60th Annual Free Care Fund Benefit Show on KDKA Raises More Than $2.2 Million for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation

PITTSBURGH, PA - December 20, 2013 - The 60th Annual Free Care Fund Benefit Show for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation raised more than $2.2 million in donations and pledges. The annual broadcast was held on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013, at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC's main campus in Lawrenceville and at PPG Wintergarden in downtown Pittsburgh. The show was broadcast on KDKA-TV and on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA.

"We want to thank KDKA's listeners, viewers and individuals throughout the Pittsburgh region who embrace Children's Hospital and donate to the Free Care Fund, helping us to raise $60 million dollars in 60 years. We rely on the community's support to continue providing expert, compassionate care to children and their families in need," said Greg Barrett, president, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation. "The generosity of our community helps to ensure that Children's is here for every child." 

The Free Care Fund provides free and uncompensated care to children who need the expert and compassionate care of Children's, but whose family cannot afford it because of lack of health insurance, a child who has an illness that exceeds what insurance will pay, has a chronic illness, or needs experimental treatment.

Last year, Children's provided $43 million in free and uncompensated care to more than 28,000 children in the region.

The top three corporate donors to this year's 2013 Free Care Fund Benefit Show were Howard Hanna, Eat'n Park and GNC. The top school donor was Avonworth Middle/High School.

For more information about the Free Care Fund or to make a donation, visit Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation's website at www.givetochildrens.org, or call the Foundation at 412-692-3900 or 1-877-CHP-GIVE.

Andrea Kunicky, 412-692-6254, andrea.kunicky@chp.edu  

Marc Lukasiak, 412-692-7919, marc.lukasiak@chp.edu