A Pillar in the Delta: How Olly Neal Community Health Center Serves Beyond Its Walls
When families in Marianna turned out for Olly Neal Community Health Center's fall festival, they saw what staff there say they aim for every day: a health center that shows up for its community, whether or not you're a patient.
"Whether a person is our patient or not, I want us to be in the community making a difference," said CEO Kellee Mitchell Farris, Ph.D. "I really want us to be that pillar in the community that people know if they need something, they can call us and we'll be there."
Olly Neal Community Health Center, formerly known as Lee County Cooperative Clinic (LCCC), is the oldest community health center in Arkansas and among the first in the country. Its roots go back to the late 1960s, when researchers came to the Delta to study clean water in rural communities and saw how many residents were going without healthcare.
From One Car to a Federally Qualified Health Center
As part of VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), Dr. Daniel Blumenthal began providing healthcare to Lee County residents.
"For a couple of months, I was practicing medicine out of my car," Dr. Blumenthal said in a video published in 2019. There were mostly dirt roads, and he’d occasionally get stuck in the mud when it rained.
His efforts and the clinic became controversial and drew national attention. In 1969, Olly Neal became the clinic’s first administrator, and the clinic continued to grow through his leadership. The LCCC built a new facility and renamed the clinic the Olly Neal Community Health Center in 2024.
Today the clinic offers primary care, dental, pharmacy, transportation, insurance enrollment and health education to residents of Lee, Phillips, St. Francis and surrounding counties.
Running the Halls Then and Now
For Dr. Farris, the clinic is personal. Her parents moved to Marianna in 1974 when her father joined the clinic as its dentist. "I literally grew up running the halls as a kid," she said.
Like many teenagers, she couldn't wait to leave. Then her father called about an opening: a care coordinator role on a depression study with UAMS. She got the job, saw the clinic lacked a quality program and helped create one, and was later named CEO.
"And now I'm still running the halls."
Fifteen years after coming home, she leads with a simple philosophy: "We're a family. We are family first." She works alongside her staff no matter how big or small the job.
Above and Beyond
That spirit runs through the team. Kimberly Brown, the health center's chief compliance officer, credentialing coordinator and outreach supervisor, was born and raised in Marianna and came home after college to serve her community. "Some walk right across the street just to come and see their doctor," she said. "I just love that we are right here."
Brown's work reaches well beyond the clinic. She helped organize a spring break kickoff for gun violence awareness that drew more than 300 people downtown two years running, and a gala that raised about $8,000 to take Lee High School students to Washington, D.C.
"I encourage people to go beyond the norm," Brown said. "Especially in small communities. We can do so much more."
Evonda Williams, medical case manager and clinical manager, has worked her way from LPN to RN to a bachelor's degree and is now studying to become a nurse practitioner, with graduation expected in 2027. Neighbors know her as a helper; she has volunteered her own evenings to provide care for people in her community, pro bono.
"I genuinely love people. I don't meet a stranger," Williams said. "People think this clinic is just for certain people, but we're trying to get it out there that it is for everybody. If you need medical attention, we're here to help."
Brown and Williams were both recipients of CHCA Awards in 2025 in recognition of their selfless work. Williams received the MVP Award and Brown the Community Hero Award. Dr. Farris was there to cheer them on.
Dr. Farris said it was awe-inspiring for the team to watch Olly Neal’s literal growth. The old building sits right next to the one finished in 2024. She hopes to keep expanding on the 16 acres Olly Neal occupies to further serve the community, including a fitness facility and a walking trail.
"I could talk about the clinic all day," Dr. Farris said. "I really love my staff and my community."
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