Supporting Our Community, One Tile at a Time

National Mah Jongg League makes $3 million gift to benefit new hospital

The game of Mah Jongg brings people together in the spirit of friendship, camaraderie, and healthy competition.

In 1937, the National Mah Jongg League was founded to standardize the rules across America for the ancient tile and card game, and the league’s membership now exceeds 350,000 people.

The National Mah Jongg League aims not only to serve its members, but also to support the communities in which they live and play. Brothers David and Larry Unger place philanthropy and service to their communities at the forefront of their efforts, generously giving to organizations that support women and children, as well as education access and healthcare across the country.

In this same spirit of philanthropy, David and Larry recently made a $3 million gift to support The Valley Hospital in Paramus. Their significant leadership gift supports Valley’s $125 million Serve. Care. Transform. campaign, which will continue through the end of the year.

In honor of the National Mah Jongg League’s tremendous generosity, a post- partum floor in the new hospital will be named in the league’s honor.

“We toured the new hospital and were very impressed with what we saw. We know it will be a great addition to the community and we’re proud to be a part of it,” said Larry. “Our organization supports women’s and children’s health and other issues, so this space was a natural fit for us.”

In addition, the National Mah Jongg League also made an earlier gift to support Butterflies, Valley Home Care’s pediatric palliative care and hospice program.

For David, a resident of Allendale, the connection to Valley is a personal one, as well. He has been a patient at The Valley Hospital many times, and in fact, his children and grandchildren have all been born at Valley. Knowing firsthand the care that is provided at Valley, he says supporting the new hospital was important to him.

“The Valley Hospital is a place where people will continue to get the great service that Valley has always been known to give the residents of Bergen County,” David said. “Valley’s always been the centerpiece of the health program in Bergen County, and we’re proud to be part of The Valley Hospital family.”