LANSING — A well-known local family has pledged the largest gift in University of Michigan Health-Sparrow history.
In recognition of the gift, UM Health-Sparrow’s new 64-bed, $83 million behavioral health hospital in Lansing will be named after the late Janice M. Granger, a nurse known for her support of educational opportunities in Lansing.
The UM Board of Regents formally accepted the gift from the Alton L. and Janice M. Granger Charitable Gift Fund on June 25. The amount was not disclosed, however, Margaret Dimond, UM Health’s regional president, said “we can easily say seven figures.”
Family members do not want the amount of the gift shared, said John Foren, UM Health-Sparrow’s spokesman, but he said the gift will help fund the construction and operation of the future Janice M. Granger Behavioral Health Building.
Project leaders plan to break ground in August on the building that will replace the former Lansing Eastern High School, behind UM-Health Sparrow’s hospital on Michigan Avenue. The facility is expected to open in 2028.
The hospital is intended to address a lack of mental health resources in the region, and UM Health-Sparrow officials said the facility will serve adult, geriatric and – in a first for the area – adolescent patients.
“We are proud to do our part to address the behavioral health crisis, which impacts nearly every family,” Alton Granger said. “We know how important it is for behavioral health patients to have access to services locally and for families to know that their loved one is receiving care at a state-of-the-art facility.”
Alton and his wife Janice, who died in 2024, were past winners of the Founders’ Award, UM Health-Sparrow’s highest honor, and the Granger family has built a legacy of service in the region, UM Health-Sparrow said in its release.
Foren said the couple’s past gifts have helped fund the Granger Pediatric Emergency Department at UM Health-Sparrow Lansing, the neurosciences center and much more. Alton Granger is a past member of the Sparrow Foundation Board of Directors.
“The gift from the Grangers will help ensure these patients receive the care they deserve, right here in Lansing,” Dimond said. “It will have a tremendous impact for generations to come and will have a very positive effect on local families.”
The new behavioral health hospital will be in a park-like setting and feature a contemporary, holistic and healing environment, officials said. The design features indoor and outdoor gardens, light-filled spaces, and modern security and safety enhancements for patients and staff.
UM Health-Sparrow officials said the hospital will include adult and geriatric psychiatry units both for short-term and community-based treatment and a first-of-its-kind pediatric unit. The children’s unit will feature age-appropriate and family-centered care for young people experiencing acute mental health challenges.
The new facility is supposed to enhance research opportunities between Michigan Medicine experts in Ann Arbor and those at UM Health-Sparrow, allow for expanded treatment methods and reduce reliance on UM Health-Sparrow Lansing’s emergency department.
Alton Granger is chairman of Lansing-based Granger Construction Co., which will be the contractor.
For now, most pediatric patients are transferred over an hour away from Lansing, said Victor Hong, a clinical associate professor in psychiatry for Michigan Medicine.
“This extraordinary gift from the Granger family is a transformative investment in the health and well-being of Mid-Michigan,” said Dr. David Miller, CEO of Michigan Medicine and executive vice president for medical affairs at the University of Michigan. “As communities across our state face growing behavioral health needs, our partnership with the Granger family will help expand access to high-quality, compassionate care for children, adults, and families closer to home.
“We are deeply grateful to the Granger family for their vision, leadership, and commitment to strengthening the health of the communities we serve for generations to come.”
Contact editor Susan Vela at svela@lsj.com or 248-873-7044. Follow her on Twitter @susanvela.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Granger family pledges largest gift in history of UM-Health Sparrow
Reporting by Susan Vela, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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By Susan Vela, Lansing State Journal | USA TODAY Network
