CHICAGO – January 16, 2025 – TAWANI Foundation, the philanthropic arm of TAWANI Enterprises, founded by Lieutenant Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), has announced a $400,000 donation to World Pediatrics to support its Global Orthopedic Program. Additionally, TAWANI Foundation has committed a $100K challenge grant through November 30, 2026. The grant is expected to help approximately 730 children per year and provide more than 700 hours per year of specialized orthopedic training to medical partners in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“TAWANI Foundation is committed to creating a future where children everywhere, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the critical care they deserve,” said Lt. Colonel Jennifer Pritzker. “Our partnership with World Pediatrics reflects our shared belief that healing not only transforms individual lives but strengthens entire communities. The donation and challenge grant are a call to action—inviting others to join us in expanding the reach of critical orthopedic care and training that will empower future generations of medical professionals and save lives across the globe.”

World Pediatrics employs a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to tackle healthcare disparities through three modes of impact: delivering care, empowering care, and transforming care. World Pediatrics provides children from low- and middle-income countries with complex orthopedic conditions access to advanced surgical care, prosthesis and orthosis, therapy and rehabilitation services that would otherwise be unavailable. World Pediatrics currently serves St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, India and Haiti. Conditions treated include scoliosis, Blount's Disease, leg length discrepancies, brachial plexus injuries, club feet, and other congenital deformities requiring highly specialized orthopedic care, as well as injuries resulting from trauma.

Global pediatric programs improve care by providing specialized neonatal intensive care unit training, sponsoring medical cases for children in need, and implementing innovative technologies and concepts. To date, World Pediatrics has supported more than 25,000 children, conducted over 17,000 surgeries, delivered nearly 69,000 medical services, trained over 3,000 healthcare workers, built more than 700 diagnostic and surgical teams, and mobilized over $280 million in healthcare resources.

“This partnership with TAWANI Foundation is a remarkable demonstration of the power of collaboration,” said Vafa Akhavan, World Pediatrics’ Chief Operating Officer. “The matching grant component inspires others to join this mission, multiplying the impact of every contribution. With this support, we will deliver critical care to children, empower healthcare systems by providing thousands of hours of training to medical providers, and transform lives through sustainable solutions. We are deeply honored by TAWANI’s belief in our mission and their commitment to creating lasting change.”

TAWANI Foundation is the philanthropic arm of TAWANI Enterprises, a Chicago-based firm with businesses spanning property management, publishing and education. The Foundation supports non-profits with grants across five main categories: education, gender & human sexuality, cultural institutions & preservation, environmental initiatives, and health & human services.

To learn more about TAWANI Foundation grants, visit https://tawanifoundation.org/our-grants. TAWANI Foundation is a private foundation that accepts applications by invitation only. There is no open application period. 

About TAWANI Foundation

Founded in 2002 by notable philanthropist and entrepreneur Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), TAWANI Enterprises' philanthropic organization, TAWANI Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights, education, and environmental initiatives. TAWANI Foundation's vision is to make a sustained and measurable difference for organizations that focus on enriching knowledge, improving health and wellness, and promoting scientific understanding - all with a common goal of making a positive, long-term impact on individuals, communities, and the culture itself. To learn more, visit https://tawanifoundation.org.

About World Pediatrics

World Pediatrics is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to transforming access to advanced pediatric healthcare. Guided by the mission to heal more children, in less time, with greater impact, World Pediatrics works shoulder-to-shoulder with local communities, volunteers, and medical professionals to deliver, empower, and transform life-saving care where it is needed most. Headquartered in Richmond, VA, and serving communities worldwide, World Pediatrics envisions a future where every child has equitable access to the healthcare they deserve.