7/30/25 news article

Dayton Children’s Hospital thanks the community for record-breaking $85 million in donations to the Do.More. so all kids thrive campaign

Funds support key initiatives in the relentless pursuit of optimal health for children

Dayton Children’s celebrates the record-breaking culmination of the six-year, Do.More. so all kids thrive fundraising campaign. While the goal was $75 million, the community went above and beyond to support the hospital with $85 million dollars in donations in three key areas: elevating mental health, advancing care and removing barriers.

This support is a crucial addition to the $400 million that Dayton Children’s invested over the span of the Do. More. campaign toward the most urgent challenges facing children in the region.

“We are truly in this together. It is incredibly humbling that our community supported Dayton Children’s mission at such an historic and unprecedented level,” says Jena Pado, vice president, chief development officer of Dayton Children’s Hospital.

“It means they believe in our vision, they believe we are on the right path and they believe that together, as a community, we can make Dayton the very best place for children to grow up and thrive.”

A special thank you to those who provided transformational gifts:

The Mathile Family
The Connor Group Kids & Community Partners
Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services
CareSource
Greener Pastures Foundation
Speedway stores, part of 7-Eleven Inc.
Dayton Children’s staff collectively
U.S. Congressman Mike Turner and the Department of Housing and Urban Development

In addition to the $85 million raised in the campaign, Dayton Children’s extends the deepest gratitude to Ohio state leaders for a $25 million investment in pediatric mental health.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
Ohio General Assembly

A heartfelt thank you to the campaign co-chairs:

Rob and Jane Connelly
Tony and Jean Kenney

elevating mental health

Sixty percent of the donations to the campaign were allocated to elevating mental health along with an additional $25 million from the state’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds specifically toward the Mathile Center for Mental Health and Wellness. The Mathile Center will begin accepting inpatients on August 13, 2025.

“One in five children will need care for a mental health issue, making this the health care crisis of our children’s generation,” says Kelly Blankenship, DO, associate chief medical officer for mental health. “Families are depending on us to de-escalate the mental health crisis by providing more services and giving them tools to manage mental health throughout their lives.”

The funds allow:

Expansion and alignment of crisis care services with the Mathile Center for Mental Health and Wellness
Expansion of therapy into more communities, such as Beavercreek and Huber Heights
Providing early intervention and prevention services for more children in more places, including The Connor Child Health Pavilion, to teach resilience and prevent a crisis from occurring

advancing care

Last year, children sought treatment at Dayton Children’s nearly 700,000 times. Every one of them deserves the highest-level care that meets their unique needs. This means expanding high touch, personalized care like sensory rooms and child life as well as investing in high-tech, state-of-the-art care such as new, life-saving technologies, optimal healing environments and cutting-edge clinical research.

These funds allow:

Investment in advanced technology for the increasingly complex care needs of our region’s tiniest babies as well as children with chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries, including a clinical simulation center
Pioneering collaborations, like the Living Biobank, to develop and implement new treatments for pediatric cancer, sickle cell and other life-altering health conditions
Expanded interventions such as Canine Co-pilots, music therapy and child life support that reduce stress and improve outcomes

removing barriers

Too many of our region’s children face uncertain futures due to poor health. Ohio ranks 47 out of 50 states in health outcomes with children ranking toward the bottom. Adverse experiences such as poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to pediatric primary care and abuse create barriers to optimal health. Innovative approaches are needed to improve our children’s health today and in the future.

These funds allow:

Creation of a pediatric urgent care in West Dayton to improve access to care
Expansion of social needs screening to thousands more families to identify barriers to good health such as food insecurity and connect them to resources that help them lead healthier lives
Support for injury prevention in our community

“Our children deserve a great children’s hospital close to home,” says Debbie Feldman, president and CEO. “They deserve a hospital that not only helps sick kids get better, but one that reinvents the path to health so all children can thrive. We are so thankful for the overwhelming support of our community. Together we will continue the relentless pursuit of optimal health for every child within our reach.”