2021 Highlights: Philanthropy Reaches New Heights
As we enter 2022, it has become remarkably clear that 2021 was a very good year for philanthropy at Providence, despite the continued chaos of the pandemic.
Thanks to the steadfast generosity of our donors and the passionate commitment of our caregivers, philanthropy is driving impact and empowering progress across our system to help improve outcomes in communities across our seven-state footprint.
With delight and kudos to our donors and foundation teams, we can confirm the collective fundraising total across our 40+ foundations was more than $331 million—our best year on record.
This report showcases just a handful of the ways generosity was shown to Providence in 2021. To see the good work donors have set in motion, visit our foundations’ websites to find examples of how philanthropy is helping Providence create health for a better world.
Thank you to the 53,000+ donors who made our philanthropic year a success—we promise to put your investments to work in our communities toward making world-class health care accessible to all, especially those who are most vulnerable.
With Gratitude,
Rod Hochman, M.D.
President & CEO
Laurie C. Kelley
Senior Vice President, Chief Philanthropy Officer
A Love of Community Inspires Generous Gifts
Several of our Providence foundations received incredible eight-figure gifts last year. The fact that these donors are entrusting us with such significant resources says so much about their gratitude for their family’s care experience and faith and belief in Providence leadership and investment into the projects, research and programs that will benefit their beloved communities.
The Friese Family Makes California’s Largest-Ever Gift to Fund the Friese Family Patient Tower
The Friese family in Southern California continued its long tradition of philanthropy with a significant and record-setting $50 million gift to spur expansion and renovation of Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center and create a new, five-story patient tower, the Friese Family Patient Tower, to honor Donald and Andrea Friese, their children and grandchildren.
“The San Fernando Valley has been our home for decades. We’ve raised our family and built our business in Southern California. We want to give back to the community that has given us so much. We can’t think of a better way to express our gratitude than to help bring world-class health care close to home.” —Don Friese
Learn more about the Friese family gift to Providence Tarzana Foundation.
Phil and Penny Knight’s Long-Standing Generosity Helps Create a Heart Transplant Program
To celebrate an incredible giving milestone of more than $100 million, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, renamed its West Pavilion the Phil and Penny Knight Pavilion. The couple’s generosity has enabled Providence Heart Institute to now offer the most cardiac services between Seattle and San Francisco, including the establishment of a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) certified heart transplant program—which now benefits many Portland-area patients, including long-time Nike executive Howard White.
“I can remember plain as day when they walked into my hospital room and said, ‘You may need a new heart.’ They told me I might need to go to California. And three years later a donation makes a transplant program right here, almost right down the street. That’s wonderful!” —Howard White
Learn more about how the Knights’ generosity ensured Howard could have the transplant close to home.
The Winiarski Family Foundation Generously Gives Back to the Queen of the Valley Community
Two short weeks before Barbara Winiarski’s death, she and husband, Warren, made a $5.1 million gift to establish The Warren and Barbara Winiarski Stroke and Diagnostics Center at Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center. The gift will fund a 208-bed acute care facility and GE Healthcare Revolution Apex CT machine, the only one of its kind in the region, to enhance critical care for 30,000 trauma, stroke and emergent needs patients treated in the ED annually.
“This gift is important to me personally because I’ve had to use the emergency facilities a number of times and so has Barbara. And it’s been a resource in this Valley for our employees. It’s important to have this CT machine available on a moment’s notice…for anyone who comes into the ED with a life-threatening or undetermined ailment.”
—Warren Winiarski
Learn more about the Winiarski Family Foundation gift to Queen of the Valley Medical Center Foundation.
New Berry Gordy Clinical Research Laboratory Will Address Health Disparities
A generous donation from Motown founder and Saint John’s Health Center patient Berry Gordy will fund the Berry Gordy Clinical Research Laboratory at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Gordy’s gift will help the Westside community better address the disparities in health care that cause too many Blacks and other ethnic minority groups to suffer disproportionately from preventable disease and help elevate preventive health care in the community to improve quality of life.
“I want the discoveries made at the lab to have an impact on the Black community and all communities in need. Disease affects all of us. Motown made music for all of us. Health care should be the same way.” —Berry Gordy
Read more about Berry Gordy and this gift to Saint John’s Health Center Foundation.
Marsha Moeller Establishes the Helen Caloggero Women’s and Family Center in Memory of Her Mother
Marsha Moeller made a historic $4.57 million planned gift to Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, to support the development of the new Helen Caloggero Women’s and Family Center in honor her mother who died of complications
of tuberculosis when Marsha was only seven years old. Slated to open in 2024, the beautiful new facility will bring together maternity care, a birthing center and other vital women’s health services.
“I think the good Lord is showing me what my purpose is,” she explained. “It makes me happy to give. I have faith in the Foundation to put that money where it’s needed. It makes me feel like I’m really contributing and part of a community.”—Marsha Moeller
Read more of Marsha’s story and this gift to St. Joseph Hospital Foundation.
The Collective Power of Community Engagement
While the pandemic canceled many of our in-person events again 2021, foundations across the system safely engaged our communities in fun(draising) activities, both distanced and virtually, in partnership with honored community partners and sponsors. Below are just a few examples. To see the myriad ways our foundations are activating community giving, please visit our foundations’ sites.
