Circle of Care Spotlight
Alan and Agnès Mendelson

FALL 2006 -- Unlike many donor families, Alan and Agnès Mendelson did not get introduced to Packard Hospital because they had a child needing care. They became supporters simply as members of the local community who found they had many ties to the Hospital— Packard physicians whom they knew personally through professional and volunteer experience; colleagues who were already donors; and close friends whose children had benefited from the Hospital's excellent care. These connections interested the Mendelsons enough to go on a tour and see Packard Hospital in action. They were immediately impressed and touched by the physicians, nurses, and patients they encountered.

Alan and Agnès Mendelson

From the beginning, it was important to Alan and Agnès to give at the Children's Circle of Care level. Being part of a community of supporters had helped motivate them to give, and they in turn wanted to set an example to encourage others to get involved.

Both Alan and Agnès have worked with the biotechnology industry and value its contributions to the health of children and adults in the long term. However, they preferred their giving to have a more immediate, tangible effect. "We wanted to support something concrete, something that could help a child or a family right now," says Agnès.

Over the years, the Mendelsons have helped fund a number of programs that allow the Hospital to reach out to children who otherwise may not have access to quality medical services, including the Teen Van, which provides care free of charge to homeless and uninsured teens. They also contributed to the construction of the new pediatric emergency services department at Stanford which opened in December. Most recently, Alan and Agnès chose to support patient and family services with funding to cover basic needs like food and housing for patient families who struggle to meet these costs on top of dealing with the crisis of their child's illness.

In addition to supporting the hospital financially, the Mendelsons also have volunteered their time and energy to engage others. Alan has served on the Corporate Circle of Care committee and the Campaign Cabinet, because doing so "has a powerful reinforcing effect," he says. "You learn more about what you're supporting, feel good about what the Hospital is doing, and become motivated to get others involved as well. With all the wonderful people we've met, we feel as if we've become part of a larger family."