Jerry and Helen Stephens of Peoria have made a $5 million gift to Children’s Hospital of Illinois and will be recognized in the hospital’s new neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The donation is one of the largest, individual healthcare gifts ever made by Peorians.
The announcement of the donation was made during a news conference held at the OSF Saint Francis Center for Health in Peoria. Keith Steffen, CEO for OSF Saint Francis Medical Center accepted the gift on behalf of the Children’s Hospital and the medical center.
Jerry Stephens, founder and chairman of RLI, Inc., has been a member of the OSF Saint Francis board since 1983. Present for the announcement were members of the RLI board, and members of the OSF Saint Francis, OSF Saint Francis Foundation and Children’s Hospital boards.
According to remarks made by the Stephens’, the gift was made because of their longstanding admiration for what OSF has meant to the community. “The history of this organization and the Sisters who oversee its operation mean a lot to us,” said Jerry Stephens. “When the Milestone Project was first being planned, Helen and I knew we wanted to have a part in making it happen. We were excited to know that an opportunity was available to support the NICU in this expansion project.”
When you see Jerry and Helen please acknowledge them for their gift to the NICU of Children’s Hospital of Illinois - they are so very generous to give back to the community in such a marvelous way.