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THE REES-JONES FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER

Announce $100 Million Donation from The Rees-Jones Foundation

DALLAS (Oct. 1, 2024) — Children’s Health℠ and UT Southwestern Medical Center broke ground today on a $5 billion pediatric health campus to replace the existing Children’s Medical Center Dallas. The new campus will encompass more than 4.7 million square feet of construction, including a new pediatric hospital as its centerpiece. The hospital, comprised of two 12-story towers and an 8-story tower, along with the broader care site, will significantly expand inpatient, surgical, and ambulatory capacity to meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing and largest metropolitan areas in the country. The new Dallas pediatric campus will be located on the corner of Harry Hines Boulevard and Paul Bass Way, across from UTSW’s William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.

“For more than 110 years Children’s Health, together with our 60-year partners at UT Southwestern, have sought to provide the best care available to the families of North Texas. Today, as we prepare for the tremendous growth in the area’s pediatric population, through this new pediatric campus we are reaffirming our promise that every child in this community will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, no matter the challenges they face,” said Christopher Durovich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Health. “This new Dallas campus will be a beacon of hope and healing for our children today – and for generations to come.”

As North Texas experiences unprecedented growth, and with the pediatric population expected to double by 2050, there is an urgent demand for advanced pediatric health care. To meet those needs, Children’s Health and UT Southwestern announced plans for the new pediatric campus in February 2024. The project will expand access to a full range of pediatric services from routine care to complex treatments, creating a one-of-a-kind hub for academic research, training, and the development of life-saving technologies.

By CJ Stevenson, Program Officer

As a child I didn’t attend summer camp until junior high when I loaded up on a bus with my youth group for church camp. To be honest, I don’t remember where the camp was or its name, but what I do remember is the experiences – catching my first fish on a cane pole, capture the flag, evening worship – and the closeness I felt to God. I was privileged in this experience. Privileged that my church sent us to camp, privileged that my parents could afford to send me, and privileged that I don’t have a disability that would exclude me from the opportunity.

The lessons that one gains from summer camp are invaluable. For many it’s their first time away from their parents for an extended amount of time, which means much deserved respite for parents. It’s an opportunity to try new things – like fishing for me! And it’s a great way to form friendships and experience different personalities (and learn soft skills in dealing with those personalities in close proximity).

However, for a portion of our population, accessing camp is a little more complicated. For our friends with disabilities – whether it be physical, cognitive or medical – there are camps designed to give barrier-free access to all kinds of amazing experiences. This summer I was able to visit three terrific organizations that afford everything we love about camp to children with disabilities.

By Sara Meyers, Communications Specialist

In the philanthropy space, one of the values we prize involves innovation—how are organizations providing creative solutions to tackle problems? What are they doing that is different in the community? We see new services, new technologies, and new ideas constantly in spaces we work in, but one consistent factor that fuels innovation is collaboration.

In the nonprofit space, competition can feel like the name of the game. When you’re targeting fundraising dollars and tasked with a large budget to raise every year, you are taught from the beginning to communicate all the ways your organization is different—how do we stand apart? Why are we so different in our mission? What are we doing that the “other” organization is not doing? In this conversation, the easy way out seems to be to silo ourselves and ensure we do not partner with anyone because it could harm us when we go to publicize for our big event or campaign. As someone whose background is nonprofit fundraising and communications, I felt the tension for 13 years!

For those who follow the way of Jesus Christ, we know that joining together with others has been shown effective and life-giving for centuries. When the church began in the first century, it was groups of people joining together to care for those who had needs that showed the world that community is the best model for living! Imagine—a community where no one ever lacked, where the grieving always found comfort, and the sick always had care. We believe this model of partnership and relationships is worthy of striving for!