As a retired pharmacist and 41-year employee of Walgreens, Tom is well aware of the many health challenges faced by Mississippians.

As a husband, father of four, and grandfather of six, he’s particularly affected by children’s health issues.

“The little ones really tug at my heart strings,” he says.

Tom, a native Mississippian who now lives in Hattiesburg, has long been aware of UMMC. But he’d never had reason to visit until his three-year-old grandson was taken to Children’s of Mississippi following a near-drowning accident.

It was a harrowing experience, but one with a happy ending: His grandson fully recovered. Through the experience, Tom became a fan of Children’s of Mississippi at UMMC.

“I was impressed with the way things were handled at the children’s hospital,” he says. “They seemed to genuinely care. That’s what made me start thinking about donating to UMMC.”

Before Tom donated, though, he did a lot of research. And what he found is that some charitable organizations use more than 50 percent of donations for administration, payroll, or other purposes.

With the Manning Family Fund, every penny of Grayson’s monthly donation goes exactly where he wants it to go—to help children in need.

“I feel comfortable donating through the Manning Family Fund,” Tom says. “I have a lot of respect for the Manning family; for what they’ve done for UMMC and for the children of Mississippi.”

And we have a lot of respect for Tom Grayson and his family.

Thank you, Tom, from the Manning Family Fund and Children’s of Mississippi.