A 30-Year Partnership
As we celebrate The Children’s Inn’s 30th anniversary, we reflect on the extraordinary partnership with the Merck Foundation. Since our inception, the Merck Foundation has had a significant and long-lasting impact on children and young adults with rare and serious diseases participating in clinical research studies at the NIH.
Our partnership with the Merck Foundation began just over 30 years ago with its initial gift of $3.7 million to build The Inn. Since then, the Merck Foundation has given over $21 million, a remarkable level of support and commitment to The Inn’s mission. Merck’s support has been transformative, enabling the construction of the first 36 rooms at The Inn, the major expansion of the E-Wing in 2004, the creation of the Woodmont House in 2010, and most recently, the newly renovated E-Wing kitchen. The Merck Foundation also generously supports The Inn with grants for our Family Support Program, sponsorship of the annual Congressional Networking Reception and the #INN2025 strategic plan.
The first goal of the #INN2025 strategic plan is to develop a state-of-the-art “smart” living environment by overhauling the overall flow and design of our facilities. Our goal is to enhance the guest experience through a significant redesign of interior spaces to better support children’s and families’ health, wellness and safety. In 2019, funding from the Merck Foundation was used to develop a facilities master plan and begin renovation of the E-Wing to achieve this vision.
Constructed in 2004, the E-Wing features the largest communal family kitchen and dining room at The Inn. Originally designed to serve the 23 resident rooms in the E-Wing, the space quickly transformed into a prominent gathering spot fostering a sense of community. In keeping with the goals of #INN2025, the complete upgrade of The Inn’s E-Wing kitchen incorporates antimicrobial surface treatments, open dining areas with casual seating that can also be used for special events and easily accessible, commercial grade appliances that include personal refrigerators and pantry space for each family residing in the E-Wing. From top to bottom, the improvements to the E-wing kitchen provide Inn families with a clean, inviting and comfortable space to enjoy meals, relax and connect.
A virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new kitchen, “CookINN,” took place on November 14, 2020. Comedian Billy Harris hosted a wonderful evening, and Top Chef Bryan Voltaggio of Thacher & Rye guided attendees through the interactive Zoom culinary event. Guests enjoyed preparing delicious dishes such as rigatoni mushroom Bolognese and smoked Creekstone Farms beef short rib.
“We want to thank the Merck Foundation for being a true and generous partner over our 30-year history,” says Jennie Lucca, CEO of The Children’s Inn at NIH. “It’s impossible to imagine The Children’s Inn without this crucial partnership that has allowed about 15,000 children and young adults with rare diseases, and their families, to find hope in NIH clinical research studies and drive forward medical discovery.”
