Giving to health care institutions nationwide plunged 11 percent during 2009, but not in Memphis.
Contributions from individuals and local organizations have helped pay for one new hospital, allowed others to improve services, covered research expenses and financed the construction of hospitality centers and hospices.
The activity in Memphis contrasts with what’s happening nationally. The results of a survey released this week by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy indicate that cash and pledges to health care institutions totaled $7.64 billion in 2009, an 11 percent decrease from 2008. In Memphis, contributions continue to grow.
ALSAC, the fundraising organization that supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, made $692 million during its 2010 fiscal year that just ended. That was a record fundraising year for the organization.
The Le Bonheur Foundation raised $18.1 million in 2009, significantly more than the $16.6 million it received the prior year. The gifts helped fund the new $340 million Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
That fundraising effort continues.
“It’s not often that you get to be a part of history in the making and part of a new children’s hospital,” said Cavanaugh Casey, executive director of The Le Bonheur Foundation.
The Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation raised in excess of $4 million during its fiscal 2010 year, which ended Sept. 30. That’s more than the $3.8 million raised in 2009, which topped 2008.
“It is tough,” said Jenny Nevels, director of development for the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation. “You have to work harder.”
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare relied on a public fundraising effort to help pay for the new $340 million Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Philanthropic gifts also financed the FedEx Family House across the street from the new hospital.
Private gifts have allowed The Regional Medical Center at Memphis to upgrade waiting rooms, improve its emergency communications center and invest in new medical equipment.
Both the Methodist and Baptist health systems are building new hospices with the help of community giving.
“I attribute this to the strong relationships and ties that we have established with both individuals and organizations over the years,” Nevels said. “We initiated a capital campaign in 2008 for our Baptist Trinity Hospice House and received remarkable support from the community just based on the great need for it.”
Employees at Baptist contributed $1.2 million toward its hospice. The foundation usually receives between $300,000 and $400,000 a year from Baptist employees.
Although individuals have continued to give, she said they have been more reluctant to make long-term yearly commitments.
Cavanaugh said Le Bonheur has a total of $104.5 million toward a revised goal of $113 million for the hospital. The original figure was $100 million, but some features of the hospital have been expanded, such as doubling beds in the neonatal intensive care unit from 30 to 60.
The foundation makes a point of reaching out to donors and not asking for money.
“We want to be able to reach out to them in times that we are not asking for them for money,” Casey said. “We just let them know about the importance of their support and how much their philanthropic dollars help us.”
The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy has published its Annual Report on Giving for 26 years.