Honoring Alan Hassenfeld
It is nearly impossible to convey how fortunate we are—as were so many organizations in Rhode Island—that Alan Hassenfeld had such great passion for our community, our children, and our hospitals.
Alan’s support for Brown University Health dates back decades and we are deeply saddened by this tremendous loss felt by so many.
Giving generously to Hasbro Children’s and The Miriam Hospital, Alan believed in living charity and being an active changemaker in the community. His vast support included leading the charge with Al Verrecchia to build Hasbro Children’s—Rhode Island’s only dedicated pediatric hospital—as well as continued giving for critical programs like Child Life.
“Alan will forever be remembered as someone who wanted to make the world a better place,” said Al Verrecchia, former chairman, Brown University Health. “He was happiest when he was helping people, especially children.”
A true champion who not only talked the talk, but walked the walk, Alan was a governor and board member of The Miriam Hospital Foundation and a governor of Rhode Island Hospital Foundation. Most recently, he was honorary co-chair of the Centennial Campaign for The Miriam Hospital.
“While Alan’s achievements and his deep commitment to the community are widely known, those of us privileged to work with him experienced his impact on a more personal level... He gave generously of his time, offering strategic insight, heartfelt advocacy, and constant encouragement,” said Maria Ducharme, DNP, RN, president, The Miriam Hospital and chief quality executive, Brown University Health. “Alan’s dedication to The Miriam Hospital was rooted in a proud family legacy— one he carried with grace, humility, and a profound sense of purpose. In every conversation, he reminded us why our work matters and inspired us to envision what more we could achieve together. His presence made a lasting impact, and his legacy will continue to shape our work for generations to come.”
For years, at Hasbro Children’s, he and many other Hasbro, Inc. team members would hand out presents and cookies to kids around the holidays. Seeing the faces of children light up despite the adversity around them is something Alan said just last year, meant so much to him.
“The loss of my friend Alan Hassenfeld leaves a profound gap in my heart and in the fabric of Hasbro Children's. Alan was the pied piper who led the troops on Hasbro Inc.’s Global Day of Joy by showing his generosity and deep caring for the children. His commitment and passion to the health and well-being of children both in body and mind, and most of all, his kindness, will be greatly missed,” said Phyllis A. Dennery, MD, Pediatrician-in-Chief and Medical Director, Hasbro Children’s. “It’s been an honor to serve as the Sylvia Kay Hassenfeld Professor of Pediatrics [at The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University] for the last 10 years, especially knowing how much the endowment, named for his mother, meant to Alan. His legacy will forever live on in all the areas his generosity touched.”