Nemours launches ‘Our Promise’ campaign to support patients and families in Jacksonville

Troy Smith and Matt Welch of THE PLAYERS Championship with Azaryah and her mom Arzra MacNeal

Photos courtesy of Susan Masucci

Robert Richendollar and Paul Pitel, MD of Nemours socialize with other event attendees

Photos courtesy of Susan Masucci

Rita Malie and Kelli Coughlin of the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund with Helena Gutirrez, LSW and Amanda Lochrie, PhD of Nemours

Photos courtesy of Susan Masucci

Malcolm Jones, “Our Promise” campaign chair, and Dr. Gary Josephson, chief medical officer for Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, raise a toast in celebration of the campaign.

Photos courtesy of Susan Masucci

Dr. J. Brett Chafin of Nemours, Josh Henry and Catherine Swanson of Nemours

Photos courtesy of Susan Masucci

Brenda and Steve Jones with Nemours patient Riley

Photos courtesy of Susan Masucci

Barry and Megan Sproles with daughter and Nemours patient Norah

Photos courtesy of Susan Masucci

Posted Thursday, June 14, 2018 4:54 pm

Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville recently announced at an event in April the public phase of its first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign to support Northeast Florida patients and families, “Our Promise” – A Campaign for Children’s Health.

Nemours’ stated mission is to provide leadership, institutions and services to restore and improve the health of children through care and programs not readily available, regardless of the recipient’s ability to pay. In 2017, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville provided uncompensated care in excess of $24 million to children in Northeast Florida, many of whom were uninsured or underinsured. With its new campaign, the nonprofit seeks to raise a total of $7 million in contributions from the community, including individual and corporate donors.

One hundred percent of funds raised through the “Our Promise” campaign will benefit Northeast Florida children. During the first phase of the campaign, funds raised will support the Nemours Hearing Loss Program to fund speech therapy services (not covered by insurance) for children with hearing loss, summer camp for children with cochlear implants, updated screening equipment and replenishments for the cochlear implant and hearing aid loaner bank. In addition, the campaign will benefit the Nemours Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders to fund non-medical enrichment programs, which support more than 300 oncology patients annually who are dealing with cancer diagnoses and treatments. Such programs include art and music therapies, research studies, medical education for the next generation of specialists and community-based programming.

Funds raised will also go towards a lobby transformation for Nemours’ Jacksonville location, which has not had any major updates in more than 30 years. The transformation will include a comprehensive café with indoor/outdoor seating, other areas for families to seek respite, an updated welcome/information center and children’s library, as well as spaces for Nemours and its volunteers to provide entertainment and patient education.

Many individual donors and organizations have made pledges toward the campaign during its “quiet phase,” including the Delores Barr Weaver Fund through The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida and THE PLAYERS, which has pledged $500,000 as a Challenge Grant to the community and will match funds raised in the community dollar-for-dollar.

“Giving back to the community is at the heart of THE PLAYERS Championship,” said Jared Rice, executive director of THE PLAYERS. “The ultimate goal of THE PLAYERS is to have a continued impact on Northeast Florida. The support that we receive from area fans and businesses is directly reflected in the millions we are able to give back to deserving charities like Nemours.”