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A Labor of Love

The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation lovingly focuses on education, health care and the performing arts

When it comes to The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation, the words “power couple” come to mind. Christina Mennen Andrea and Rudy Andrea are the driving force behind the philanthropic efforts of The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation.

The foundation lovingly focuses on education, health care, and the performing arts. “These three things help a person’s life become better,” reflects Rudy Andrea.

It all started with Christina’s love of children and her long track record of volunteering at Children’s Medical Center Plano. For years, Christina cuddled babies, comforted parents, and helped overwhelmed nurses tend to sick children.

In 2000, the couple launched the foundation, lending their assistance and expertise to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County and new programs, such as being the title sponsor for the Collin Classic Bike Rally and supporting the Children’s Health Red Balloon event, among others.

“While we have donated tens of millions to various charities, Christina’s volunteer work at Children’s Health made us feel particularly close to the organization, its people, and its mission to make life better for children,” Rudy says.

The couple also supports the Kathy Chamberlain Ballet School in Plano and the Plano Symphony Orchestra. “We want to get younger people involved with all kinds of performances; to come out on a Saturday night with their families.”

They also created one of the largest endowment funds for Collin College.

Their latest labor of love includes a $5 million donation to build the new patient tower—an expansion of Children’s Medical Center Plano. The 395,000-square-foot tower will triple the campus’s bed capacity as Children’s Health expands access to complex, critical, and specialized care for families across the North Texas region and beyond. Highlights include:

  • 140 universal and ICU-capable inpatient beds, increasing the total to 212

  • A brand-new Emergency Room that has nearly doubled in size, with 48 exam rooms and the resources critical to building a Level II trauma center

  • State-of-the-art imaging and radiology capabilities with advanced MRI, CT, PET, CT, and SPECT/CT scanners, as well as expanded X-ray and ultrasound equipment

The impact of the Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation’s gift reaches far and wide, as changing demographics will significantly affect health care in the coming years. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing and largest metropolitan areas, with a population exceeding 7.5 million. By 2025, the area’s population is projected to reach 8.6 million, and the youngest members of our community are growing in numbers as well:

  • Currently, the pediatric population in the Dallas-Fort Worth region is almost 2.5 million, a number expected to grow by more than 20% by 2032, surpassing 3 million children and doubling by 2050.

  • Emergency services have seen a 27% increase over the past decade across the Children’s Health system.

  • Clinic visits for cancer and blood disorders outpatient services in Plano rose by more than 36% in 2023.

  • Today, 25% of Texas’s population is age 17 or younger, meaning more than 1 out of every 4 people in our state is a child. Comparatively, only 22% of the U.S. population is pediatric.

Beyond simple supply-and-demand logistics, these trends raise concerns about the quality of pediatric care. “In the next 10 years, there will be somewhere between 3 to 4 million children this hospital will be able to serve. With the rise of young communities in Allen, Frisco, and Plano, access to the best care will be critical. The Plano campus will also help because of its central location, serving—and perhaps saving—those who would otherwise be forced to drive all the way downtown,” says Rudy Andrea.

If Christina is the heart of the foundation, then Rudy is the beat. As February—the month of love—reminds us to celebrate compassion and giving, we honor The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation. Christina traces her love of philanthropy back to her great-grandparents, German immigrants who instilled the value of mentorship and service. “The value of mentorship is taught and handed down. We got our kids involved, and each of them has gone on to support their own charities. They’re all active in their communities,” she says.

“It’s easy to write a check—but at the end of the day, that check can’t solve all the problems. It takes everyone’s time and money—and that’s our emphasis. Everybody has something to give,” adds Rudy. “We are blessed to live where we live. Christina’s words, ‘Unto whom much is given, much is expected,’ inspire me and constantly call us to action.”

For more information on volunteering, visit www.tamff.org/contact-us. If your organization is interested in receiving a grant, please review the guidelines at www.tamff.org/grants-awarded/grant-requirements. TAFF’s goal is for 100% of all grant money to go toward improving the quality and conditions of the lives it helps.

A life dedicated to philanthropy, an ethic of giving back, and sharp business acumen have built a legacy that North Texans can take pride in. The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation’s mission reflects its commitment to enhancing quality of life and creating a strong foundation for children and young adults. By supporting education, medical research, housing initiatives, and programs that address mental and physical challenges, the foundation works to improve the lives of future generations.

"If Christina is the Heart of the Foundation, then Rudy is the Beat."