Health Services Fondation: a proud heritage built on the foundations of yesterday, strengths of today, steps to the future

    HOULTON – “The Solid Foundation of Yesterday” has enabled the Foundation to reach another exciting milestone of giving back in reaching the “Two Million Dollar Mark” in grant funding to the communities served. The first Million Dollar Milestone was an outstanding testament to the generosity of donors for understanding and believing in the Foundation’s Heritage, and the Second Million has only reinforced that those dedicated to the Foundation remain dedicated to the cause.
    “Daily Donor Strength” has enabled the Foundation to conduct recent capital campaigns of over $890,000 to Houlton Regional Hospital for Nuclear Medicine Imaging Equipment as well as Radiology and Pediatric Expansions and most recently state-of-the-art Digital Mammography Equipment. Additional grant funding in the amount of $5,000 plus to Houlton Regional during the same time period supported the hospital’s Community Education Center and Pediatric Clinic needs bringing the total to $950,000 (almost $1,000,000). Each campaign has had an amazing outcome!
    “Even though the last few years have seen the Foundation take on bigger campaigns than ever, we never lost sight of continuing to support area health care providers. We continued to grant health care requests, to the best of our financial ability, to assist those providers with their pressing needs for “Excellence in Health Care”.
    With that said, in less than five years of reaching the 2005 milestone, our “Giving Back to Our Communities” now stands at $2,087,750.21. Those dollars come from incredible individual, local business and other grant funding.
    Given the rural nature of our communities it is imperative that health care providers be supported by state-of-the-art technology/capital improvements, and the ability to provide educational programs. The Elizabeth Bass and John Fitzpatrick scholarship funds also give our students the assistance they need to become the leaders of tomorrow,” said Elizabeth Dulin, Foundation executive director.
Steps to the Future
     Expanding our Resources:  Through board membership, committee members, more local input on events being planned, and exploring community partnerships that will continue building awareness of how vital the Foundation and their organizations are for everything we do.
    Continuity of Giving Back:  Currently difficult times plague the field of fundraising, however, we plan, to the very best of our financial ability, to support grant health care funding requests that will promote the health and well being of our communities.  We “Focus on the Future Today” by continuing to build on our solid reputation of the “Past”, our solid reputation of “Today” and what we know will be our solid reputation of the “Future.”
    Diligence in Planning:  By diligently planning “Today” we remain dedicated to endowment fund stability while at the same time, through the generosity of our communities; fundraise for those needs so important to our communities’ health and well-being.  Delivering “Excellence in Health Care” to all those we serve is an aggressive goal that constantly challenges the Foundation, and those challenges encourage us to look forward toward other ventures that contribute to our overall quality of life “Excellence in Health care” will always be accomplished, continued Dulin.”
    Since 1983, HSF’s fundraising efforts support financial assistance to non-profit health care providers in southern Aroostook, northern Washington, and northern Penobscot counties. However, additional efforts have provided schools, ambulance services, and fire departments with Foundation grant funding. 
    The strength of the Foundation is its ability to draw upon the financial resources of the greater community – through individuals and businesses. The generosity of the dollars we receive is reflected in state-of-the-art equipment; educational information available and, assisted capital projects to the health care consumers in the region.
    “The Foundation’s mission of “Excellence in Health Care” is vitally important in order for all our citizens to make the best possible health care decisions from the options available to them. The support we receive directly improves the quality of health care in our region, reduces the need to travel to other communities for health services and for that we are very grateful,” Dulin said.
    Businesses, organizations and individuals are invited to participate in on-going Foundation efforts to help build and maintain excellent local health care services. Contact the Foundation at 521-2147 for more information or to make a donation that will truly make a difference.