Ways to Give

The Children's Hospital Foundation

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

GIVING LEVELS

A Hospital Founded by the Community's Generosity

T.C. Thompson
Children's Hospital
Foundation
975 East Third Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 778-6600
Fax: (423) 778-2680
E-mail:
foundation@erlanger.org

In the 1920's, T.C. Thompson, the second president of the local Civitan Club, challenged the community to undertake the founding and funding of a facility dedicated solely to pediatrics. The city responded, and Children's Hospital opened in 1929 in Glenwood.

Through the years, numerous groups made donations to further the hospital‘s mission of ensuring every child received the same level of medical care. These efforts continued in 1975 when Children's Hospital became part of the Erlanger Health System.

Foundation Provides Fundraising Structure

In 1985, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority Board approved the formation of the T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital Foundation. As stated in The Baroness Collection, a history of Erlanger Health System, the Foundation's purpose was to develop organized community support for the hospital, as a vehicle for fundraising, and for the purpose of allocating funds raised through the Children's Miracle Network Telethon. Mrs. William (Mildred) Montague was the Foundation's first president.

In the 20 years since, the Children's Hospital Foundation has raised more than $10 million for the hospital. As part of the Children's Miracle Network, a coalition of children's hospitals throughout North America, their efforts ensure the hospital benefits from the hard work and generous contributions of local, regional and national CMN sponsors.

CMN sponsors are recognized each year during a televised celebration. These monies have benefited special hospital programs such as Child Life, a department that sees to the non-medical needs of the hospitalized child, and Safe and Sound, a department focused on the prevention of childhood injury, providing car seat checks, bicycle safety classes and much more.

The list of specialized equipment purchased by the Foundation is too long to list here, but includes:

Temperature-controlled and automated beds for premature and sick infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit—giving fragile new lives the best chance at survival.
A camera used to detect damage to a child's retina caused by shaken baby syndrome a diagnostic and legal tool used to stop child abusers from striking again.

In 2003, a capital campaign culminated in the opening of the newly-renovated and upgraded Children's Emergency Department. Technologically advanced and kid-friendly, the new ER is a source of pride for every employee of Children's Hospital and Erlanger, as well as a lifesaving resource for the families of our region.

Fundraising Events

As the Children's Hospital Foundation moves into a third decade, plans call for continuing to work with our Children's Miracle Network sponsors on their individual fundraising efforts, as well as the Foundation's own projects.

Every effort of the Foundation is focused on one goal—enhancing the services of Children's Hospital so that the finest pediatric care can be found right here, available to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. In some respects, the hospital has come far from T.C. Thompson's dream, but the basic goals of equality and quality have not changed.