Valley Children’s Hospital has put its annual Kids Day fundraiser on pause one year after intense public scrutiny over the high payouts handed out to its executives.
Usually held in March, Valley Children’s has decided to not hold the fundraiser this month and reevaluate the event in the future.
Driving the news: Kids Day started in 1988 and has raised over $11 million for the hospital, in partnership with The Fresno Bee and ABC 30.
- Volunteers would hit the streets to sell copies of The Bee to drivers on the road, with the proceeds going to the hospital.
Flashback: Last year, The Sun was the first to expose the payouts to CEO Todd Suntrapak and other top executives.
- Tax returns showed that Suntrapak took home $5.1 million in total compensation in 2021, which followed a $5.5 million package in 2020. Following The Sun’s report, the hospital said its bonus payout to the executive suite was moved up to include two bonuses in one year for 2021 tax purposes.
- The 2022 tax returns showed that Suntrapak made $2.989 million in total compensation.
- Valley Children’s also gave Suntrapak a $5 million forgivable home loan in 2021, which he used to purchase a $6.5 million house in Carmel-by-the-Sea in 2022.
What they’re saying: “We’re not holding Kids Day this month,” hospital spokesperson Zara Arboleda told Fresnoland. “We’re revisiting how we put on the event to ensure it’s impactful for the kids and families we service, and engaging and safe for our volunteers.”
- Arboleda said the hospital is reevaluating the fundraiser and did not share when Kids Day will return.
