Children's Hospital Association

Dr. Walter Ramsey founded Children’s Hospital in l923. The hospital started as a temporary, sixteen-bed hospital located on Smith and Walnut in St. Paul. Four years later the new hospital at 3ll Pleasant Street was opened. It was the first Children’s Hospital west of Chicago.

Dr. Ramsey realized that a Children’s Hospital could not be self‑supporting. Patients were classified as those whose parents could or could not afford to pay for medical costs. Children’s Hospital of St. Paul had an endowment fund established with surplus monies from its building fund to help those families who could not pay.

Following the Depression, it became alarmingly apparent to the Board of Trustees that the hospital could not remain open. The hospital needed a sustaining organization that could raise funds to assure that the best medical care would be available for all children.

In l933, the Board of Trustees met with the St. Paul Junior League, who subsequently volunteered to serve as charter members of the first Board of Directors of the C.H.A., Inc. The first CHA meeting was held on November 6, l933. One of the Association’s first accomplishments was the establishment of the CHA Free Bed Fund.

In their first six months the Association financed the care of seventy children for one hundred seventy days with a total bill of $l,63l.54.

The first board members worked not only to raise funds, but also provided additional services to the hospital, such as sewing, entertainment, hospitality, and even furniture refinishing.

Over the years CHA has proven to be a strong and profitable organization using a variety of fundraising ideas to achieve financial success. CHA board members have generated funds in numerous ways, such as memorials, rummage sales, “Children’s Hospital Ice Follies”, hockey games, soliciting newspaper subscriptions, wishing wells located at the airport, and “Tag Day” where board members stood on St. Paul street corners asking for donations. The first CHA Ball was held in l949. This has grown to be our most successful fundraiser.

In l962 the concept of establishing neighborhood groups to supplement CHA income was developed. In February l963 the first guild was established in North Oaks. By September of l964 there were ten viable CHA guilds. In their first joint venture, fourteen CHA guilds held their first bazaar in November of l970. This single event raised $6,500.00 for the Free Bed Fund that year. This fundraiser was a longstanding success.

There are presently 16 working guilds located throughout the St. Paul area. Current guild fundraisers are widely varied in type and are extremely successful. All guild members work toward the same goals that of working together as friends in an effort to help provide a positive health care experience for all children.

As you can see, the philosophy of Children’s Hospital Association has always been to heighten community awareness where the health and well being of children is concerned.

TODAY

The Children’s Hospital Association has approximately 2,200 family units including board members, guild members, individuals and organizations that support our work. The structure of the organization consists of approximately 45 member working Board of Directors and 13 guilds that each consist of 10 to 60 members. Their goal is to raise funds for programs serving the health care needs of children and to establish and maintain funds to be used for the care of needy children at any medical facility deemed appropriate by the CHA Board of Directors. To date, those funds have exceeded $20.5 million.

CHA distributes funds through a grant process set up by the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. Each fall applications are available in the CHA office. The Finance Committee reviews the applications, and then pledges funds based on how well the program objectives meet the CHA mission. The pledges are approved at the CHA Annual Meeting in January.

CHA is a volunteer organization with the exception of two paid staff people. Sue Marek and Natalie Sindt are very important assets to all that happens with CHA. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Sue at 651-220‑6l75 or Natalie at 651-220‑6176 and they will direct you accordingly.

Current Association projects include individual Guild fundraisers, annual CHA Storyland Gala, Table Talk, *Peter Pan Gift Shop, membership dues, tributes and contributions, bequests and trusts, and special events that CHA may endorse or organize.


*The Peter Pan Gift Shop is located in the Garden View Medical Building next to Children’s - St. Paul. It is managed and staffed by CHA. All proceeds go to the Association. Hours are 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. Monday to Friday and Noon to 4 P.M. on Saturday.