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Fundraising Nearly 100 Years Ago

Back in the early 1920s, a group of friends of James Whitcomb Riley decided they wanted to build a children’s hospital in his honor.  They selected the location – Indianapolis, IN – and then traveled the state asking fellow Hoosiers to donate money to help build the hospital.  By 1924, this group of dedicated fundraisers raised $1M to open Indiana’s first and only comprehensive children’s hospital.

Those original, paper pledge cards from generous Hoosiers still exist today in the original lobby of Riley Hospital for Children.  Donors back then pledged anywhere from 10 cents to $10 in an effort to build this lifesaving resource.  Today, Riley Children’s Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals still rely on the support of small donations to accomplish great things.

During this #ChildrensHospitalsWeek, we would like to thank all our donors from the past to the present for their support in helping us bring hope to all Hoosier children.