How a $50 Million Gift Is Powering a $250 Million Expansion of Pediatric Care at Akron Children’s

How Is Philanthropy Changing Pediatric Care at Akron Children’s?

At Akron Children’s, philanthropy helps turn healthcare priorities into programs, expand services into more communities and move important projects forward faster.

Donor support can also help recruit pediatric specialists and fund programs that address the needs of children and families beyond traditional medical care.

Shelly Brown, chief development officer and executive director of Akron Children’s Foundation, describes the role of philanthropy simply: “Philanthropy makes things bigger, better, faster,” she says.

For Akron Children’s, that means philanthropic support can provide the flexibility to respond to pediatric healthcare needs as they emerge while helping advance long-term strategic priorities.

What Is the Come Grow With Us Campaign?

Come Grow With Us is a $250 million philanthropic campaign at Akron Children’s designed to expand the health system’s ability to serve children and families.

The campaign was initially set at $150 million, but Tom Golisano’s $50 million unrestricted gift helped increase the target by $100 million, to $250 million.

“The gift is transformational, and it’s also a catalyst that increased our campaign goal by $100 million,” Brown says.

The campaign is focused on expanding access to care in underserved markets and growing Akron Children’s presence in Greater Cleveland.

What Are the Priorities of Come Grow With Us?

“Within our Come Grow With Us campaign, some of our major focuses are pediatric subspecialties, which includes capital needs, research needs, programmatic needs and patient needs,” Brown says.

The campaign also focuses on:

• Behavioral health

• Nursing excellence

• Kids’ community health

• Patient and family engagement

Together, these priorities reflect a broad approach to pediatric healthcare, from highly specialized medical treatment to the programs, resources and support that surround children and families throughout their healthcare journey.

How Will the $50 Million Golisano Gift Help Akron Children’s?

Tom Golisano’s $50 million gift provides Akron Children’s with unrestricted philanthropic funding, giving the health system flexibility to direct resources toward its greatest needs and opportunities.

The gift is the largest in Akron Children’s history and is helping create additional momentum for the Come Grow With Us campaign.

For Golisano, Akron Children’s commitment to reaching families where they are was an important part of the gift’s appeal.

Because the funding is unrestricted, Akron Children’s can use it to accelerate priorities already underway while responding to emerging gaps in pediatric specialty and behavioral healthcare.

How Does Philanthropy Help Akron Children’s Expand Access to Care?

As Akron Children’s grows, philanthropic support can help the health system identify community needs and respond with new or expanded services.

Brown says Akron Children’s pediatric-only model and independent, community-governed structure allow the organization to respond quickly when it identifies a need.

“We are 100% kid focused,” Brown says. “Being independent and community governed, we’re really nimble. So if we see a need, we’re able to react fairly quickly.”

That flexibility is particularly important as the health system expands into underserved markets and grows its presence in Greater Cleveland.

Why Is Philanthropy Important to Pediatric Healthcare?

Traditional healthcare funding does not always cover every program, service, research initiative or community need. Philanthropy can provide additional resources to help health systems move priorities forward, recruit specialists and expand access.

At Akron Children’s, donor support is helping connect highly specialized pediatric medicine with broader investments in behavioral health, community health, nursing and patient and family engagement.

The goal is not simply to expand the health system geographically. It is to identify what children and families need and build the resources to meet those needs.

What Is Akron Children’s Goal for Pediatric Care?

Ultimately, Akron Children’s work is centered on expanding access to high-quality pediatric care for children and families.

For Brown, the goal is straightforward: “ensuring that every child has access to extraordinary pediatric care close to home.”

Philanthropy provides Akron Children’s with additional resources and flexibility to pursue that goal, helping the organization respond to community needs, expand specialized services and strengthen the programs supporting children and their families.

Related Reading:

See how Akron Children’s Foundation turns campaign dollars into specific programs — from the Tom and Jill Zidian Autism Center to school-based health and the Food Farmacy — in “How Akron Children’s Foundation Turns Philanthropy Into Care for Kids Across Northeast Ohio.” [hyperlink]