BOISE, Idaho – St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital will soon have a new lobby thanks to a $500,000 donation from Jacksons Food Stores.

The new lobby is part of a long-term plan to improve visibility and access to the Children’s Hospital, which is located within St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center. St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital is the only Children’s Hospital in Idaho serving more than 60,000 patients a year. Of that amount, 33 percent come from outside of Ada County.

Last year, a Children’s Hospital sign was added to the Boise facility and future plans call for a new dedicated entrance for the Children’s Hospital to make it more convenient for families accessing the Children’s Hospital. Construction of a new lobby will be a key part of the entrance plan.

John Jackson, founder of Jacksons Food Stores, presented the check to St. Luke’s Treasure Valley CEO Gary Fletcher and Dr. Gregory Janos, Medical Director of St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, during a recent reception honoring St. Luke’s donors.

“As Idaho’s only Children’s Hospital the demand for our services continues to increase,” said Dr. Janos. “The generous donation by John Jackson and his family will go a long way toward improving our facility and helping ensure that we continue to provide the highest quality care possible.”

“Nothing is as innocent as a child…unlike some of us adults, their life styles haven’t contributed to their illness,” said John Jackson. “We are doing what we can to counter that inequity.”

Jackson, who also serves on the St. Luke’s Boise/Meridian Board of Directors, founded Jacksons Food Stores in 1975 as a single service station. Since that time, Jacksons Food Stores has grown to more than 200 convenience stores in five western states. In addition to his work with St. Luke’s, Jackson serves on a number of other community and organization boards, councils and foundations. In 2006, Jackson was chosen as “Idaho’s Brightest Star” by then Gov. Dirk Kempthorne.

About St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital

St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, the only children’s hospital in Idaho, treats more than 60,000 children every year, including 28,000 who visit its Pediatric Emergency Department. St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital provides expert care to critically and chronically ill infants and children. These patients are routinely referred to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital from a multistate region for a variety of services including heart surgery, cancer treatment, orthopedics, neurological disorders, newborn intensive care, and rare infectious diseases. For more information visit www.stlukesonline.com.

For More Information, Contact: Ken Dey, Senior Public Relations Coordinator, (208) 381-2894 or deyke@slhs.org or Matt Jantz, Jacksons Food Stores Advertising & Promotions Manager, (208) 955-6265 or matt.jantz@jacksonsfoodstores.com