Terry Family Foundation builds upon legacy of commitment with $5.5 million grant to Wolfson Children’s Hospital

Wolfson Children’s Hospital announced today that two major initiatives advancing pediatric cardiac and emergency care will be supported by a $5.5 million grant from the Terry Family Foundation, their largest investment in Northeast Florida to date. A portion of the grant is matched at 150% by Baptist Health, for a total impact of $10 million.

The grant will support major technology and equipment upgrades within the C. Herman & Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute, as well as the development of the new Children’s Emergency Center, part of the hospital’s emergency and patient care expansion in the future McGehee Family Tower. In an effort to attract philanthropic support, Baptist Health is matching all gifts to the McGehee Family Tower project, up to $50 million.

During their lifetimes, Herman and Mary Virginia Terry played a meaningful role in advancing pediatric care at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and throughout the Jacksonville community. Their generosity helped establish the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute, as well as advance additional critical pediatric programs that continue to impact thousands of children each year. In 2015, they established the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Asthma Endowment, which supports staffing and programs for asthma education and treatment through THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s. Their philanthropic legacy also includes the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the Borowy Family Children’s Critical Care Tower, which provides highly specialized care for the region’s most vulnerable newborns. Since opening in 2022, the expanded NICU has become an essential resource for families across Northeast Florida, allowing more critically ill and premature infants to receive lifesaving care close to home.

To commemorate this milestone investment and the Terrys’ longstanding support of Wolfson Children’s and Baptist Health, leaders from the health system joined representatives from the Terry Family Foundation recently to unveil the newly named Terry Family Foundation Plaza on the flagship campus. Located outside the Borowy Family Children’s Critical Care Tower, the welcome plaza honors the Terry Family Foundation’s impact on programs and services benefiting children and families throughout the region.

In recognition of the Terry Family Foundation’s latest investment, the future lobby within the new Children’s Emergency Center in the McGehee Family Tower will also be named in honor of the Terry Family Foundation when the first phase of the project opens in late 2027.

The new Children’s Emergency Center will be part of the first phase of the hospital’s larger McGehee Family Tower project and will include 37 pediatric treatment rooms, dedicated behavioral health beds and expanded trauma capacity to meet the growing needs of children throughout the region. Wolfson Children’s Hospital is home to the region’s only Level 1 pediatric trauma center and cares for more than 119,000 pediatric emergency visits annually.

Additionally, the grant will provide advanced equipment and technology within the C. Herman & Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute to support highly specialized cardiovascular care for children and adults with congenital heart disease. These enhancements will strengthen clinical capabilities, support innovation in cardiac care and help ensure patients throughout the region continue to have access to advanced treatment close to home.

“The Terry Family Foundation is proud to support Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Baptist Health,” said Betsy C. Cox, president of the Terry Family Foundation. “Our community is fortunate to have a children’s hospital so committed to advancing care and providing the highest level of services. We are delighted that our grant will benefit children and families across our community for years to come.”

“At Wolfson Children’s, we are deeply grateful for the Terry Family Foundation’s extraordinary generosity and trust in our mission,” said Allegra C. Jaros, president, Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “Since their first gift in 1985, the Terry family has believed in the importance of ensuring children in our community have access to exceptional pediatric care close to home. The Terry Family Foundation’s continued support of our mission reflects a shared commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our growing region and confidence in our ability to identify and advance the areas of greatest need for the children and families we serve.”

These projects build upon decades of growth and innovation at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and will help position the hospital for continued excellence in the years ahead, strengthening its ability to deliver advanced, nationally recognized pediatric care while meeting the growing and evolving needs of children and families across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.