope for what is possible when community leaders step forward to champion child health.”

By making a planned gift like the White family, donors to Arkansas Children’s can integrate charitable giving into their overall financial and estate planning, maximizing philanthropic impact while optimizing financial benefits. Supporting Arkansas Children’s with a future gift is a powerful way to ensure that one’s generosity endures and makes a lasting difference for the children of Arkansas and the region.

Meeting the Growing Needs of Arkansas Children’s

With the unwavering support of donors like the White family, Arkansas Children’s remains committed to making children better today and healthier tomorrow.

In fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025), Arkansas Children’s served more than 196,000 children — more children than ever before — and the need for services continues to grow. The $318 million expansion across Arkansas Children’s focuses on delivering better access, exceptional outcomes and improved on-campus experiences at the state’s nationally ranked pediatric health system.

From its founding as an orphanage in 1912 to becoming a nationally acclaimed health care system, Arkansas Children’s has remained steadfast in its commitment to being a champion for children. With a variety of planned giving options to choose from — whether it’s a bequest in a will, a charitable trust, or another giving vehicle — legacy gifts can be tailored to accomplish a donor’s specific needs and philanthropic goals. Learn more about supporting Arkansas Children’s with a future gift at archildrens.org/giftplanning.

ABOUT GALA OF HOPE

Every year, the generous northwest Arkansas community comes together to raise money for Arkansas Children’s Northwest. Champions for children gather for the two-day Will Golf 4 Kids (WG4K) tournament, followed by Gala of Hope. This year’s event marks the 31st annual golf tournament and the 17th annual gala. Together, these volunteer-led events have raised more than $24.5 million for children.

ABOUT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S

Arkansas Children's is the only health care system in the state solely dedicated to caring for Arkansas' 850,000 children. The private, non-profit organization includes two pediatric hospitals with 361 licensed beds, a pediatric research institute and USDA nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics, and many education and outreach programs — all focused on fulfilling a promise to define and deliver unprecedented child health. Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is a Magnet-recognized facility in Little Rock operating the state’s only Level I pediatric trauma center; the state's only burn center; the state's only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit; the state's only pediatric intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric surgery program with Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS); and the state's only nationally recognized pediatric transport program. Arkansas Children’s is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in seven pediatric subspecialties (2024-2025): Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Neonatal Care, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery. Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW), the first and only pediatric hospital in the northwest Arkansas region, is a Level IV pediatric trauma center. ACNW operates an inpatient unit that will expand in 2026; a surgical unit with five operating rooms; outpatient clinics offering over 20 subspecialties; diagnostic services; imaging capabilities; occupational therapy services; and northwest Arkansas' only pediatric emergency department. Generous philanthropic and volunteer engagement has sustained Arkansas Children's since it began as an orphanage in 1912, and today ensures the system can deliver on its promise of unprecedented child health. To learn more, visit archildrens.org.

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