Jewel Charity Benefiting Cook Children's Medical Center

In 1953, two caring community leaders, Nenetta Burton Carter and Bille Bransford Clark, organized Jewel Charity to raise funds to meet the needs of children whose families could not afford their medical care. The first Jewel Charity Ball was held in 1954 and raised $9,000 for Fort Worth Children's Hospital. In 1985, Cook Children's Hospital and Fort Worth Children's Hospital merged to form Cook Children's Medical Center, ranked as one of the best children's hospitals in the country.

Jewel Charity remains true to its original purpose and has raised almost $50 million dollar since the first Ball to ensure that all children at Cook Children's Medical Center are provided the health care they need and deserve. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, member organization, the volunteers of Jewel Charity present the need of the children to individuals, corporations, and foundations for contributions.

The guests of the Jewel Charity Ball are made up of Jewel Charity donors, known as Angels, who donate from $2,000 to $500,000. Businesses donate items ranging in value from $3,000 to $40,000 for Contribution Ticket prizes and the silent auction. The Jewel book, also a fundraiser, is published and distributed to the 2,000 guests at the Ball, as well as to the book's page sponsors. Everyone can join our efforts to carry the message of health and caring to the young patients at Cook Children's.

This year's Ball, themed “A Night in Casa Blanca," on January 8, 2011, will be a spectacular thank you to generous donors who enable Jewel Charity to continue keeping its promise to provide the best quality health care to every patient at Cook Children's Medical Center.