Groundbreaking Event Brings Community Together

An excited crowd of community partners and friends gathered at Parker Family Health Center on Thursday, October 27th, to celebrate plans to expand and renovate the nineteen-year-old facility. Master of Ceremonies and Parker’s Founder, Dr. Gene Cheslock, along with Executive Director Suzy Dyer and Board Chair John Horl, detailed the wonderful story of the clinic’s beginning and Parker’s vision for its future.

Special Guest Speakers included New Jersey’s First Lady Tammy Murphy, New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal, Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna, and Reverend Terrence Porter from Red Bank Pilgrim Baptist Church. Parker patient Jose Ramirez spoke warmly of the clinic, stating “They provide me with the best service and they do it with heart…every single one of them.” Others on hand offering congratulations and support included Parker’s Capital Campaign Honorary Chair Dorothea Bongiovi, the Campaign’s Co-Chair Carol Stillwell, former State Senator Joe Kyrillos, Reverend Bolivar Flores, Vice-President of New Jersey Coalition of Latino Pastors and Chief of Staff for New Jersey Reentry Corporation, and former Red Bank Mayor Ed McKenna, Jr. Additionally, New Jersey State Senator Declan O’Scanlon, though unable to attend, honored the clinic with a congratulatory proclamation. County Commissioners, including Commissioner Director Tom Arnone, were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts but sent along their good wishes for the project. In addition to receiving a $107,500 grant from Central Jersey Impact 100 in support of this initiative, Parker was also awarded $500,000 from Monmouth County, under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Covid-19 Community Recovery Grant Program, which monies are to be used in part for this expansion.

A two-story addition is planned for the existing facility with renovations to the existing building scheduled to take place once the addition is fully operational. For more information about the Campaign, click here.