Mathile family honored for contribution and legacy of philanthropic support in naming of new building
Dayton Children’s Hospital asks the community to help do more for children’s health by joining in the Do. More. so all kids thrive campaign. This comprehensive fundraising campaign aims to raise $75 million to support initiatives in three key areas of critical need for children in the Dayton region, including:
Investing in novel solutions, an extensive continuum of care, and partnerships with local agencies and the community to overcome the crisis of our children’s generation.
Health care is evolving rapidly and an increasing number of children face complex medical conditions that urgently demand the latest technologies and innovative care models.
Shifting care beyond the doctor’s office to the environments where children live, learn and play addressing social determinants of health and identifying barriers to ensure that basic needs impacting 80% of a child’s health are met for optimal well-being.
Campaign co-chairs, Jayne and Rob Connelly and Jean and Tony Kenney, have made tremendous strides in setting the pace. “Together we can shape a healthier future for our kids so that Dayton area families, businesses and communities thrive. We are proud to be helping expand and enhance the hospital’s services, ensuring that every child receives the treatment they deserve.”
Throughout Dayton Children’s rich history, philanthropy has always played a major role. “It’s only by working together that we can help all kids thrive,” says Jena Pado, vice president of the Dayton Children’s Foundation. “Dayton Children’s is focused on developing bold solutions that address our children’s most pressing health needs. With your help, we can do more.”
Kicking off this public phase of the campaign, the entire Mathile Family has committed to addressing the urgent mental health needs of our community with a leadership gift to support Dayton Children’s comprehensive plans to expand pediatric mental health care. This is the first time all three generations of the family have contributed individually through the Mathile Family Foundation to make a transformational family gift.
“When Clay and I started the Foundation, it was always our hope that future generations of our family would take an active leadership role in the Foundation’s giving,” says MaryAnn Mathile, Mathile Family Foundation founder and board co-chair. “This multi-generational gift reinforces our family’s commitment to the greater Dayton area and ensures children in our community have access to the highest quality mental health care.”
In addition to their gift, the long-time Dayton area family also issued a challenge to fellow community members who have the means to make their own transformational gift.
“Our family has experienced our own challenges with mental health – as we know it has touched so many families,” says Anna Laden, Mathile Family Foundation Board member and third generation family member. “This issue is the defining health care crisis of our generation, and we are so proud to take a stand as a family to show our support for this important cause. We hope you will do the same.”
To honor the legacy commitment and support of the Mathile family, Dayton Children’s adds their name to the new building for mental health services set to open in summer 2025. It will be called the Mathile Center for Mental Health and Wellness.
It’s a historic moment. This marks the first time the Mathile Family has allowed their name to be used for a building in the Dayton region. Their imprint on this community is vast.
“There is not a project that helped our community in the past 20 years that doesn’t include the Mathile family in some way, whether it be funding, time, energy, positivity or bringing the right people together,” says Deborah Feldman, president and CEO for Dayton Children’s. “Yet they are so humble that their remarkable support remains hidden in anonymity. We are commemorating their impact on this community by placing their name on a space that will do so much good.”
– Tim Mathile, Mathile Family Foundation board co-chair and second-generation family member.
In collaboration with the Mathile family, Dayton Children’s will launch a new way to keep the conversation around mental health going in our community on World Mental Health Day on October 10.
In the meantime, the hospital encourages families to join the On Our Sleeves movement. By signing up online, you will get mental health tips for kids every week, conversation starter cards and even fun activities for the family to complete.
One of the best ways to keep up to date is to subscribe to our Miracles Matter monthly e-newsletter! We’ll send you a monthly email with patient stories, opportunities to get involved with the hospital, exciting news, and more!
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