$1 Million Transformational Gift to Name Conference Center Opening in 2023
CHARLOTTE, N.C., August 26, 2021 – Thanks to a transformational $1 million gift from Reneé and Dewey Jenkins, Atrium Health Levine Children’s is one step closer to its next chapter in children’s healthcare with the expansion of the Levine Children’s Outpatient Specialty Center.
The Reneé and Dewey Jenkins Conference Center, which will be housed on the third level of the pediatric outpatient facility on the main campus of Carolinas Medical Center, will serve as an essential communications hub and gathering place for small and large groups of visitors, hospital staff, and patients.
Charlotte business leader Dewey Jenkins has been instrumental in supporting the growth of Atrium Health Levine Children’s since 2007, both through his family’s generous contributions and significant corporate support from his family-owned HVAC and plumbing company, Morris-Jenkins. As Chair of the Levine Children’s Hospital Board of Ambassadors, Mr. Jenkins continues to lead by example, both as an advocate and benefactor of children’s health and well-being in the Charlotte community and beyond.
“Our family’s commitment to Levine Children’s is as rewarding as it is personal,” said Jenkins. “Years ago, we experienced first-hand the exceptional care Levine Children’s neonatal intensive care nursery provides every day to some of the region’s most fragile infants. Since that time, and as we’ve witnessed the continued growth of Levine Children’s, it has been our honor to play a role in advancing the nationally ranked pediatric specialties that make Levine Children’s a destination for patient-centered care.”
The center named in the Jenkins’ honor will advance Levine Children’s comprehensive and multidisciplinary care model by providing essential space for medical conferencing and collaboration across the pediatric care spectrum. Designed with state-of-the art and integrated technology, it will physically and virtually bring together local, national, and international pediatric experts in support of the hospital’s vision to expand and improve the care available to all Levine Children’s patients.
Designed by Little Diversified and constructed by JE Dunn, the multi-use conference center will feature an accessible 3,500 square-foot floorplan with flexible seating for 80 individuals, space for catering and event preparation, integrated audiovisual system, and interior finishes designed to reduce stress.
“Renee’ and Dewey Jenkins have been such generous supporters of Levine Children’s Hospital over the years,” said Dr. Stacy Nicholson, president of Atrium Health Levine Children’s. “This gift makes it possible for us to provide world class care ‘for all’ of the children in our community and will enhance care and education at Levine Children’s for the next generation.”
The Jenkins family’s transformational gift supports Atrium Health’s goal to create exemplary facilities, a cornerstone of the Giving Hope comprehensive fundraising campaign launched earlier this year. With the addition of the Renee’ and Dewey Jenkins Conference Center, the ongoing expansion of the Levine Children’s Outpatient Specialty Center is slated for completion by 2025, with plans to support the expansion of programs in all pediatric specialties.
About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Atrium Health is an integrated, nonprofit health system with nearly 70,000 teammates serving patients at 37 hospitals and more than 1,350 care locations. It provides care under the Wake Forest Baptist Health name in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, region and Atrium Health Navicent in Georgia. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest School of Medicine is the academic core of the enterprise, including Wake Forest Innovations, which is advancing new medical technologies and biomedical discoveries. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for cancer treatment and in eight pediatric specialties, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize and was the recipient of the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing more than $2 billion per year in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits.