Soaring with a Record Fundraising Year

For generations. That’s how long Nicklaus Children’s has served the South Florida community and beyond. Since our founding in 1950 and through the decades to follow, enduringly, we have been the place where children matter most: the region’s only freestanding children’s hospital.

Even as we provide care for half a million children annually – offering nearly every pediatric specialty and the latest innovative therapies – we continuously reach forward to ensure that we are ready to serve the children of tomorrow. Our 2023, momentum included many new initiatives to advance the health and well-being of the region’s children, today and for generations to come.

Notable gifts include:

• A transformational $15 million gift from South Florida philanthropists Helen and Jacob Shaham to further elevate world-class pediatric cancer care and research through the hospital’s cancer and blood disorders institute. In recognition of the gift, the program now proudly bears the name, the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute.
• A $1 million donation from the Saka family to support various programs including the Adaptive Care Program, music therapy, palliative care, children’s experiences, and the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).
• The Batchelor Foundation issued a $250,000 grant to benefit the Mobile Dental Unit. Other grantors include Delta Dental, Florida Blue Foundation and the Kirk Foundation, with new 2023 support for the Mobile Dental Unit totaling $357,000.
• Hyundai Hope on Wheels, STOP Children’s Cancer of Palm Beach County and Ayúdame a Vivir Foundation issued grants totaling $192,000 overall for cancer research.

Topping Out Puts Griffin Surgical Tower On Track For 2024 Opening

Nicklaus Children’s leaders and construction crew members celebrated the “topping out” of Nicklaus Children’s Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower in 2023, placing the final structural beam atop the 131,000-square-foot construction site. As part of the celebration, employees, donors and patient families signed a construction beam displayed in the lobby. Hospital namesakes, Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, and donor Ken Griffin were among the hundreds who added their signatures to the beam.

The completion of the construction milestone ensures the project is on track for the planned 2024 opening, when the tower will offer a state-of-the-art setting for the 16,000-plus pediatric surgeries performed annually at the hospital.

The Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower is named for philanthropist Ken Griffin, Founder and CEO of Citadel and Founder of Griffin Catalyst, who made a transformational $25 million gift to support the tower and the future of pediatric surgical care.

2023 Brings Expanded Hagerty Family Behavioral
Health Unit And Planning For New Outpatient Behavioral Health Office

2023 saw the opening of 20 new beds within the hospital’s Psychiatry Unit, doubling the number available to support inpatient psychiatry care, a huge need within the community and beyond.

The expansion was made possible through the generosity of philanthropists Michelle and Michael Hagerty, who contributed $5 million to establish what is now the Hagerty Family Behavioral Health Unit.

In addition, the hospital received $1 million in 2023 federal funding to establish a Nicklaus Children’s behavioral health outpatient office in South Miami. The new facility will offer expanded consultative space to enable the program to serve more children. The associated funds were made possible thanks to the work of Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar.

“The last few years have shone a light on the importance of supporting the mental health needs of children,” said Dr. Marcos Mestre, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Nicklaus Children's Hospital. “We are so grateful to the Hagertys and Congresswoman Salazar for understanding the vital need to provide children with mental health support,” he said.

The Nicklaus Children’s inpatient unit is one of the state’s largest mental health units dedicated especially to the care of children and teens.
 

Diamond Ball Raises $2.5 Million To Fund The Future

With support from Diamond Ball Co-Chairs Oscar and Ellen Feldenkreis, Nicklaus Children’s signature fundraising event raised $2.5 million in October to benefit the hospital’s programs and services.

Presented by Diamond Ball Honorees Mario and Bibiana Murgado and Murgado Automotive Group, the Roaring Twenties-themed event brought together hundreds of philanthropists and community leaders to support the great work of the hospital. Other major Diamond Ball sponsors included Ensemble Health Partners, CNN en Español, The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood and City National Bank of Florida.

Children’s Miracle Network Expansion Leads To Record Fundraising Year

In 2023, Nicklaus Children’s expanded its fundraising footprint in South Florida as a result of a growing collaboration with Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals. Nicklaus Children’s is now the official CMN member hospital for Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, which includes Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has been a CMN member hospital since 1985, serving Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties, and with this growth, Nicklaus Children’s is now the member hospital for eight counties across South Florida.

This territory expansion brought exciting new fundraising opportunities for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital through CMN’s partners and programs. In 2023, Nicklaus Children’s raised more than $4.3 million through CMN to benefit patients and families. CMN fundraising partners include Publix Super Markets, Costco Wholesale, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Panda Express, Marriott, RE/MAX and more.

Allison Baker Appointed President Of Foundation

Allison W. Baker was named Vice President of Development for Nicklaus Children’s Health System and President of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation in 2023, responsible for raising funds and support for Nicklaus Children’s mission of delivering world-class pediatric care.

Baker brings to the role more than 25 years of fundraising experience in principal and major gifts, as well as annual giving.

Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Development for Women’s and Children’s Health at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine.

Foundation Launches Donor Advised Fund

Nicklaus Children’s is among the first health systems in the state to offer its own donor advised fund, following Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation’s 2023 launch of the fund in collaboration with BNY Mellon. The donor advised fund offers donors a tax-efficient way to maximize their charitable giving.