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Riley Children’s Foundation launches Be the Hope NOW campaign to raise $175 million

BeTheHopeNow_BlogPost

Riley Children’s Foundation today launched “Be the Hope NOW: The Campaign for Kids” to raise $175 million by June 2020. The goal of the campaign is to transform Riley Hospital for Children and the Wells Center for Pediatric Research through three high-priority programs: Pediatric Research and Patient Care, Maternity and Newborn Health and Family Support Programs.

The campaign and fundraising goal were announced at the Be the Hope NOW Luncheon at the JW Marriott. Widely recognized as one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation and the only comprehensive children’s research hospital in Indiana, the campaign underscores the foundation’s continuing commitment to providing the best care to children and families who visit Riley physicians more than 323,000 times each year

“We are pleased to announce that together we have already reached the $121 million mark of our $175 million goal,” said David Ricks, chairman of the Riley Children’s Endowment Board of Governors. “Riley Hospital for Children is the only nationally ranked hospital in Indiana, and donations are what support Indiana’s sick and injured kids.”

More than 300,000 donors have contributed to the $121 million already donated to Riley since July 2015. Of those donations, 20 have been gifts of $1 million or more. A $5 million gift came from an anonymous donor specifically designated to Riley’s Maternity and Newborn Health program. In a statement, the family said, “When we learned that Indiana is losing 600 babies each year and that many of these deaths are preventable, we were moved to take action. We chose to support the Riley Maternity and Newborn Health program because we trust Riley expertise to deliver the very best care and support to moms and their babies. The result of these efforts is that babies’ lives will be saved.”

Ricks explained Riley’s commitment to lifesaving research and expert care. “One in every eight children diagnosed with cancer will not survive without new discoveries. That is why Riley Children’s Foundation is committed to raising money now to fund the necessary research to save the lives of these children,” he said.

Every dollar donated to the Be the Hope NOW campaign’s research initiative leads to $10 in additional support for Riley research at the Wells Center, which is located directly across the street from the hospital. Donations not only help children and families in need of care, they also help Riley recruit world class researchers and provide seed and bridge funding to get new ideas off the ground. Additionally, 75 percent of funding for the Child Life and Social Work programs at Riley are funded by donors. Riley Hospital for Children is now among the nation’s top 10 pediatric research hospitals.

For more information and links to donate, visit BeTheHopeNOW.org.

About Riley Children’s Foundation

Riley Children’s Foundation is the fundraising arm of Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health and the founding organization that opened Riley Hospital in 1924. Today Riley Hospital is recognized as one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation and is the only comprehensive children’s research hospital in the state of Indiana. Be the Hope NOW: The Campaign for Kids aims to raise $175 million by June 2020 to transform Riley Hospital through three high-priority programs: Pediatric Research and Patient Care, Maternity and Newborn Health and Family Support Programs. Riley Children’s Foundation also funds Camp Riley and the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home and Billie Lou Wood Visitor Center. For more information, visit BeTheHopeNOW.org.