Johnson Memorial Health Services and the JMHS Foundation are committed to providing patients quality medical care. In fact, the sole mission of the Foundation is to partner with JMHS for the health and viability of our community. Since 1996, the Foundation has used gifts from generous contributors to meet a variety of facility needs from equipment purchases and replacements to building improvements and additions, and the management of a perpetual endowment fund.
This fall, JMHS began a large building project that included building a new care center. To ensure the care center is completed to its greatest potential for our community, the JM Foundation has set an ambitious fundraising goal of $1.4 million dollars. The Caring for our Community Campaign was created to provide our community an opportunity to get involved with the project.
The campaign highlights the increasingly important role that philanthropy plays in healthcare. Healthcare is one of the most heavily regulated industries and it is important that our community has access to quality health care. A 2013 Economic Impact Study done by the Minnesota Department of Health and Rural Health Works showed that JMHS provides $6.5 million in income annually to our community. Healthcare facilities in general are frequently one of the major contributors to the local economy. The study showed that the $3.1 million that has been spent in the healthcare sector for JMHS has created another $1.5 million of spending in other sectors of our County’s economy.
The JM Foundation has hired Hillary-Lyons Associates as their philanthropy consultant. This organization is guiding the Foundation on the steps needed to create and maintain a strong giving program. The Caring for our Community campaign began internally, with staff and board member participation.
The L.I.F.T. Club (Let’s Invest For Tomorrow) is the club representing employees from a variety of JMHS departments that donate to the Caring for our Community campaign. We are pleased to announce that the JMHS Employees have pledged a total of $50,000 over a two-year period!!!
The Foundation has also established a Major Gifts Committee, which is tasked in securing larger donations for the fundraising project. Ken Club and Charlie Prestholdt are co-chairs of the Major Gifts Committee. Other committee members includes Mike Erickson, Rick Odden, Dean Pearson, Pastor Kendall Stelter, Dean Solem, Pastor Lori Wold, and Jon Wager. Stacey Lee, JMHS CEO, and Kristyn Wicht, JMHS Community Relations and Development Manager, are also members of the Major Gifts Committee. The Committee has recently begun meeting with businesses and individuals to discuss the project and provide an opportunity to get involved.
The Major Gifts Committee has had great success already bringing in donations and pledges of $411,000 of their $1.4 million dollar goal! The JM Foundation is now reaching out to community members and asking them to also get involved. JM Foundation board members include Dean Solem-Board Chair, Marilee Jager – Vice Chair, Melissa Anderson, Ken Club, Carole Femrite, Paul Stand, Karen Strom and Julie Turnberg.
The Caring for our Community campaign has a wide range of recognition opportunities to encourage the fulfillment of our objectives and to recognize significant commitments. A list of naming opportunities is available for your consideration; the JM Foundation development staff will assist you in determining a suitable form of lasting remembrance. Together we can continue the tradition of excellent healthcare in our community. For more information please contact Kristyn Wicht, Community Relations and Development Manager at 320-312-2111 or visit www.jmhsmn.org/foundation.