Mildred Kern donates two million dollars to Sheppard Pratt – the largest bequest since second benefactor, Enoch Pratt
This month, Sheppard Pratt Health System received a donation of two million dollars from Mildred Kern, of Baltimore, MD, the largest individual donation to the health system since its doors opened in 1891. For more than a century, the largest donation to mental health and the health system came from benefactor Enoch Pratt, a well-known American businessman and philanthropist from Baltimore, MD, who donated $1.6 million in 1896.
Mildred, a former Baltimore resident and New York native, was six days shy of her 105th birthday when she died more than a year ago on June 9, 2013. Her donation of two million dollars will go to support child and adolescent programs at Sheppard Pratt, with the intent to improve opportunities for education and care for kids in need.
“For more than a decade, Mildred has been a devoted supporter of the children and adolescents at Sheppard Pratt Health System,” said Dr. Steven S. Sharfstein, president and chief executive officer of Sheppard Pratt Health System. “With no kids to call her own, it was her hope that her gift to children would potentially prevent future disability. We are very grateful for her donation and are confident that her support will continue to help the children in our programs heal and recover for years to come.”
Sheppard Pratt Health System is the largest provider of hospital-based services for children and adolescents in Maryland. The health system offers a variety of services to help this population heal and get back to their lives, including inpatient, day, and outpatient services, two residential treatment centers, and 14 special education day schools.
Mildred Kern was first introduced to Sheppard Pratt by her attorney, Reuben Shiling, when she expressed interest in supporting a charity that helps children. She developed a deep connection with Sheppard Pratt and in 2009, made a gift to build a state-of-the-art playground for children with severe autism at The Forbush School at Hunt Valley.
To honor and commemorate the woman who has long been a supporter of Sheppard Pratt Health System and her generosity, a plaque was dedicated in Mildred’s honor in the lobby of the Weinberg Building on Sheppard Pratt’s Towson campus on September 17, 2014.
About Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard Pratt is the largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, developmental disability, special education, and social services in the country. A nationwide resource, Sheppard Pratt provides services across a comprehensive continuum of care, spanning both hospital- and community-based resources. Since its founding in 1853, Sheppard Pratt has been innovating the field through research, best practice implementation, and a focus on improving the quality of mental health care on a global level. Sheppard Pratt has been consistently recognized as a top national psychiatric hospital by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years.