{"id":388969,"date":"2026-04-20T16:27:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T16:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/388969\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T16:27:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T16:27:09","slug":"avera-announces-largest-gift-in-its-history-for-new-childrens-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/388969\/","title":{"rendered":"Avera announces largest gift in its history for new children\u2019s hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"

April 20, 2026<\/p>\n

Avera Health has received a $35 million gift \u2014 the largest in the system\u2019s history \u2014 to support pediatric care in Sioux Falls.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s from philanthropist and entrepreneur B. Thomas Golisano, founder of Paychex Inc., who has contributed more than $1 billion to philanthropic causes, including multiple children\u2019s hospitals across the country that bear his name.<\/p>\n

The contribution will support Avera\u2019s Tomorrow\u2019s Promise Campaign and construction of a children\u2019s hospital within a patient care tower at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center. In recognition of the gift, the facility will be named the Avera Golisano Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n

Golisano said his investment is aimed at improving access to care for children and families across the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cChildren and families should not have to travel long distances to get the care they need,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cMy investment in the Avera Golisano Children\u2019s Hospital is about more than a new building. It\u2019s about giving kids access to outstanding care closer to home, supporting families and creating better outcomes for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

The gift will help fund the six-story, $165 million patient care tower now under construction on the Avera McKennan campus. The project will add about 220,000 square feet of hospital space dedicated to birthing, newborn care and pediatrics and is expected to open in early 2027.<\/p>\n

Avera president and CEO Jim Dover said the donation will significantly expand the system\u2019s ability to care for children and families across its multistate footprint.<\/p>\n

\u201cGolisano\u2019s investment reflects an enduring commitment to advancing the future of children\u2019s health,\u201d Dover said. \u201cThis gift will significantly expand capacity and enhance care delivery. Children from across our entire region will benefit from this gift for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Avera, the funding will support expanded behavioral health services for children and adolescents, additional specialists and more timely access to care. Plans also include enhanced family-centered spaces designed to allow families to remain close to loved ones during treatment and recovery.<\/p>\n

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The Sioux Falls-based program serves as a hub for pediatric care across the Avera system, said Dr. Ron Place, regional president and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Avera McKennan children\u2019s health program supports the entire Avera system through specialty and subspecialty pediatric care, along with telemedicine and virtual support to rural areas so families can remain close to home when possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The project is part of a broader $250 million strategic commitment by Avera to expand care for newborns, children and families.<\/p>\n

With the gift, Avera also joins the Golisano Children\u2019s Alliance, a national network of children\u2019s hospitals focused on improving pediatric health care delivery, advancing innovation and expanding access to high-quality care.<\/p>\n

Avera is the westernmost and most rural member of the alliance, marking a milestone for the network.<\/p>\n

Golisano\u2019s giving spans health care, education and other areas, and he founded the Golisano Foundation in 1985 to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n

In 2025, he launched the Golisano Children\u2019s Alliance to bring together children\u2019s hospitals across the United States to expand services, strengthen collaboration and improve access to care for families.<\/p>\n

Dzenan Berberovic, Avera\u2019s chief development officer and foundation president, said the donation will accelerate efforts to expand programs, space and capabilities.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis is a gift for every child and family we will serve for generations,\u201d he said. \u201cChildren and families receive exceptional care today, and because of Golisano\u2019s defining investment, we will expand spaces, programs and capabilities to transform lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Avera serves a five-state region, and leaders said the new hospital will support systemwide growth through additional specialists and expanded services.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Avera Golisano Children\u2019s Hospital will not only offer a welcoming front door for this care in Sioux Falls, but it also will support our entire system across five states through program growth, additional specialists and more timely services,\u201d said Dr. Kathy Wang, a neonatologist and clinical vice president for the women\u2019s and children\u2019s service line.<\/p>\n

\u201cGenerous philanthropic support, like that of Mr. Golisano, will help fulfill the promise of healthier futures for children and families across our region. We are grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"April 20, 2026 Avera Health has received a $35 million gift \u2014 the largest in the system\u2019s history…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":388970,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[201374,179832,201375,201376,201377,134,527,111,139,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-388969","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-avera-golisano-childrens-hospital","9":"tag-avera-health","10":"tag-avera-mckennan-hospital-university-health-center","11":"tag-golisano-childrens-alliance","12":"tag-golisano-foundation","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-healthcare","15":"tag-new-zealand","16":"tag-newzealand","17":"tag-nz"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=388969"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388969\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/388970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=388969"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=388969"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=388969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}