Members of the Auxiliary to Driscoll Children’s Hospital are volunteers, who give their time and hearts to the care of children in South Texas.
Through fundraising efforts, the Auxiliary also contributes financial support to Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
The Auxiliary’s $1MM gift to the Driscoll Children’s Hospital Development Foundation is their largest gift ever, bringing their overall support of the hospital to more than $5MM.
The Auxiliary’s $1MM gift to Driscoll will help fund four projects throughout South Texas:
The gift announcement was made at a press conference and check presentation Wednesday, April 26 at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi.
For over 70 years, the Auxiliary has given back to Driscoll by contributing their time, service, money, and love. As Clara Driscoll’s dream of a modern, efficient hospital for children was realized, the need for volunteer helpers was immediately recognized. The wives of the Hospital’s trustees called a meeting of interested women in the community and the response was overwhelming and generous. Many volunteers joined the Auxiliary to Driscoll Children’s Hospital, and there were more members than placement areas in those early days.
Over the years, the Auxiliary has contributed to countless hospital fundraisers, from Children’s Miracle Network Telethons to Fiesta de los Niños. Scholarships are also awarded by the Auxiliary to current and former oncology and cardiology patients and teenage volunteers, or “Volunteens.” Prior to this $1MM gift, the Auxiliary has given donations to the hospital totaling $4MM, including thousands of toys and various equipment for the hospital. One of the first major purchases for the hospital was in 1969: a yellow station wagon to help transport patients.
Other projects the Auxiliary has funded include: a Family Connection room, a kinetic sculpture in the Emergency Room waiting area, playground equipment for the Children’s Learning Center, renovations of Treatment Rooms, a new golf cart for security, a new building for the Cottage Shop, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Reunions, Kidney Transplant Reunions, Nurses Day celebrations, annual “Remembering Our Children” memorial events, the Heart-Lung project, a new CT scanner, the Richard “Dick” Hinman Oncology endowment, a Sleep Study Center, and remodeling of various areas in the hospital.
Today, the Auxiliary includes 175 volunteers and has many roles and projects, all of which enrich the lives of patients and their families at Driscoll. The services and dedication of the Auxiliary contribute to the efficiency of the hospital and create a unique caring atmosphere. Most importantly, Driscoll volunteers are ambassadors in the community, telling the story of Driscoll. They work seven days and evenings a week, and make up the second largest department in the hospital.
The Auxiliary raises funds for Driscoll through donations, annual fundraisers, and shops at the hospital. Volunteers work in three different shops whose proceeds benefit patients and families. The Cottage Shop is a resale shop for gently used items located on Driscoll’s main campus behind the Pavilion. The Carousel Gift Shop is a wonderful boutique with a variety of gifts, located in the main lobby of Driscoll Children’s Hospital. The Carousel Cookie Shop serves freshly baked cookies and other treats and receives frequent visits from patients in the Rehab and Ortho clinics.
Volunteers in the Auxiliary also serve our patients and families in a variety of programs including the Art Cart, Pastoral Services, Child Life, Cuddle Club, Book Distribution, Orthopaedic Registration Desk, Paws for Patients, School Room, Surgical Waiting Room, Toy Room, and Welcome Center.
“Driscoll Children’s Hospital would not be what it is today without the unwavering commitment of our volunteers. They never fail to respond to the needs of the children of South Texas with kindness and compassion. We are extremely grateful for our partnership and the Auxiliary’s visionary philanthropic support,” said Sean Pieri, Vice President of Development and Marketing at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
