Oklahoma City – A personal family tragedy has led to support of an outpatient play gym, art therapy room and more. After experiencing the care at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health first hand following a tragic dog attack, the Fred Jones Family Foundation family members were moved to donate $162,500, a generous gift that will fund new programs and enhancements at the state’s only comprehensive pediatric hospital.
In January 2022, the family's lives turned upside down when their four-year-old granddaughter was viciously attacked by a dog while playing outside on a nice day with her babysitter.
She has received more than two years of extensive treatment at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital and is thriving today thanks to the care she received.
The family is expressing their heartfelt gratitude to the hospital by announcing Oklahoma Children’s Hospital as the 2023 Mary Eddy Jones Signature Gift recipient. The annual Mary Eddy Jones Signature Gift, described in a press release sent to CityNewsOKC.com, “provides a $75,000 grant to the hospital, with a total of $162,500 donated following the family’s personal contributions. The gift will fund a new outpatient play gym, art therapy room, enhancements to the therapy dog park, trauma education, community outreach and wound care.”
Kendal Pinkston, MHA, Chief Administrative Officer of Children’s Services at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, said in a statement, "The Fred Jones Family Foundation's generous gift illuminates a path of hope for children and families at Oklahoma Children's Hospital.
“This investment in the well-being and resilience of our community’s children supports our mission to provide comprehensive care and support to our young patients. From comforting hearts to tending wounds, we can heal not only the physical scars, but we can make the emotional ones easier to manage as well.”
The Fred Jones Family Foundation created the Mary Eddy Jones Signature Gift in 2010 in honor of the late Mary Eddy Jones to continue her legacy in the areas to which she was so devoted.
( https://www.citynewsokc.com/business/peppers-ranch-foster-care-community-receives-75-000-grant-from-fred-jones-family-foundation/article_e9837360-5c0f-527a-96e7-bc5fb52ce54a.html )
“The annual Mary Eddy Jones Signature Gift means a great deal to our family, but even more so this year with our family’s personal tie to Oklahoma Children’s Hospital following the extensive treatment our dear granddaughter has received throughout the last several years,” Fred Jones Family Foundation Vice President Fred J. Hall said.
“Our family’s hope is that this gift will have an incredible impact on the respective programs receiving support to help future patients and their families.”
The foundation says applications are now open for the 2024 Mary Eddy Jones Signature Gift. Organizations interested in applying must be based in Oklahoma and registered with an official tax-exempt status letter under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. To learn more about or apply for the Fred Jones Family Foundation Mary Eddy Jones Signature Gift, visit www.fredjonesfamilyfoundation.com. Applications are due by Saturday, June 1, at 5 p.m. Central Time.
The Fred Jones Family Foundation has often been the focus of reporting on the CityNewsOK.com website, formerly known as The City Sentinel.
( https://www.citynewsokc.com/community/fred-jones-family-foundation-gifts-oklahoma-medical-research-foundation-grant-for-a-gathering-place-for/article_fa70714a-4cac-11ed-a699-3bf7034179c7.html )
The foundation “is a nonprofit and charitable foundation dedicated to support the 501(c)(3) organizations that increase the quality of life in central Oklahoma through projects dedicated to cultural growth and beautification. To find more information on the Fred Jones Family Foundation, visit the foundation’s website at www.fredjonesfamilyfoundation.com .”
At Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health (oklahomachildrens.org ), the organization affirms, “staff blends years of training with education, research and technology to improve the lives of women and children throughout the region. Oklahoma Children’s Hospital was named a Top 50 Children’s Hospital for Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery and Pediatric Gastroenterology & GI Surgery by U.S. News & World Report in its most recent rankings. A regional referral center for the state, high-risk prenatal care, delivery and obstetric emergency care are offered under the same roof as Oklahoma’s most comprehensive Level IV neonatal intensive care unit. Oklahoma Children’s Hospital is also home to the only 24/7 pediatric emergency room in Oklahoma City.
“With a family-centered approach to healing, Oklahoma Children’s Hospital offers resources from pet therapy to child life specialists who help families cope with hospitalization and illness. From advanced surgical services to general pediatrics, oncology care and more, Oklahoma Children’s Hospital provides leading research and treatments through hospital-based and outpatient services.”
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