Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Launches Fifth Annual Make March Matter® Fundraising Campaign

More than 100 Southern California businesses will rally individuals during March in support of pediatric care and research at CHLA

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) launched its fifth annual Make March Matter campaign Monday. Academy Award-winning actress, director, producer, and longtime CHLA supporter, Natalie Portman, and actress, director and CHLA patient parent Danielle Fishel Karp joined the hospital to kick off the campaign. Saving lives is everyone’s business and the month-long fundraising drive empowers local businesses to rally community participation to raise $2 million in March in support of children’s health in Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley.

“Five years ago this fundraising campaign took its first steps, and our community and local businesses enthusiastically joined us in our commitment to improve children’s health,” CHLA President and CEO Paul S. Viviano says. “As we embark upon our fifth Make March Matter campaign today, I am thrilled to be here with seven former patients, all of whom have benefited from the world class care our hospital provides.”

Since the campaign’s inaugural launch in 2016, Southern California business and corporate partners have helped raise a total of $7 million to aid in funding life-saving care for children in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Individuals can participate in this year’s campaign in very accessible ways including buying coffee at a local coffee shop, dining with family and friends at a local restaurant, shopping at a favorite store, and more.

For a complete list of participating partners and local events taking place throughout the month of March, or to donate, go to MakeMarchMatter.org. Individuals may also share how they are supporting the campaign on social media by using #MakeMarchMatter.

Each year, CHLA treats children who face a broad range of health issues, from common illnesses to traumas and chronic diseases. The hospital is also dedicated to innovation, supporting advances in research designed to improve pediatric health outcomes and partnering with physicians across the nation to bring the best care here to children in Los Angeles.

Corporate Partners

Corporations across the southland have agreed to support community members in giving back. Each business has selected a unique way to contribute to the campaign’s collective impact—some sell specific items with proceeds supporting CHLA patients, others devote a portion of overall sales for the entire month and still others create their own unique fundraising campaigns to galvanize their employees and consumers to contribute. Panda Restaurant Group, parent company of Panda Express, takes great pride in supporting the community and has been the campaign’s top fundraiser for the fifth consecutive year.

“March has become a special time of year for our Panda Team, working harder than ever to raise funds through our in-store donation boxes and associate giving initiatives,” says Dr. Peggy Cherng, Panda Restaurant Group, Co-Founder and Co-CEO. “The donations will go towards CHLA’s Panda Cares Center of Hope and programming, designed to better the children’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It is a privilege to be able to help these families during their time of need.”

By visiting, shopping and dining with a business supporting #MakeMarchMatter, individuals can activate donations to support the care of patients at CHLA. In the Coachella Valley, the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation have given a $100,000 matching grant and individuals and businesses will be helping us achieve our goal of raising the additional $100,000 or more. For a full list of businesses supporting the campaign in Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley, visit www.MakeMarchMatter.org/partners.

Make March Matter

Make March Matter is an annual fundraising campaign that builds awareness and support for children’s health in Los Angeles. The campaign supports Children’s Hospital Los Angeles—a nonprofit pediatric academic medical center dedicated to offering more than 350 specialty programs and services to help the health of children. The goal of the campaign is to raise money in support of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to ensure that all of its pediatric patients receive the critical lifesaving care they need. Saving lives is everyone’s business.

About Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is dedicated to creating hope and building healthier futures for children. Founded in 1901, CHLA is one of the nation’s leading academic pediatric medical centers and is acknowledged worldwide for its leadership in pediatric and adolescent health. The hospital relies on the generosity of the community to support its groundbreaking pediatric research and the complex care it provides for critically ill and injured children.