About Beaufort Memorial Foundation
Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation Celebrates 40 Years
Kate Gleason, who bequeathed the property on the banks of the Beaufort River for the explicit purpose of building the county’s first health care facility, had a spirit of giving that would endure long after her death and inspire the creation of the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the not-for-profit hospital dedicated to raising funds to support its ongoing growth and improvements.
“Beaufort County Memorial Hospital was established to ensure Beaufort County residents had access to medical care, and the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation was created to expand and improve services for generations to come,” said Associate Vice President and Chief Development Officer Kimberly Yawn.
Established in 1984, the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation was founded to enable Beaufort Memorial to serve current and future health needs of the community and be a catalyst for fostering health and wellness. Over 40 years, the Foundation has raised more than $50 million through private donations from employees and community members, the annual Valentine Ball, corporate gifts, and private and public grants. Those funds have been used for critical services, technology, and facility upgrades that would not otherwise have been feasible. From the region’s only inpatient mental health unit and the expanded Pratt Emergency Center to the Cochrane Heart Center, Collins Birthing Center, and Keyserling Cancer Center, the lives impacted by new and enhanced services made possible by donations to the Foundation are truly immeasurable.
Recently, new funding sources have been used for workforce development projects to grow, attract, and retain the clinical staff needed to serve the growing patient population. From the PATH program (People Achieving Their Highest) and health care education programs, like the Nursing Education Center and Simulation Labs to nursing scholarships, tuition reimbursement, and childcare, these programs are designed to ensure the availability of highly skilled, dedicated employee partners for years to come.
“The employee and community support of Beaufort Memorial is tremendous,” says Baxley. “It is a testament to the importance of sustaining and growing high-quality services to improve the health of the communities we serve.” And, thanks to the community’s generous support, the hospital will continue to fulfill its promise to improve access and expand health care services for residents north and south of the Broad River, and well beyond. To learn more about the BMH Foundation or to make a gift, please call 843-522-5774.