What We Do

The Riley Cheer Guild supports Indiana patients and families by raising funds through our gift shop system, events, individual and chapter membership, local business partnerships, and individual donations. In addition to funding clinical programs and hospital grants, all hospital in-kind donations are processed by the Toy Room program to ensure safety and provide for the needs of as many patients and families as possible served at Riley Children’s Health and Indiana University Health Hospitals in the academic health center.

2+

Thousand Families Served Daily

Through the toy room and clinical services, each patient and family has the opportunity to be served by community generosity.

100

Years of Volunteerism

With its first meeting in April 1924, the women and men of the Riley Cheer Guild have donated over a million hours of service to Indiana families.

500+

Thousand Dollars Raised Annually

With our beautiful gift shops, unique events, and generous donors, we raise over half a million dollars annually to serve Indiana families.

Get Involved

In 1924, Mrs. Andrew J. Porter had a vision of helping children who were sick and unhealthy. She placed an ad in the newspaper calling a meeting at the YWCA for anyone interested in helping young patients at James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children. She and twelve other women organized a hospital guild with a mission to provide cheer to the pediatric patients, something the women felt was essential for the children’s well-being. In following the mission, they gave the auxiliary the name “Riley Hospital Cheer Guild”, and they greeted the very first patient treated at Riley Hospital with gifts and comfort.

Riley Cheer Guild has now expanded its services to include the IU Health adult hospital on the academic health center in downtown Indianapolis. As the hospitals being served transformed in name and scope, changes were also made to the name of the Guild. In 2014, as the Guild celebrated its 90th anniversary, the name was officially changed to Riley Cheer Guild, Inc. to reflect the organization’s historical roots. Through all of these changes, the mission of the Riley Cheer Guild has remained intact and strong: to enhance the experience of a hospital stay for patients and families within the hospitals served.

Become a Member

Join the Riley Cheer Guild and help support our mission. Members receive quarterly newsletters and an invitation to our Annual Member Luncheon.