$1 Million Gift Will Support New YES Program

We have received a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor couple that will support our new YES (Your Efforts, Supported) Program that will launch later this year.

The gift will be used to establish The John Cooker Endowment Fund, which will reimburse Carilion for costs associated with supporting African American employees who are enrolled in YES.

The donors were inspired to make the gift after learning their ancestors profited from the labor of enslaved African Americans. They requested the fund be named John Cooker; the name the donor’s grandfather had given to the Black man who served his family when the grandfather was a young boy.

Although the family had a close relationship with Cooker, he was never viewed as an equal during those days of segregation. The donors chose the endowment name to both honor Cooker and recognize the opportunities he may have had during a different time.

“Although John Cooker has long since passed, his memory will live on through other African Americans who’ll have the opportunity to achieve the dreams John was never able to realize,” the donor said. “It’s the key reason why we will remain anonymous, and John will not.”

April is National Celebrate Diversity month and the perfect time to be reminded that growth and opportunities are important to everyone. Eligible entry-level employees of all backgrounds and ethnicities will be able to apply to be among the five participants in YES when it launches later this year.

“I’m particularly touched by these donors’ commitment to providing a firm foundation for our African American colleagues,” said Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Nathaniel L. Bishop, “and I’m hopeful many will benefit from the program.”

For more information on YES, see this article.