Community Impact
Healthier Children, Stronger Communities
We’re building a culture of engagement across our system and beyond, demonstrating commitment to Whole Child Health through strategic community partnerships, associate volunteerism, and targeted initiatives addressing the root causes that impact health such as food security, positive youth development, maternal-child health and emotional-behavioral health.
Since opening our doors, Nemours Children’s Health has invested more than $3.5 billion to improve the health and well-being of children.
2024 Total Community Benefit:
$199.2M
*Donations made from Nemours Children’s to external organizations.
the nemours estate
Where History, Healthand Healing Converge
Nearly 90 years ago, Alfred I. duPont and his wife Jessie Ball duPont helped create a unique model to support the health and well-being of children and families. As part of the Nemours Foundation, the historic 222-acre Nemours Estate became home to the Alfred I. duPont Institute, offering care, research and services for children with complex orthopedic conditions.
Today, the Nemours Estate welcomes visitors from around the world and serves as a space for wellness, healing and community connection. It offers programs that support associate well-being, create a peaceful environment for patients and families, and hosts cultural events for the broader Delaware community.
In 2024, the Estate launched new initiatives focused on wellness, accessibility and community engagement.
- Well-being Wednesdays: Offers drop-in activities like nature journaling, yoga, hands-on exploration and Can Grow Garden giveaways. Originally projected to engage 100 people annually, it has served 1,000+ participants in its first year.
- Therapeutic Topiary Clipping & Forest Bathing: Connects Estate guests to nature, providing peaceful reflection and promoting healing.
- Nature Journaling: Across different seasons, these experiences encourage visitors to further their connection to the natural elements through observation, recording and reflection.
- Nature Cam: Recently installed cameras allow associates to view The Estate’s natural beauty from their desktop.
Working with Art-Reach, a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia that creates connections between communities with special needs and the cultural arts, we facilitated a study to identify areas of opportunity and improvement that would promote accessibility throughout The Nemours Estate. Initial results have led to mobility device-accessible pathways and garden experiences, along with special events such as accessible Trick-or-Treating, and The Estate Rx Program, which encourages all caregivers and siblings to take breaks in nature.
- Third Thursdays: Monthly summer events during May to August are open to hospital staff, patient families and the public and feature half-price admission, food vendors and a variety of children’s activities.
- Noel at Nemours: Holiday programming throughout December includes special Thursday evenings reserved for hospital families and associates, and Saturday evening events with music, lights and refreshments.
- Can Grow Garden: A raised-bed garden at the hospital managed by our Estate gardeners features accessible planting beds for children using mobility devices, educational elements like QR codes for plant information and recipes, and seasonal planting/harvest celebrations.
Partners such as the Delaware Institute of Arts & Education help create child-friendly programs for all visitors, while rehab teams from Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, offer guidance on accessibility and develop new ways to bring patients outdoors for healing experiences that support the mind, body and spirit.
Above and Beyond for Whole Child Health
We are increasingly collaborating across departments, with Community Engagement teams working alongside the Ginsburg Institute, Human Resources, and our Workforce Pipeline Development teams to maximize impact through coordinated efforts of community service.
2024 Key Enterprise Activities
Martin Luther King Day of Service
Enterprise-wide volunteer activities
Nemours Cares Weeks
Regional volunteer opportunities for associates using their volunteer time off
Juneteenth Celebration
Educational opportunities and community event promotion
Food Fight
Virtual donation opportunities supporting local food banks
delaware valley
Community Engagement
Our Delaware Valley efforts focus on strategic community partnerships and associate involvement through several key initiatives:
Community Funded Projects
- Provide seed funding (up to $5,000) for associate-initiated community projects
- Supported 17 projects in 2024
- Has led to significant outcomes including:
- A pending patent in research
- Funding for a full-time director position in dental programs
- Preliminary data that secured NIH funding
- Process improvements across the system related to community engagement
Community Tours
- Nemours leaders and associates visited multiple community organizations to better understand the communities and neighbors we serve
- Previous tours have directly influenced operational changes, such as improving access at Nemours Children’s Health, Jessup Street, after understanding patient families’ transportation challenges
In addition to the Nemours Cares Week(s) offerings, associates participate in ad-hoc volunteer activities that address food security, housing, maternal-child health and more throughout the year.
Florida
Community Engagement
Our Florida community engagement activities leverage associates’ expertise to emphasize food security and health care access to positively impact children throughout Central and North Florida.
Partnership with Blessings in a Backpack and the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation
- Cleared 800-child waitlist in Duval County
- Adopted Andrew Robinson Elementary to support 500+ children with weekend food supplies and monitor outcomes in attendance, behavior and grades
Shepherds Hope
- Nemours clinicians providing physicals for uninsured children
- Adding fresh fruits and vegetables through partnership with 4Roots
- School supplies through Gift for Teaching
“I think it’s everyone’s duty to serve in both environments — in the hospital or clinic that they work, and to see the other side of medicine by practicing in more rural or underserved areas. Always being able to touch base with the community to find out what things they need the most can help you pivot how you deliver health care in all settings.”
— Victor Mikhail, Resident and Volunteer, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida
CPR Training Initiative
- Trained students in every high school in Escambia County in hands-only CPR
- Cardiologists visiting schools to conduct training
- Additional partnerships with the American Heart Association in Central Florida
Special Thanks To Our Community Volunteers
In 2024, community volunteers generously shared their time and talents at Nemours Children’s Health, contributing an incredible number of hours — a value representing millions in impact. From the patients, community partners and associates who benefit from this generosity: we thank you for the dedication, joy, comfort, laughter and support you bring each day.
1,177
Community Volunteers
84,048
Volunteer Service Hours
$2.8M
Monetary Equivalent
Meet A Few Of Our Amazing Community Volunteers
Glenda and Cody
Pet Therapy Team
Pensacola
“Sprinkles” the Clown
Jacksonville
Carol
Baby Book Worm Champion, Wilmington
Larry
NICU Cuddler
Orlando