The landscape of Highland Heights has changed since David Borsani’s childhood.

“Back then, it wasn’t nearly as developed,” said David of the days spent on his family’s 11-acre farm. What hasn’t changed is the Borsani family’s belief in service. His mother was a nursing director; he worked as an orderly before joining the Peace Corps. “At times, we didn’t have two nickels to rub together,” said David, “but the idea of helping others was always there.”

Julie Borsani, a self-described “city girl” from Bangkok, Thailand, lived in a small town outside Buffalo, New York, as a foreign exchange student. There, she stayed with the family of David’s close friend. But the two didn’t meet until after she returned and David came to Thailand through the Peace Corps, having brought along the address and a picture of that girl, shared with him by their mutual acquaintance.

After taking a year to learn Thai well enough to navigate Bangkok, David made the 24+ hour train ride there to meet Julie from his assignment in the country’s south. Together they explored Thailand’s rural corners. Julie and David saw that the Thai government had dotted the larger villages with health centers, often the only point of care for entire communities, which were helping residents address and treat minor illnesses and health challenges.

Long since married, Julie and David saw something familiar when they learned about the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Ahuja Center for Women & Children. “It reminded us of those facilities in Thailand,” said David. “UH Rainbow is placing the services people need right where they live.”

Located in Cleveland’s MidTown neighborhood, the UH Rainbow Ahuja Center for Women & Children provides holistic care to more than 40,000 patients yearly. In addition to pediatric and women’s health, the center offers wraparound support such as legal aid, cooking and literacy classes, behavioral health services, social needs navigation, and more. Its mission is to provide excellent care and address the social factors that shape a family’s health and future.

To strengthen that mission for generations to come, Julie and David established the Julie and David Borsani Fund with a generous gift of $1 million, funded through qualified charitable distributions from an IRA . The gift is endowing support for the center’s greatest needs, including educational programs and family services.

“We don’t have grandchildren,” said Julie, “so this is our way of helping the next generation while filling our hearts with joy.”

“Supporters like Julie and David really understand the needs of families in our community,” said Genevieve Birkby, Site Lead and Programs Manager, UH Rainbow Ahuja Center. “Their generosity allows us to provide meaningful resources that meet our patients where they are.”

“Julie and David’s gift bridges innovation and community health,” said Marissa Kiefer, MHSA, President, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s and UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital. “Their generosity ensures that we can always use evidence-based models for building and maintaining healthy families and neighborhoods in Northeast Ohio.”

“We’ve seen how access to care can transform families, and we believe healthcare, education and opportunity are the keys to the future,” said Julie. “Cleveland is what it is because of philanthropy and public-mindedness,” said David. “We are proud to be part of that tradition, and we hope our friends and other supporters will join us in strengthening it for generations to come.”

Make a Gift from your IRA

If you're age 70½ or older, you can make a gift directly from your IRA to UH through a Qualified Charitable Distribution.

This gift can satisfy all or part of your Required Minimum Distribution for the year and is excluded from taxable income. It can be a smart way to reduce your adjusted gross income while supporting a cause you care about.

To learn more about making a QCD, please contact Patricia Fries, Director, Gift Planning and Strategic Collaborations, UH Institutional Relations & Development at Patricia.Fries@UHhospitals.org