Celtics Group Donates $200 Million to Boston Children's Hospital

The Boston Celtics ownership group announced a $200 million gift to Boston Children's Hospital on Wednesday. It is the largest donation the medical center has ever received. The money will fund a new mental health campus in Brighton, pediatric research, nurse training, and family support programs.

Hospital CEO Dr. Kevin Churchwell said the impact of the gift will be measured by the lives it saves rather than the record it sets. He noted that the facility is building a psychiatric wing on the Franciscan Children's campus.

Robert A. Hale, a Celtics co-owner and founder of Granite Telecommunications, is providing half of the total amount. He pledged support for the hospital's psychiatric facility last year. That pledge prompted Wyc Grousbeck, the new Celtics governor and chairman, to match Hale's contribution. The rest of the ownership group followed suit.

Grousbeck described the donation as a commitment to the next generation in Boston. He stated that investing in children's futures benefits the entire community. Hale, who lives in Quincy, has a history of large-scale philanthropy. He and his wife each gave $50 million to Boston Children's and Brigham and Women's Hospital in 2018.

Hale said he has seen the work done at the hospital firsthand. He believes the joint effort between the Celtics and the hospital will advance research and expand access to care for children.

The donation includes an innovation fund and resources for expanding existing family programs. The new mental health campus will be located in Brighton. Hale's company also recently made the largest team donation in history to support cancer research through an annual bike ride.