Akron Children’s receives historic $50 million gift from philanthropist

Akron Children’s has received a transformational $50 million gift from philanthropist, entrepreneur and child health advocate Tom Golisano.

The unrestricted gift is the largest in Akron Children’s history. Akron Children’s will use the funds to support key strategic priorities, including developing clinical services in underserved communities throughout northeast and southeast Ohio; expanding congenital heart and cancer care for kids, teenagers and young adults; improving access to behavioral health services throughout the continuum of care; and launching innovative programs that enhance patient engagement and nursing excellence.

To recognize the magnitude and significant impact of this donation, the health system will name its Akron campus the Akron Children’s Golisano Campus.

“This incredible gift from Mr. Golisano is pivotal to Akron Children’s commitment to be the most trusted, inclusive and accessible pediatric health system in the communities we serve,” said Chris Gessner, president and chief executive officer of Akron Children’s.

“His generosity to our health system and the other hospitals in the Golisano Children’s Alliance is a testament to his commitment to improving child health across the country. The gift will enable us to expedite our plans to bring highly coordinated, world class pediatric healthcare as close to our patients’ homes as possible.”

Tom Golisano is the founder of Paychex, Inc., the nation’s largest human resource company for small to medium-sized businesses. His philanthropic contributions to educational institutions and hospitals, including multiple children’s hospitals across the country that bear his name and numerous other organizations, exceed $1 billion.

In1985, Golisano established the Golisano Foundation to make the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With more than $120 million in gross assets, it is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. devoted to supporting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities awarding grants to non-profit organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida.

“By creating the Golisano Children’s Alliance, we are bringing together leading pediatric health systems committed to improving care for children and families,” said Golisano. “Akron Children’s has demonstrated a strong commitment to meeting families where they are, expanding services in underserved communities, and building a healthier future for children across Ohio. Akron Children’s is an important addition to the Golisano Children’s Alliance, and I’m proud to support its vision for growth, collaboration, and lasting impact.”

Akron Children’s Hospital joins the Golisano Children’s Alliance, a national network of 15 children’s hospital across the United States united by a shared commitment to improving pediatric healthcare delivery, advancing innovation, and ensuring children and families have access to high-quality, compassionate care.

With its expansion into Cleveland, Marietta, Medina and other regions, Akron Children’s sees even more opportunities to increase access to care close to those in need.

“As the need for services continues to change and grow in the communities we serve, we are committed to developing innovative solutions to address the gaps or unmet needs in pediatric and maternal-child healthcare,” said Shelly Brown, chief development officer and executive director of the Akron Children’s Foundation. “Mr. Golisano’s extraordinary generosity is an investment in Akron Children’s, and elevates our work as a growing, regional pediatric health system.”

Akron Children’s is a nationally ranked, independently governed, freestanding pediatric health system, delivering specialized pediatric care to families in a 33-county service area in northeast and southeast Ohio.

Making up less than 1 percent of the hospitals in America, independent pediatric health systems like Akron Children’s are major community anchors to specialized pediatric care, education and research.