November 6, 2023

Our dedicated team members work every day to support our mission of creating a healthier future for children and women. If you want to extend that commitment to contribute financially to improving and enhancing our programs, you can become an Ambassador for Texas Children’s Hospital.

Ambassadors are a donor group for philanthropists who help support the hospital’s vision through annual or lifetime financial contributions and enjoy insider information, exclusive events and volunteer opportunities that impact our patients.

Each community (Houston, The Woodlands, Austin) has its own unique schedule of events, and all Ambassadors are welcome to attend events in any location they choose. Upcoming events are communicated through The Insider, a special newsletter distributed at the beginning of each month.

Each year, Ambassadors focus on one funding project. For fiscal year 2024, they will support Child Life, specifically, the expansion and maintenance of the Pawsitive Play Program. Pawsitive Play uses specially trained facility dogs and their Child Life handlers to enhance the emotional well-being of patients and families in the hospital setting, especially those who may have trouble coping with a hospital stay, new diagnosis or certain medical procedures.

Visit texaschildrens.org/Ambassadors or click here for more information about the program.

How to sign up through payroll deduction

Now it’s easier than ever to join with the launch of payroll deduction through Voyager. Annual memberships start at $1,000 – that translates to $38.46/pay period.

Click here to log in to Voyager using single sign on. On the Quick Actions menu on the left, scroll down and click Show More, then under Compensation click Manage Personal Contributions. In the top right, click +Add and for plan and option select Ambassadors for TCH Membership. For a 2024 Ambassadors membership paid over 26 pay periods, please select start date 12/24/23 and end date 12/21/24.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I withdraw from a membership?
By signing up for an annual membership, you commit to $1,000 over a year. You can withdraw at the end of the calendar year by not renewing your commitment.

How do I stop future payments?
By signing up for an annual membership, you commit to $1,000 over a year. If you wish to rejoin in 2025, you will have the opportunity to extend your membership on Voyager.

Are their refunds?
There are no refunds for this donation.

What are the membership dates?
An annual membership will be active from Dec. 24, 2023 through Dec. 21, 2024.

How do I find out about events?
Each month Ambassadors receive The Insider, a monthly communication that details events and opportunities for Ambassadors.

June 2, 2020

National Running Day is just around the corner and what better time than now to become more active. All across the country Wednesday, June 3 is the annual appreciation for running as a sport — and as an avenue to overall health and well-being.

Getting out and exercising — especially during this pandemic — can help keep your stress levels down and your spirits high. In a world where social distancing is becoming normal, we can still get out and exercise with peers as a way to stay connected to one another. Now more than ever it is important to know that we are not alone during this pandemic. We are encouraging you to mask up, get out for a jog and consider becoming part of the Texas Children’s running community.

“Running has such great benefits for our physical health, emotional health and mental health,” said Kelley Hernandez, running team coordinator for Texas Children’s Hospital. “As we all continue to navigate life with the coronavirus, it’s especially important that we manage our stress as well so that we can take care of ourselves and others.”

What’s even better is that you can get healthy and support Texas Children’s Hospital at the same time through the Chevron Houston Marathon/Aramco Houston Half Marathon “Run for a Reason” program.

If you are interested in running the Chevron Houston Marathon/Aramco Houston Half Marathon — Sunday, January 17, 2021 — on behalf of Texas Children’s Hospital register at texaschildrens.org/houstonmarathon.

May 12, 2020

Known for its philanthropic spirit, the Houston community rallies around those in need when times are tough. And in the wake of COVID-19, the circumstances have been no different.

As soon as news spread of the pandemic’s possible impact on our region, local businesses jumped at an opportunity to support our employees. Mostly recently — and overwhelmingly — Texas Children’s Hospital was gifted more than 2,000 cases of Coca-Cola products.

Coca-Cola’s monumental gift is at the top of a long and notable list of companies that includes HEB, Papa John’s Pizza, Salata, Southern Ice Cream and Frito Lay, just to name a few. More than a 1,000 employees at all three hospitals have benefited from the charitable donations.

