Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals — A History, and a Request

The Origins

If you grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, there’s a good chance you recognize John Schneider and Marie Osmond. Schneider played Bo Duke in the 1980s Dukes of Hazzard, and he also starred more recently in the 2000s series Smallville as Jonathan Kent. Marie Osmond was a popular 1970s and 1980s country artist. What you may not know about these two is that they were the driving force behind the Children’s Miracle Network organization’s inception.

Before the founding of the Children’s Miracle Network, eventual co-founders Schneider and Osmond put together and ran a telethon called the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon in Utah in 1983. This telethon aired on Memorial Day Weekend, and it raised a total of $4,760,444 for the participating hospitals. Professional NFL athlete Merlin Olsen and esteemed singer Marilyn McCoo joined the broadcast, setting a precedent for other prominent figures and celebrities to partner up with the Children’s Miracle Network in future years. McCoo and Olsen participated in the Telethon a number of other times, including in 1987 and 1990. Some of the other significant people who made appearances on the Telethon include actor Bob Hope, professional NFL quarterback Jim McMahon, and singer Kenny Loggins.

Schneider and Osmund paired with their executive producers from the Telethon, Mick Shannon and Joe Lake, later that same year in order to found the Children’s Miracle Network organization. Their mission statement for the organization was “to increase funds and awareness for local children’s hospitals.” At the time, only 22 hospitals were participating partners of the organization. However, in just a few short years, over a hundred more hospitals would join forces with the Children’s Miracle Network.

The Early Years of the Telethon

After raising just under $5 million in their first year of the Telethon, the Children’s Miracle Network set out to smash their previous records. It did not take long for the organization to reach their goal. Their raised funds started to explode quickly, with the Telethon bringing in around $40 million in 1987 and nearly $60 million in 1988 for the participating hospitals. At the tenth annual Telethon in 1992, over $100 million was raised, which was over 21 times the amount raised by the Telethon less than a decade previously.

One of the last years (until 2012) for which the amount of money raised by the Telethon can be easily found is 1995, during which the organization received over $130 million in donations. When looking at the released Annual Reports of the Children’s Miracle Network for the years 2012 through 2014, it can be seen that the donations received through the Telethon have greatly diminished — less than $12 million was raised in 2012, less than $11 million in 2013, and just over $9 million in 2014. However, the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals organization continues to bring in more money for children’s hospitals every year. So how else has the organization raised funds over the years?

Other Fundraisers and Partner Companies — A Brief History

Despite the Telethon being a significant part of the donations in the early years, the Children’s Miracle Network organization partnered with a number of organizations even early on in its life. Within five years of the organization’s inception, they had already partnered up with Mariott International, Dairy Queen, Wal-Mart Stores, Costco, and McLane Company.

In 1990, the Radiothon, an radio version of the Telethon, became a more prominent fundraiser for the organization. Foresters Financial was a driving force behind the push for the Radiothon, and, according to the listing of “Radiothon by Foresters” in the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ recent Annual Reports, they still work closely with the Radiothon. In just the years between 2012 and 2014, the Radiothon raised over $147 million, over four times the amount the Telethon raised in that amount of time.

In the 1990’s, Children’s Miracle Network partnered with even more companies, including Ace Hardware, RE/MAX, Rite Aid, and Delta Airlines. IHOP, the Miss America Organization, Fox News, and more joined the growing list of partners during the 21st century.

In addition to companies partnering with the organization, a few programs have popped up over the years that help raise money for children’s hospitals as well. Dance Marathon started in 1991 and continues to this day. They promote the organization and the cause of children’s health, unsurprisingly, through large dance parties around the United States for youths and adolescents. Extra Life is a more recent program that started in 2008. The people who participate in this event raise awareness and funding for children’s hospitals through playing board and video games. Both movements have gained large followings and have raised significant amounts of money for the organization.

Where The Organization Is Currently

In 2011, the Children’s Miracle Network organization amended their name to include the word Hospitals at the end. In the organization’s words, the change was meant “to emphasize who we are and what we’re supporting.”

According to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ website, $5.7 billion has been raised since the original Telethon back in the spring of 1983 for over 170 hospitals. They are partnered with over 60 different companies and numerous significant and famous people. With over $330 million raised in 2014 alone, the organization shows no signs of slowing in the coming years.

Why Make This Post?

Through this post and the others on the same topic, I want to ask for people to consider donating to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals organization. By detailing the brief history of the past three decades of the CMNH organization and discussing their main purpose, I can establish a sense of legitimacy surrounding the organization. By doing this, people are more willing to donate to an important cause like this one. Therefore, I want to ask readers if they could donate even a few dollars to children in need. If you are interested, you can donate to the organization here. Thank you in advance.