Rebranding as Manning Family Children’s proves to be a winning play

Earlier this year, the institution known as Children’s Hospital New Orleans gained a new name: Manning Family Children’s.

Archie Manning, who played most of his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, wanted to make a contribution to the region. The Manning family made a transformational gift to the former Children's Hospital New Orleans, which has now been renamed Manning Family Children's.

The new name reflects the famous football family led by patriarch Archie Manning, who played most of his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints.

The hospital announced the partnership in February after receiving what it called a “transformational” gift from the Manning Family: Archie and his wife, Olivia, and their sons, Peyton, Eli, and Cooper. Peyton and Eli Manning both enjoyed remarkable success in the NFL, with each winning two Super Bowl rings.

Several months later, the partnership is proving to be a winning play, says Lucio Fragoso, president and CEO of Manning Family Children’s. He tells Chief Healthcare Executive® that the partnership with the Mannings has helped their fundraising efforts.

"They have been just so gracious," Fragoso says.

The hospital has seen a 40% increase in new donors, and there’s been a 39% increase in the institution’s “Kids Fund.”

“That's the fund that allows us to say yes to all kids, regardless of their ability to pay,” Fragoso says. “We don't ever turn a child away. It's been really transformational from that perspective.”

(See part of our conversation in this video. The story continues below.)

Giving back

Fragoso recalls conversations with Archie Manning about establishing the partnership that would lead to the hospital taking a new name. In January, Archie called on the day he was celebrating his 54th anniversary, and his wedding day came just days before he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints.

In those conversations, Archie Manning reflected on his desire to make a difference in the region.

“He goes, ‘I'm in the fourth quarter of my life right now, and I want to make sure my legacy is having given back to this community that has given so much to me. So if there's any way I can be helpful.’ And it was just a sweet moment, and that really started the conversation.”

In that discussion, Fragoso says he told Manning, “What I need the most help with is telling our story.”

“We have some of the most amazing physicians and care teams, and what we're doing here is very unique,” Fragoso says. “The kids that we serve, they have these beautiful stories. But I don't think a lot of people know how special it is, you know, because we're in a kind of a smaller market. And I said it'd be really great if you just help tell that story, because we take care of every child. We say yes to every child, regardless of a family's ability to pay, and we do that across every service line. And it's really special.”

That helped establish the partnership with Archie Manning and the family, and even Fragoso marvels at what has happened.

“Honestly, it's still a little surreal, you know, because we text almost every other day,” Fragoso says.

Importance of fundraising

He says the Mannings have made a difference in helping raise awareness of the work at the hospital and the needs of the children and families.

Philanthropy plays a critical role for the organization.

“I think it's been really, just really powerful from a storytelling perspective, from a fundraising perspective, which is really important for us, because 75% of the kids we take care of have nothing,” Fragoso says. “And so we can only do this amazing work if we have the support of the community. And so that's been really powerful. They've just been an amazing family to work with and be a part of.”

The fundraising has also helped Manning Family Children’s expand its behavioral health services. The hospital has partnered with schools in the New Orleans region to identify students who may be struggling with their mental health.

“Right here in New Orleans, we’ve built one of the largest and most comprehensive behavioral health programs in the entire country,” Fragoso says.

The hospital has been working to provide cutting-edge treatments for illnesses such as sickle cell disease.

But the pediatric health system has also been working with schools to care for children before they get sick and require hospital treatment.

“We are doing all of this amazing work in these life-threatening diseases, but then we're also doing this amazing work in what I call future threatening diseases,” Fragoso says. “We're out there in the community, seeing and hearing kids, giving them resources from a behavioral health standpoint, helping them stay in school, reducing the suicide rate.”

“It’s pretty amazing what's happening,” he adds. “And so we want to make sure that story is told.”