Facilities Operations in partnership with the Office of Philanthropy are responsible for receiving corporate donations and distributing them to the intended department.

“Texas Children’s makes a strong impact on our community,” said Bert Gumeringer, senior vice president for Facilities Operations. “In times like these people want to help us. Large corporations reach out, but also small businesses and grateful parents who may be struggling themselves. I wonder how they do it. It’s incredible.”

Gumeringer added that many corporate sponsors also target their gifts. Some companies may want to feed employees who work at the loading dock or in housekeeping or on the nursing units. “It’s completely their choice and we are so appreciative.”

If you are contacted by a local business that would like to give a gift, please see the guidelines spelled out on the COVID-19 Connect page under Food/Meal donations guidelines. All food items are inspected for the safety of our employees. All food items are inspected for the safety of our employees.

March 10, 2020

On March 5, a ceremony was held to celebrate Texas Children’s newest wall dedicated to honoring those who contribute financial support to the organization.

The Promise Campaign donor wall, is named after the fundraising effort established in 2015 to help ensure that we can continue fulfilling our commitment and promise to meet the medical needs of children in our community, with a goal of raising $475 million by 2020.

On the first floor of the Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower, Texas Children’s executives, board members, and donors, arrived to music and refreshments just before to ceremony began. President and CEO Mark A. Wallace began with a welcome, briefly taking the audience on a virtual walk through the years leading up to how we have kept our promise to patients and ultimately preserved our legacy.

“Thank you for your unwavering dedication to this hospital, and for embracing the change it takes to grow and create a successful organization,” Wallace said. “We are here today to celebrate history – to celebrate the story of Texas Children’s Hospital – and to unveil the beautiful Promise Campaign donor wall.”

He followed up with an introduction of chairman of the Promise Campaign and the Texas Children’s board or directors, Mike Linn. Under Linn and his wife’s leadership, the Promise campaign has raised millions of dollars for Texas Children’s and its growing need to provide dedicated, specialized pediatric health care in Houston and surrounding communities.

“The Promise Campaign is an endeavor that will always be near and dear to my heart,” Linn expressed. “I want to thank every person here – you helped bring us to this day. You believed in our dream and generously invested in it so that it could become a reality.

The Promise Campaign made its goal and raised more than $500 million two years early. This success allowed the Promise Campaign donor wall to exist today displaying 390 donor names.

After the ceremony wrapped up with closing remarks from Wallace, donors anxiously gathered to take photos near their name on the wall.

Click here for more information about the Promise Campaign.

December 19, 2019

The holidays are a season of giving, and no one does it better than Ambassadors for Texas Children’s Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands.

This year, at two festive soirées, Ambassadors announced they had raised more than $850,000 to benefit Texas Children’s Heart Center®.

More than 250 Texas Children’s supporters attended the first event, which was held at the West University home of Beth and Nick Zdeblick. In a brief presentation, the Zdeblicks told guests of their appreciation of Texas Children’s for the care their children have received there, which inspired them to open their home for the merry occasion. Texas Children’s Chief of Congenital Heart Surgery Dr. Christopher Caldarone was on hand to accept the generous gift to the Heart Center.

At the holiday gathering in The Woodlands, more than 125 guests were in attendance at the home of Candi and Gerald Glenn. Special speaker Keridon McMahon thanked Ambassadors for their generous support of Texas Children’s mission and for giving a voice to patients – like her daughter, Teagan, who is treated at the Heart Center. McMahon then introduced Dr. Paul Sirbaugh, chief medical officer of Texas Children’s’ Hospital The Woodlands, who spoke about the lasting difference Ambassador’s generosity will make for patients from The Woodlands and surrounding areas – nearly 3,000 of which came to Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands this year alone.

About the Heart Center
Texas Children’s Heart Center has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery for the past three years by U.S. News & World Report.