Providence Alaska Foundation safely hosted 213 guests at an All-In Drive-In showing of Disney/PIXAR’s “Inside Out.” The movie’s main character, Riley, exhibited how pre-teens deal with complex emotions, relevant especially now with the added stress of navigating life and school during a pandemic.
Through collaboration between generous community partners, sponsors and 93 donors, $145,000+ was raised to help ensure Alaska’s youth can access resources to stay mentally healthy, especially during these challenging times.
Hospice of Seattle’s annual pediatric luncheon brings the community together to raise sustaining funds for programs like Stepping Stones, offering hospice and palliative care for terminally children, and Safe Crossings and Camp Erin-King County, grief support programs for kids struggling with the death of a family member or loved one.
This year’s power-format luncheon, hosted with the support of 18 sponsors, drew 182 viewers and 346 individual donations, raising more than $278,000 (a 39% increase over the previous event) to help continue funding these critical pediatric programs.
Event chairs Keith and Shari Mann, in partnership with Covenant Foundation, recruited 32 local businesses representing 93 locations and inspired donors from neighboring West Texas and Eastern New Mexico communities to raise $90,000 in this first-ever, two-week fundraising campaign celebrating the courage of four child champions—Camilla, Madelyn, Wyatt and Brooklyn.
The campaign also created awareness for the lifesaving work and family-centered programs at Covenant Children’s, the only licensed children’s hospital between Ft. Worth, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Nearly 300 walkers safely joined the third annual Layla Paige’s Nature Walk for TrinityKids Care at the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, California. The event raised more than $100,000 to support the work of the TrinityKids physicians and caregivers who provide critical end-of-life care to very young and vulnerable patients and their families.
Matt and Larissa Sonnen created this special event to honor their daughter, Layla, who had been lovingly cared for by the staff at TrinityKids Care before dying from brain disorder at home surrounded by her family. For Matt and Larissa, this walk is a way to give back and at the same time pay it forward to other patients and families with similar needs.
Grateful Individuals Make an Impactful Difference
More than 53,000 individuals generously gifted Providence in 2021, with donations ranging from $1 to $50 million. We are grateful for every dollar entrusted to us by donors who want to help make world-class health care accessible to all in the communities we serve.
Michele Answers Her “Call” and Honors Her Late Brother with Ongoing Gifts
For Michele Manning Herman, working at Providence is more than a job—it’s a calling. “I think it’s really important we do whatever we can to help support not only the communities we serve, but also the ministries that are a part of this great organization,” says Michelle.
Michele celebrates her late brother, Vern, with generous monthly giving to the Institute for Human Caring. She is one of thousands of Providence caregivers who are also donors—going above and beyond the “call” to financially support our mission to be steadfast in serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable.
Read and watch Michele’s story about why she donates to Providence.
Jim’s Story: “Life, Death and a Love Letter to My Angels”
Longtime Missoula news broadcaster (retired), Jim Harmon, now writes a weekly column for the Missoula Current. Last year, he told his readers he was going to take some time for R&R. But he really “paused” his work to undergo a rare heart treatment at the International Heart Institute at Providence St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.
The care he received during that time prompted him to publish a love letter to “’my angels, the nurses.’ They were there 24/7. Honestly, I don’t know how they do their jobs—their calling—with so much care and always with a smile. I wish I were a rich man. I would fund their every need.”
Young Philanthropist Nolan is Grateful for the Care His Mom Received
Sometimes the smallest gifts come from the biggest hearts. At the close of 2021, Providence received an online gift from Nolan Bales, a 10-year-old from Portland, Oregon, with this sweet, heartfelt note:
“This donation is from Nolan Bales (I’m 10) and my grandmother gives me $25 a year to donate to a charity of my choice. I have chosen Providence for 3 years because they saved my mom’s life on Christmas in 2019. Thank you for all you do!”
Lloyd Gives to Honor the Caregivers He Credits with Saving His Life
Lloyd Young and his wife, Linda, did everything they could to avoid contracting COVID-19. But their worst fear came true when he developed a serious cough and fever and tested positive. Lloyd spent 19 long days in intensive care at Swedish First Hill in Seattle, Washington. Lloyd shared, “I could hardly see anyone’s face through their protective gear, but my doctors and nurses were so caring.” Lloyd is now back to an active life—and to help other patients who are struggling with COVID-19 symptoms, he makes small and passionate gifts in honor of the caregivers he credits with saving his life, “They were so wonderful; I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Sharing Our Gratitude and Stories of Generosity in Action
These are just a few snapshots of the generous individuals, families, foundations, businesses and community partners across our seven-state system who collectively donated more than $331 million to Providence in 2021.
Thank you to each and every donor who made a meaningful gift. Your support and trust in Providence helps us provide greater access to world-class health care. With you, we’ll create health for a better world.
Follow Providence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for more stories of “Generosity in Action” each Philanthropy Friday. And visit our foundations’ websites to read and watch new stories of generosity as they happen throughout 2022.