Donor Stories

Stanley Rhodes is fond of saying, “Volunteering is the rent you pay for your space in this world.” An avid traveler who has taken over 35 cruises, Rhodes has seen the world and paid his rent in full. He volunteers for a variety of organizations including the Alzheimer’s Association and the Presbyterian Home of Evanston, and was recognized as one of the North Shore’s top volunteers in 1992 by North Shore magazine.

In addition to being generous with his time, Rhodes is generous in his charitable giving. His parents encouraged philanthropy when he was young, and his decision to support Children’s Memorial is steeped in family tradition. Rhodes’ father, Julius Rhodes, MD, saw patients at Children’s Memorial who had heart problems resulting from rheumatic fever. Dr. Rhodes was a contemporary of both Joseph Brenneman, MD, the hospital’s first Chief of Staff, and Willis Potts, MD, who pioneered the “blue baby” operation, the precursor of surgery to correct congenital heart defects.

“My father was so fond of Children’s Memorial,” Stanley Rhodes said. “I think he would be awestruck by the advancements made in pediatric cardiology.”

Sharing his father’s affection for Children’s Memorial, Stanley Rhodes established a charitable gift annuity to benefit the department of cardiology. This type of gift provides an immediate income tax charitable deduction and fixed annuity payments to the donor, and ultimately supports programs and services at the hospital.

“I benefit as much from giving and volunteering as the recipient organizations,” said Stanley Rhodes.