Newswise — LOS ANGELES (December 3, 2014) – Since it opened its doors in 1901, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has provided the highest quality healthcare for children from Los Angeles and around the globe. On Giving Tuesday, the nonprofit institution announced the launch of the Helping Hands Fund so that it may continue its 113-year mission of providing the highest-quality care to every child it treats, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Go to www.CHLA.org/HELPINGHANDS for more information.

Helping kick off the fund, RE/MAX and The Goldwin Foundation have generously donated $200,000 and $100,000, respectively, to support the hospital’s efforts and raise awareness in the community.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is recognized as one of the top five pediatric health care providers in the country, and is also one of the largest dedicated hospitals for kids. Of the more than 106,800 children the hospital treats annually, however, nearly 70 percent are underinsured or lack insurance altogether.

With nearly 50 percent of the hospital’s inpatients under the age of four, the need for CHLA’s highly specialized care and services rises exponentially as these children grow older and their medical needs change. Community support through the Helping Hands Fund will provide the necessary resources to ensure the hospital can continue providing life-giving and life-saving care for society’s most vulnerable children, now and for future generations.

“Our mission is sustained through philanthropy, the support of the community and compassionate organizations like RE/MAX and The Goldwin Foundation,” says DeAnn S. Marshall, MHA, CHLA senior vice president and chief marketing and development officer. “Our patients come to us for our world-class physicians and researchers who have the knowledge to treat the most complex disorders, but this specialized care is not possible without the generosity of our corporate partners who help ensure we have the resources to continue our mission. We are deeply grateful for their continued partnership as we create hope and build healthier futures for children.”

Helping kick off the fund, RE/MAX has raised more than $200,000 in support of The Helping Hands Fund and the children it serves. RE/MAX is a global real estate network of franchisee-owned and -operated offices with more than 90,000 Sales Associates worldwide. For more than 22 years, RE/MAX has partnered with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the United States and Canada have partnered to raise more than $130 million for 170 member hospitals across North America, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

“We have an extremely dedicated group of offices and agents that support CHLA and the miracles they create every day,” says John Rainey, director, RE/MAX California and Hawaii. “We look forward to a long relationship between RE/MAX of California and CHLA which will ultimately provide children a beacon of hope they deserve.”

The Goldwin Foundation, whose mission is to provide financial support to medical facilities, organizations, clinics, hospitals, and related health care organizations that serve the needs of children with special or serious medical conditions, has also generously pledged a $100,000 grant to get the Helping Hands Fund under way. A new friend to CHLA, The Goldwin Foundation has committed more than $445,000 in their first year of involvement. Speaking to the very purpose of the fund, The Goldwin Foundation supports innovative medical organizations, leaders in those organizations, and the underlying communities who are impacted by the grant.

“The Goldwin Foundation is honored to support the very heart of the mission at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles” says Rick Ghazy, The Goldwin Foundation Vice President. “It is incredibly important for us to help CHLA serve every child in the community who needs care regardless of their ability to pay.” Additionally, Credit Unions for Kids has donated $500,000 to the fund and is challenging the community to match its efforts by giving. CU4Kids is a nonprofit collaboration of credit unions, chapters, leagues/associations and business partners from across the country, engaged in fundraising activities to benefit 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) like Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Since 1996, CU4Kids has raised more than $100 million for CMNH.

To donate or learn more about the Helping Hands Fund, visit www.CHLA.org/HELPINGHANDS.

About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s hospital in California and among the top five in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. Children’s Hospital is also one of America's premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation since 1932 with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

For more information, visit CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, or visit our blog: WeAreChildrens.org. #LiveLAGiveLA