Riley Children’s Foundation Mourns the Passing of Jim Morris

Jim Morris was a champion for children, and his advocacy was on powerful display through his support of Riley Hospital for Children and the children it serves.

Jim first joined the Riley Children’s Foundation Board of Governors in 1997 and served until 2003, when he stepped away due to his appointment as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme. Following his distinguished service in that role, he returned to Indiana and was eagerly welcomed back to the Riley Children’s Foundation Board in 2007. He was elected Chair that same year and continued to lead until 2015. He was named a Life Governor in 2018.

During his tenure as Chair, Jim presided over the raising of more than $200 million. These critical funds helped support nearly 2.7 million Riley patient visits and fueled research that improved the lives of children in Indiana and the world over. Notably, Jim fiercely supported Riley’s work to combat infant and maternal mortality.

Jim once wrote: “One could never, ever measure the full impact the hospital has had on hundreds of thousands of young lives for many years. God bless those that had the foresight to establish the hospital many years ago and equal gratitude to the thousands of people who have kept it strong and provided support for these many years. Nothing defines a community any better or more importantly than the way It takes care of its children — all children, regardless of their financial circumstances.”

Riley Children’s Foundation, Riley Children’s Health and the children of our state could not ask for a more devoted partner and servant than Jim Morris. While we mourn his passing, we celebrate a life well lived and his indelible contributions to children’s health.