“a family united forever” gives from the heart

Dayton Children’s new mental health building will bear the Mathile family’s name

Clayton and MaryAnn Mathile instilled in their five children and 15 grandchildren a commitment to serving others. That legacy continues to flourish at the Mathile Family Foundation. Since 1987, the Mathile family and Mathile Family Foundation have donated over $500 million to various community projects and nonprofit organizations to improve the lives of children and families in Dayton.

In all those years and through all their partnerships with local businesses and notfor-profits, the Mathiles have been as generous as they are humble. Many organizations, hoping to recognize the family for their support, have asked them about adding the Mathile name to a program or building. The answer was always a gracious “no.”

Then something changed. In 2022, the Mathiles began to learn more about the mental health crisis among children and adolescents in Dayton. As long-time supporters of Dayton Children’s, they knew the hospital was leading the way in addressing this crisis in our region. The more the Mathiles learned, the more they wanted to help.

Conversations between moms, dads and cousins from all three generations of the family started to point to one big idea: making a significant, multigenerational donation to support mental health initiatives at Dayton Children’s. The conversations led to a formal proposal and group decision to donate a significant leadership gift to the Do. More. Campaign. The $75 million campaign is an investment in our children and our community’s future with services that address every aspect of childhood health, including mental health care.

“This multigenerational gift is a realization of our family’s vision, which is ‘A Family United Forever.’” — MaryAnn Mathile, Mathile Family Foundation founder and co-chair

a surprise decision

When the Mathiles shared their decision with us earlier this year, we knew the chances of them considering a naming opportunity were slim. But we also knew that a public demonstration of their support would draw much-needed attention to our critical fundraising campaign. So, we asked if they would be open to naming our new behavioral health building after them. To our surprise, the Mathiles’ initial response was a tentative “maybe.” Then, after much discussion and a family vote, they said yes.

“My parents were always grounded in their faith and instilled in us the value of supporting people in need,” says Tim Mathile, board co-chair of the Mathile Family Foundation. “It’s not about us, it’s about helping others. That’s where the focus should be. Deciding to put our name on the building did not come easily to us.”

So why the change of heart? “We want to make sure people understand that we are passionate about helping children who are struggling with mental health issues,” Tim says. “We see how these issues affect families—they have affected our family as well. We hope putting our name behind this campaign inspires others to support it financially to ensure every child and family has access to high-quality mental health care.”

“We hope putting our name behind this campaign inspires others to support it financially to ensure every child and family has access to high-quality mental health care.” — Tim Mathile, Mathile Family Foundation board co-chair

gratitude for another “first”

Another unique element of the Mathile family gift is that it represents the first time all three generations have united behind a common cause. Typically, each adult family member designates foundation grants to the organizations of their choice. The Mathile Family Foundation operates separately, making board-directed grants to various causes in the region. This time, all 21 adults in the family (along with their spouses) gave individually and through the Foundation in support of the Do. More. Campaign.

“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 Family Foundation founder and co-chair. “This multigenerational gift is a realization of our family’s vision, which is ‘A Family United Forever.’”

MaryAnn says she’s particularly proud of her 15 grandchildren and their spouses for their commitment to the foundation, especially since not all live in the Dayton area. “The third generation stepped up financially,” she says. “This is our first big gift together, and it feels good.”

living by example

Jenna Steffan shares her grandma’s passion for helping others and excitement about the gift. “As a child, I saw how my mom and Mimi and other people in my family cared about children and keeping them healthy and happy,” she says. “That was such a huge thing for me and my cousins — we want to make a difference, too.”

Jenna, 27, says she and her cousins (who range from 20 to 33 years old) share a close bond. During the pandemic, they FaceTimed and messaged often to check in on each other. “Mental health was already a big issue for people our age due to social media pressures, but Covid made it so much worse,” she explains. “Some of us were struggling with our own mental health and watching some of our friends go through it, too. When the older generations in our family approached us about being part of this gift, we rallied behind the idea. There wasn’t even a debate.”

a vision for the future

The Do. More. Campaign will provide significant funding for mental health services at Dayton Children’s. Many of those services will be available in the behavioral health building, now known as the Mathile Center for Mental Health and Wellness.

“I’m excited for new opportunities this building will bring, from crisis care to outpatient therapy and social work services,” says Michelle Mathile, second generation Foundation board member and Jenna’s mom. “So many of us struggle alone, and we don’t talk about it. I hope Dayton Children’s can reduce the stigma of mental health so families will seek help and talk about things that are hidden in shadows.”

Tim adds that he considers the family’s gift to be a strong endorsement of the hospital’s leadership and ability to provide outstanding mental health care to the children in our community.

“When Dayton Children’s takes the lead on a project to help children and families, you can trust them to get it done well,” he says. “Once the building is open, the hospital won’t stop there. They will continue to work with partners in our region to expand mental health services for children and families so that everyone who needs help receives it.”