City of Hope gets major gift from Kaplan family to fund construction of new pavilion

A major gift from the Arthur and Rosalie Kaplan family will launch construction of a new pavilion at City of Hope. The pavilion, named in the family’s honor, the Kaplan Family Pavilion, will sit at the heart of City of Hope’s hospitality, reception and conference area. It will be adjacent to the Visitor Center, House of Hope and Platt Conference Center – all integral components of City of Hope’s outreach to, and connection with, the community.
Family members – Arthur (deceased) and Rosalie Kaplan, along with their children, Michael Kaplan, Steven Kaplan and Bonnie (Kaplan) Fein – have been longtime supporters of City of Hope. The pavilion that bears their name will help usher in City of Hope’s centennial celebration in 2013, paying tribute both to City of Hope’s legacy and to its future. With two individual structures joined by a central courtyard, this modern centerpiece will include a concert venue; multimedia, conference and presentation rooms; exhibit spaces; and outdoor areas. Groundbreaking for the 8,000-square-foot facility is expected to begin in January 2013; the building is scheduled to open in January 2014.
The Kaplan family has made significant contributions to City of Hope as donors and by serving on various committees and boards. Steven Kaplan has been active with a number of City of Hope chapters, including Inner Circle and The Sportsmen’s Club. Michael Kaplan is a past City of Hope chapter president and legacy member of the board of directors. Bonnie Fein is a past president of Inner Circle and currently serves on City of Hope’s Ambassador Leadership Council, the Los Angeles Real Estate & Construction Industries Council and Board of Regents. The Kaplan family previously supported an endowed chair in medical oncology and named the lobby inside City of Hope Helford Clinical Research Hospital in 2007. This most recent gift is a tribute to Arthur and Rosalie Kaplan by their children who continue to be inspired by their family’s legacy and commitment to philanthropic giving.
Arthur Kaplan was president and co-founder of KB Management Co., a development firm specializing in office buildings. Raised in Los Angeles, he was involved in numerous Jewish charities, as well as medical and educational organizations such as City of Hope. Before starting KB Management, he headed several Southern California firms that manufactured and sold food products, tires and cosmetics. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1981, and was treated at City of Hope. Though he died in 1985, the family credits City of Hope with prolonging his life and enabling him to enjoy his final years.
“Everyone that comes through City of Hope’s gate is treated with an enormous level of compassion,” said Michael Kaplan. “We do what we can to support City of Hope because they do so much to help everybody and they do it with compassion and love.”
“We are grateful for Rosalie’s generosity and for the legacy support from the Kaplan family,” said Michael A. Friedman, M.D., Irell & Manella Cancer Center Director’s Distinguished Chair and City of Hope chief executive officer. “City of Hope celebrates its centennial in 2013. This gift enables us to build a museum and reception center to honor our past and celebrate our future. The Kaplan Family Pavilion will provide a setting to preserve the heritage of the last hundred years, and to reinvigorate our commitment to our mission and the challenges of the next hundred years.”
“When you have been given so much in life, there is an obligation to give back,” said Rosalie Kaplan, who will celebrate her 100th birthday in 2013 – City of Hope’s centennial year. “When I grew up, we did not have a lot of money, but I never thought that we were poor. Any extra money that I earned would be placed in a special jar for City of Hope. I have always believed that they have the ability to cure cancer.”

Opera Singers from the Los Angeles Opera Company entertain guests Thursday lunchtime after the ceremonial groundbreaking.The pavilion that bears the Kaplan name name will help usher in City of Hope’s centennial celebration in 2013, paying tribute both to City of Hope’s legacy and to its future. -Photos by Terry Miller

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