Building a Legacy of Support

Tellepsen family donates $1 million to the Heal Sick Children campaign

By Travis McClain

One would be hard-pressed to find a family that has been committed to Texas Children’s Hospital for longer than the Tellepsens. With their generous $1 million gift to Texas Children’s for its Heal Sick Children campaign, they continue a four-generation tradition of giving and involvement with the hospital, which dates back to the construction of the hospital’s first building, today known as Abercrombie, in 1951.

Currently celebrating a 100-year legacy in Houston’s construction industry, the Tellepsen family remains active in strengthening the city through volunteering, fundraising and other community initiatives.

“Texas Children’s is a tremendous asset to our community,” stated Howard T. Tellepsen, Jr., chairman and CEO of Tellepsen Builders. “Our family and company are excited to play a role in expanding the hospital’s reach so more children can receive the care they need.”

In addition to the family’s philanthropic support, Tellepsen family members and their employees volunteer their time at the hospital, most recently through the “Adopt-a-Floor” program. Tellepsen volunteers adopted the Meyer and Ida Gordon Emergency Center, where they are providing hands-on help to patients and families. They are distributing water, snacks and toiletries to families in the emergency room, creating original coloring books for patients, and soon will renovate the staff lounge.

In honor of this long-standing commitment, the concourse of Texas Children’s Clinical Care Center has been named “Tellepsen Concourse.”

“The Tellepsen family has a 50-year history of partnership with Texas Children’s,” said Mark Wallace, president and chief executive officer of Texas Children’s Hospital. “Their gift to the Heal Sick Children campaign sets an incredible example for others in our community, and we are privileged to have dedicated the Clinical Care Center’s concourse in their honor.”

Proceeds from the Heal Sick Children campaign support the construction and launch of three new facilities—the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Maternity Center and Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.

“The essential programs and technologies that will be housed in these new facilities will significantly impact our efforts to speed the translation of research discoveries into improved therapies for children,” continued Wallace. “The Tellepsen family’s contributions to Texas Children’s underscore their commitment to making a difference for children and families in Houston.”