Roland Parrish will by honored with the 2026 Oak Cliff Lions Club Bill Melton Humanitarian Award Wed., April 22. The award lunch will start at 11:30 a.m. in Hitt Auditorium, Methodist Hospital Dallas (1441 N. Beckley Avenue).
The 2024 Linz Award Winner, Parrish is committed to giving back to the Dallas community through a focus on causes that support the education and welfare of youth. Some of the many projects Parrish has initiated in the Dallas area include the annual “McMiracle on Highway 67 Christmas Bike Giveaway,” The Roland Parrish Band Competition, The Parrish Foundation Invitational Scholarship Debate, and The Parrish Restaurants Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.
Roland G. Parrish Community Outreach
He has also established scholarships at various high schools which include South Oak Cliff, Spruce, DeSoto, Duncanville, Skyline, and St. Philips School. Additionally, Parrish has supported the St. Mark’s School of Texas with their annual fundraising efforts to feed the homeless at Austin Street Center.
Through his Parrish Charitable Foundation, he is sponsoring a four-year $250,000 fellowship with the Texas Rangers Baseball Club team’s Charlie Pride internship. The 10-week internship program is named after the late country music icon who was the first Black superstar in this music genre. The Foundation also built and supports a medical clinic in Fort Portal, Uganda that serves 6,000 orphans each year.
“I believe in providing educational opportunities. The gift that keeps on giving. If I can assist a student with attaining a degree or skill, so that they can live the American Dream; then hopefully they will reach out and pull someone else forward,” Parrish said.
Roland G. Parrish Park in East Oak Cliff
In 2023, the Dallas Park and Recreation Board voted to recognize the local businessman for his philanthropic spirit with a new park, the Roland G. Parrish Park in the Cadillac Heights community.
Parrish made history by being the only Chairman and CEO of The National Black McDonald’s Operators Association to serve an unprecedented three consecutive terms. During his tenure, Parrish established the “NBMOA Foundation” to raise scholarship funds for students.
He has served on numerous boards and committees including the Ronald McDonald’s House Charities of Greater North Texas, NBA Dallas Mavericks, MLB – Texas Rangers Foundation, Oncor Foundation, The Methodist Hospital Foundation, the Salvation Army, St. Philip’s School and Community Center and the Communities Foundation of Texas. Parrish received his BSIM and MBA from Purdue University where he was a scholar athlete.
Oak Cliff Lions Club Humanitarian Award
The award was established in 1978 with former Dallas Cowboys Coach Tom Landry as the first recipient, and 2026 marks the 47th award presentation. The annual humanitarian award was renamed in 2010 to honor its Founding President, Past District Governor and former Dallas County Treasurer Bill Melton.
The Dallas Oak Cliff Lions Club was organized and chartered in April 1929. Since their founding, the Oak Cliff Lions have supported a variety of local, state, national and international charities involving youth, vision, and other worthy causes and charities. It is estimated that the club has contributed over $1.5 million to charitable causes through the dedicated efforts of club members.
Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Wed., April 22, and the awards program will start promptly at 12 noon. The event is free for members of Oak Cliff Lions Club, and guests will be charged $20 for their lunch. Complimentary valet parking is available onsite, and reservations are available at oakclifflions.org. Ted Ferguson is President of the Oak Cliff Lions Club, and Lion Teri Bailey is Chair of the Humanitarian Award Committee.
For more information about the Oak Cliff Lions Club, please visit oakclifflions.org.
