NRG commits $10 million to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Cardiac Center, Through its Choose to Give Program

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) held a check presentation highlighting a $10 million giving commitment by NRG to the Cardiac Center at CHOP through the company’s Choose to Give program. 

NRG has donated more than $5 million to CHOP and recently committed to an additional $5 million over the next five years, bringing the total support to CHOP’s Cardiac Center to $10 million. This investment will establish the “NRG Energy Cardiac Innovation Endowed Fund,” a permanent endowment fund providing long-term, sustainable support for cardiac innovation at CHOP. It will also support the NRG Energy Cardiac Innovation Fund, providing immediate funding for breakthrough research projects, clinical initiatives, and emerging innovations.

Event highlights included:

• Keri Murschell, Director of Community & Sponsorship Marketing, NRG, emphasizing how important giving back is to their culture and how supporting a place like CHOP is meaningful to their employees and customers. 
• Dr. Joseph Mitchell, President, CHOP, along with Dr. Joseph Rossano, Co-Director of the Cardiac Center and Chief of the Division of Cardiology, CHOP and Dr. Jonathan Chen, Co-Director of the Cardiac Center and Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, CHOP, expressing their thanks for the ongoing support and funding from NRG which is propelling the crucial work in the cardiac space forward. 
• Connor, dad of CHOP cardiac patient, Dawson, explaining his son’s heart journey, noting there were scary times but how, even though from Maryland, they found a home at CHOP and knew their child was in great hands – even when Dawson’s heart was the size of a walnut. 

Since 2016, NRG’s Choose to Give program has funded more than 30 projects and research initiatives led by experts in CHOP’s Cardiac Center. More about the program:

• When NRG customers enroll through the Choose to Give electricity plan and select CHOP to support, NRG contributes $50 to CHOP. In addition, NRG contributes one percent of each customer’s electricity supply charges to CHOP annually for as long as the customer remains on the plan. Besides helping children’s health, those who enroll will get the peace of mind that comes with locking in a predictable electricity supply price for 12 months.
• Contributions from the program help support innovative cardiac research and advanced care for children with heart disease, including the development of new treatments for pulmonary hypertension, a wireless remote monitoring program to monitor all cardiac patients with implantable electronic devices, cutting-edge imaging techniques to improve surgical and interventional outcomes for valve repair in single ventricle patients, and specialized communication training to help clinicians better communicate with patient families.