Sometimes an organization is fortunate enough to forge a long-term partnership with a foundation or donor—one that reflects a trusting and collaborative relationship. McLean Hospital’s connection with the Phyllis and Jerome Lyle Rappaport Foundation is such a bond.
A Quarter Century of Philanthropy
Twenty-five years ago, guided by its mission to nurture emerging leaders, the Rappaport Foundation created the McLean Mental Health Research Scholars Award.
“The Rappaport award is highly sought-after and competitive,” said Kerry J. Ressler, MD, PhD, McLean’s chief scientific officer. “It gives early-career scientists the time, support, and confidence to secure additional funding and become independent investigators.”
In 2020, the Foundation deepened its commitment with a transformational gift endowing McLean’s division of basic neuroscience—now called the Jerry and Phyllis Rappaport Center of Excellence in Basic Neuroscience Research—and establishing the Phyllis and Jerome Lyle Rappaport Endowed Chair in Psychiatry.
Bill Carlezon, PhD, division chief and inaugural Rappaport Chair, reflected: “Since endowing both division and chair, the Rappaports’ support has been critical to advancing our research enterprise.”
A Pivotal Moment
The latest chapter in this enduring partnership reflects both the Foundation’s trust in McLean and the recognition that The Way Forward campaign is a pivotal moment in the hospital’s history.
Typically consistent in its focus on investing in people, the Rappaport Board made a rare exception to fund buildings with a major gift to support McLean’s new child and adolescent campus.
“A project of this magnitude, for an institution as important as McLean, called for flexible thinking,” said Rappaport Foundation Board Member Jonathan Rapaport. “We didn’t want our usual approach to narrow our choices. This was a rare opportunity to make a significant impact on the mental health landscape.”
James Rappaport Jr. and Jonathan Rapaport
“The Foundation will name the building set to house Pathways Academy, a year-round therapeutic day school for children and young adults with autism spectrum and related disorders.”
“Attaching our name to the youth campus felt right,” Jonathan added. “Treating adolescents requires intense collaboration among patients, professionals, and families. Our support reflects our appreciation for that shared effort.”
The gift also underscores the Foundation’s commitment to shifting the narrative around mental health. Jonathan recalls that, in his youth, mental health was discussed in “hushed tones.” Today, thanks in part to institutions like McLean, stigma is diminishing.
Fellow board member James Rappaport Jr. agreed the gift marked an important and timely exception for the Foundation.
“We want McLean to keep fulfilling its mission and remain a beacon that inspires others,” said James.
“But that requires a campus with the infrastructure and resources to match its legacy. Anyone who has walked the grounds understands that—while beautiful—the last building went up before most of us were born. It’s time to welcome a new generation of physical space worthy of McLean’s excellence.”
The Rappaport Foundation’s extraordinary generosity has helped McLean advance science, transform care, and break down stigma. This latest gift helps create an environment for young people—and their families—to find hope and healing.
