Hall Family and Hall Family Foundation Announce Largest Pledge Ever to Children's Mercy
The pledge is contingent on passage of the half-cent sales tax in Jackson County for medical research. If Jackson County passes the tax on November 5, the new Institute for Translational Medicine of Jackson County will be housed in the new building.
"This gift eliminates the need for taxpayer dollars to go toward bricks and mortar," said Donald J Hall, Sr. "It allows the proceeds of the sales tax to go directly toward hiring world-class scientists, researchers and support staff, and it will provide them with the state-of-the-art equipment they need to find new treatments for today and new cures for tomorrow.
"The construction of a building of this size will provide a short-term economic boost, but it will be the researchers, their assistants, lab technicians, and the outside resources they will attract, along with the spin-offs of patents and new businesses that will help shape our city's future," Hall said.
In accepting the gift - believed to be one of the largest of its kind to any children's hospital - Randall L. O'Donnell, PhD, president and CEO of Children's Mercy, said, "We are humbled and deeply grateful to the Hall family. For generations, the Hall family and the Hall Family Foundation have supported the life-changing and life-saving work of our hospital. Today, they once again are making a bold and generous commitment to improve the lives of our patients and to brighten the economic prospects of our Jackson County community."
The Institute for Translational Medicine of Jackson County is expected to occupy the two floors (80,000 square feet) of the new four-story building. The remaining two floors will be shell floors until further development. The building will be built on top of the existing parking garage at Children's Mercy. If the sales tax is approved, design of the building will get underway immediately and is expected to take nine to 12 months. Construction will follow, with the estimated opening 24 months later.
About The Hall Family Foundation
The Hall Family Foundation is a private philanthropic organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of human life. Programs that enrich the community, help people and promote excellence are considered to be of prime importance. The Foundation views its primary function as that of a catalyst. It seeks to be responsive to programs that are innovative, yet strive to create permanent solutions to community needs in the Greater Kansas City area. For more information about the Hall Family Foundation, visit www.hallfamilyfoundation.org.
About Children's Mercy
Children's Mercy, located in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the nation's top pediatric medical centers. The 354-bed hospital provides care for children from birth through the age of 21, and has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of "America's Best Children's Hospitals." For the third time in a row, Children's Mercy has achieved Magnet nursing designation, awarded to fewer than seven percent of all hospitals nationally, for excellence in quality care. Its faculty of 600 pediatricians and researchers across more than 40 subspecialties are actively involved in clinical care, pediatric research, and educating the next generation of pediatric subspecialists. For more information about Children's Mercy and its research, visit childrensmercy.org or download our mobile phone app CMH4YOU for all phone types. For breaking news and videos, follow us on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.