J.B. Hunt (NASDAQ: JBHT) is giving $5 million to the Arkansas Children’s Northwest construction project. The gift will help transform healthcare in the region by bringing expert pediatric care close to home for more than 200,000 children.

“For more than 50 years, J.B. Hunt has believed in the importance of reinvesting in communities,” said John Roberts, president and CEO of J.B. Hunt. “The construction of a children’s hospital in this community is a historic and necessary next step for the advancement of pediatric healthcare in the region. J.B. Hunt understands the impact a thriving children's hospital in Northwest Arkansas will have on the children of this region. We are proud to step forward as a champion for children.”

In August 2015, Arkansas Children’s Hospital announced plans to build a freestanding children’s hospital in Springdale, Ark., on land donated by Robin and Gary George, Cathy and David Evans, and their families. Current plans for Arkansas Children’s Northwest include a 233,613 square foot, state-of-the-art facility with 24 inpatient beds, 30 emergency department and urgent care exam rooms, 30 clinic exam rooms, five operating rooms, and diagnostic services. The 37-acre campus will also include walking trails, gardens, and a helipad and refueling station.

“The significance of this gift is profound ─ it underscores three decades of history J.B. Hunt has with Arkansas Children’s Hospital as well as its tireless commitment to ensuring Northwest Arkansas continues to be one of our nation’s most flourishing communities,” says Marcy Doderer, president and CEO of Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “J.B. Hunt’s corporate citizenship is unwavering, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership as we realize this bold vision for care close to home.”

Arkansas Children’s Northwest is being designed by Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects of Fayetteville and Little Rock, Ark., and FKP Architects of Houston, Texas. The hospital is scheduled to open in January 2018. The campus is an integral part of the Arkansas Children’s Hospital plan to transform the health of children in Arkansas by expanding access to pediatric services across the state.

About J.B. Hunt

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 Company, focuses on providing safe and reliable transportation services to a diverse group of customers throughout the contiguous United States, Canada, and Mexico. Utilizing an integrated, multimodal approach, the company provides capacity-oriented solutions centered on delivering customer value and industry-leading service. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. stock trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBHT and is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of JBHT. For more information, visit www.jbhunt.com.

About Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is the only pediatric medical center in Arkansas and one of the largest in the United States serving children from birth to age 21. Over the past century, ACH has grown from a small orphanage in Little Rock to a statewide network of care that includes an expansive pediatric teaching hospital and research institute, as well as regional clinics in several counties. ACH also reaches children across the state and nation through a range of telemedicine capabilities that ensures every child has access to the best care available, regardless of location or resources. The hospital’s campus in Little Rock spans 36 city blocks and houses 359 beds, a staff of 505 physicians, over 200 residents in pediatrics and pediatric specialties and more than 4,000 employees. A campus under development in northwest Arkansas will bring 233,613 square feet of inpatient beds, emergency care, clinic rooms and diagnostic services to children in that region of the state. A private nonprofit, ACH boasts an internationally renowned reputation for medical breakthroughs and intensive treatments, unique surgical procedures and forward-thinking research — all dedicated to fulfilling its mission of championing children by making them better today and healthier tomorrow. For more info, visit archildrens.org.