The Heart Center pioneered many of the now-standard procedures and therapies related to the diagnosis and treatment of children with cardiac problems. The multidisciplinary team cares for children and adults with the most complex congenital heart conditions. Texas Children’s Hospital was named the first Pediatric Heart Failure Institute in Texas by The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium and provides a multifaceted continuum of care for patients with cardiac issues and heart failure. Additionally, the Heart Center is home to a cardiovascular genetics clinic, a syncope (fainting) clinic and the Adult Congenital Heart Program.

In addition to providing care in the Texas Medical Center, the Heart Center offers diagnostic testing and cardiology procedures at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, and also offers walk-in EKGs at all three hospital locations and at our Texas Children’s Specialty Care locations in the community.

About Ambassadors
Ambassadors for Texas Children’s Hospital is a community of socially engaged individuals who share a dedication to the hospital’s mission and serve as a strong voice for children and women who need the most specialized care available. In addition to raising significant funds for Texas Children’s each year, Ambassadors gather together for a wide array of events including Ambassadors On Call luncheons – where guests hear from Texas Children’s experts and tour world-class facilities – and annual social events such as the Holiday Party and Family Fun Day.

Learn more about Ambassadors.

December 16, 2019

Staying in the hospital for a prolonged amount of time isn’t easy, especially for children. That’s why Texas Children’s and a variety of community partners are constantly looking for ways to make the hospital a warm, welcoming, fun environment for patients and their families.

Texas Children’s most recent endeavor included a gift of 10 new computers outfitted with the latest gaming technology. The generous donation was made by CDW, a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider, in partnership with the Astros Golf Foundation.

Members from both organizations announced the gift on December 16 in the Child Life Zone, a state-of-the-art, therapeutic play area where patients and their families can escape from the day-to-day hardships of their hospital stay.

“CDW is excited to be here today and is appreciative of the opportunity of this sponsorship,” said CDW Area Sales Director Shaun O’Rourke. “We hope it will make a positive impact on the people you serve.

Brian White, sales director with the Astros Golf Foundation, said his organization facilitated the partnership between CDW and Texas Children’s, and was happy to do so.

“We are thrilled to be able to partner two great groups for such a good cause,” White said.

Paige Schulz, assistant vice president of Clinical Support & Research Administration at Texas Children’s, thanked the foundation and CDW for their support and assured them that patients and their family members will benefit from their generosity

Based on the reaction of the first group of patients invited to test out the computers, Schulz’s is right.

Carla Vongphackdy said her 11-year-old daughter Jayla traveled to Texas Children’s about a week ago from Baton Rouge and aren’t sure when they will be able to head back home.

“It’s been stressful,” Carla said. “Being in the hospital for extended period of time isn’t a lot of fun.”

So, when a representative from Child Life asked Jayla if she would like to come to The Zone and try out some new computers and gaming software, she immediately said yes.

Jayla and her twin brother play games on the computer a lot at home, Carla said. The game she played Monday – Rocket League – was one they’d been hoping to try out.

“Her brother is going to be pretty jealous,” Carla said. “I’m just happy she’s enjoying herself.”

Audrey Crawford, the grandmother of 8-year-old Ryland Griffith, said she is so appreciative for the distractions Texas Children’s has provided her grandson during his more than three-week stay at the hospital.

“I couldn’t have ask for a better place for him to be,” she said. “Everyone has been great.”

December 10, 2019

Hosted by Cox Media Group Houston, the two-day event will be held December 12 and 13 on the third floor of the Pavilion for Women near the Bistro Café.

Throughout the 48-hour period, people are encouraged to open their hearts and wallets in support of the radiothon while listening to radio personalities from The Eagle (106.9 & 107.5), Country Legends (97.1) and The New 93Q (92.9) interview patients, their families and many of our clinical experts.

Every dollar donated to the radiothon will help Texas Children’s continue to fulfill its mission to create a healthier future for children and women throughout our global community by leading in patient care, education and research. More specifically, the money will benefit Texas Children’s Cancer Center.

For more information about the Cox Media Group Houston Radiothon, click here.