$138 million in landmark philanthropy to children’s hospital, led by Aileen and Brian Roberts family’s $125 million gift, joined by the McCausland and Culpeper families
Recently, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has become the stage for one of the largest philanthropic commitments in its history: a staggering $138 million, led by the Aileen and Brian Roberts family and joined by the McCausland and Culpeper families and others.
The gift is more than just a sum of money. It is a story about families whose fortunes and values are bound to the belief that children’s health is the most enduring investment of all.
The Roberts family, whose name has long been associated with both business leadership and civic giving, has anchored this landmark contribution.
They have a tradition of channeling success into causes that touch entire communities, and this latest act of generosity cements their place as one of the great philanthropic families of Philadelphia.
Their leadership gift set the tone, inviting others to join and helping to transform a bold vision into a fully funded reality.
Among those who answered that call were the McCauslands. James McCausland and his family have been devoted supporters of CHOP for years, particularly through their role in advancing pediatric surgery.
Their earlier philanthropy established the Adzick-McCausland Distinguished Chair in Fetal and Pediatric Surgery, ensuring resources for one of CHOP’s most innovative fields.
By stepping forward again, the McCauslands reinforced their belief that children deserve the very best science has to offer—whether in the operating room or, now, in the frontiers of microbial medicine and beyond.
The Culpepers brought a similarly visionary instinct.
The Chappell Culpeper Family Foundation had already made its mark by supporting CHOP’s pioneering Frontier Program in lymphatic disorders, turning what was once an overlooked specialty into a field of global leadership.
Their participation in this $138 million milestone reflects the family’s enduring confidence that targeted, bold giving can bend the arc of medical discovery.
Together, the Roberts, McCausland, and Culpeper families represent a coalition of generosity that is both local and far-reaching.
Their resources and reputations have been brought to bear not just for bricks and mortar, but for the lives of countless children who will benefit from the hospital’s breakthroughs in research and care.
In announcing the gift, CHOP leaders emphasized the human side of philanthropy.
While laboratories and research centers will rise from this funding, what truly matters is the compassion that fueled it. Each family gave not only from wealth but from conviction, seeing in CHOP’s work a reflection of their own values and hopes for the future.
This $138 million commitment will ripple far beyond Philadelphia, setting a standard for how private families can rally together to drive scientific discovery and improve the trajectory of children’s lives.
It is philanthropy at its most personal and most transformative rooted in the character of families who chose to make the well-being of the next generation their shared legacy.