Children eating
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When you think about a children's hospital, you likely picture state-of-the-art operating rooms, skilled physicians and life-saving medical equipment.

At Valley Children's Hospital in California's Central Valley, President and CEO Todd Suntrapak is leading a bold vision that extends far beyond the hospital's walls — one that recognizes that your child's health is shaped just as much by where they live, learn and play as by the medical care they receive.

The 80% Solution

Valley Children's understands a powerful truth: only 20% of health outcomes are linked to clinical care, while 80% are related to social determinants of health, including factors like poverty, food access, safe places to play and environmental conditions.

In Valley Children's 12-county Central California service area, these challenges are particularly acute. More than one in four children live in poverty, which is significantly higher than California's statewide average of 16%. Approximately one in four Central Valley children is food insecure and lacking regular access to adequate, nutritious food.

'Acutely aware of the extraordinary rates of childhood poverty, chronic disease and food insecurity,' Suntrapak has made addressing these challenges central to the organization's mission. Under his leadership, Valley Children's invests millions of dollars annually in support of local community programs and services affecting children's health.

A $5 Million Commitment to Community Health

The centerpiece of this community investment strategy is the Guilds Center for Community Health, fueled by a $5 million endowment from the hospital's Guilds. This center is uniquely positioned to change the trajectory of children's health in powerful and significant ways by building partnerships and programs in communities throughout the Valley.

The center's mission is to equitably improve the health and well-being of children by building capacity through partnerships, programs and community development. Rather than simply treating illness after it occurs, the Guilds Center focuses on addressing root causes and creating healthier environments where children can thrive.

From Prescription Pads to Prescription for Food

One of the center's most innovative programs tackles food insecurity head-on. In 2025, Valley Children's started two major programs in the Central Valley with partners Central Valley Food Bank and Fresno Mission.

Children's has committed $150,000 over three years to work with the Central California Food Bank to make healthy food available to kids across the region. Through this partnership with the Central California Food Bank, Valley Children's Home Care staff bring qualifying families a specially assembled food box every month as part of their regular home visits.

The organization feeds more than 320,000 people every month through roughly 260 partner organizations. Their work, which covers Fresno, Madera, Merced, Kings and Kern counties, also helps to feed 100,000 kids each month.

'There is scientific evidence proving that when kids eat breakfast, they are able to sit down and focus and concentrate and that turns into being able to absorb the material better, they get better grades and do better on tests,' explained Jamie Villalobos, Director of Nutrition for Washington Union School District.

In addition, Valley Children's has committed $2 million over the next two years to fund programs at the Fresno Mission new collaborative initiative aimed at meeting the needs of homeless Central Valley youth.

The program, 'Our Valley Cares', is designed to build a comprehensive system of care for youth in crisis – one that organizers hope will become a national model.

'Helping at-risk youth fits perfectly into what we are charged to do in the mission statement of Valley Children's: to improve the health and well-being of children', said Valley Children's Healthcare President Suntrapak.

Building Healthier Schools and Communities

Your child's school plays a critical role in their health. Thus in 2023, Valley Children's and the Guilds Center for Community Health partnered with the Center for Wellness and Nutrition and No Kid Hungry to complete Phase II of Schools for Healthy and Thriving Students. This initiative supported school districts in updating and fully leveraging school wellness policies, including those addressing physical activity and nutrition.

The results were tangible: Of the 17 participating school districts, four updated their school district's wellness policies and 14 updated a WSCC-related policy based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model.

Valley Children's also partners with numerous community organizations addressing child welfare beyond healthcare. The hospital collaborates with the March of Dimes, Family Resource Centers, Central Valley Safe Kids Coalition and the Kern Medically Vulnerable Infant Project, among others.

Addressing the Roots of Health Inequality

The hospital's commitment to community health extends to addressing economic opportunity. Valley Children's partnered with the Southwest Fresno Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit business organization serving Southwest Fresno, a predominantly Black community.

This partnership supports the area's job training and small business incubation efforts related to food production — ultimately helping to contribute to lower food insecurity rates in the neighborhood, increased job skills and future business enterprises.

The hospital also operates the Guilds Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Center, which treats and advocates for kids who can't speak for themselves. The Center has become a regional force in preventing abuse through its work with schools, parent groups and other community-based organizations.

A Healthcare System With Community at Its Heart

Throughout the Valley's vast footprint, hardships and inequalities threaten the health and future of children: food insecurity, poverty, air pollution and exposure to adverse childhood events. As one of the largest pediatric healthcare networks in the nation, serving more than 1.3 million children across Central California, Valley Children's is uniquely positioned to make a difference.

With more than 670 physicians and 3,500 staff, the hospital provides exceptional clinical care at its 358-bed facility. Under Suntrapak's leadership, Valley Children's has embraced the understanding that truly transforming child health requires addressing the conditions in which children are born, grow, live and learn.

The Guilds Center for Community Health represents a powerful investment in that vision and reiterates your child's ZIP code shouldn't determine their health outcomes. By partnering with food banks, schools, community organizations and economic development groups, Valley Children's is working to ensure every child in the Central Valley has the opportunity to grow up healthy, regardless of their family's economic circumstances.

This is healthcare reimagined: treating sickness and building wellness from the ground up, in the places where children spend their days. It's an investment in playgrounds and produce boxes, in school policies and safe neighborhoods, in economic opportunity and educational success. Because when you care for the whole child in the whole community, you don't just save lives, you transform them.