In 2019, Bruce Power announced a commitment of $1.45 million over five years to 10 local hospital foundations. The donation recognizes the important role of local hospitals and their foundations and supports their efforts to provide the latest equipment and services.
Now, three years into this five-year commitment, Bruce Power is announcing those funds can be used at the discretion of each hospital foundation to address any emergent needs that have arisen due to the pandemic.
“The intent of the commitment we made in 2019 was to assist local hospitals in providing the best care possible,” said John Peevers, Bruce Power’s Director of Community, Media Relations and Economic Development. “So much has changed in that short time, especially in the health care sector, that funding priorities may have shifted for these organizations, so we want to make sure the hospital foundations know they have the flexibility to allocate the funds where they’re needed most.”
Additionally, in 2018 Bruce Power announced it would focus $2 million of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget between 2019 and 2023 on health care, mental health and education initiatives. With the increased need in these areas – including the donation of over 2.5 million pieces of personal protective equipment – due to the pandemic, this commitment was met in 2021, and will exceed $3 million by 2023.
As with most charitable organizations, the pandemic has added an element of uncertainty to the fundraising efforts for local hospital foundations, so the five-year pledge from Bruce Power helps make planning easier, said Tracy Murray, Executive Director, Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation.
“Bruce Power’s commitment to local health care and its generous support for the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation has been an investment in ensuring Saugeen Shores remains a vibrant and healthy community,” Murray said. “Since the onset of the pandemic, many of our fundraising initiatives have had to be cancelled, rescheduled or reimagined, so the multi-year commitment from Bruce Power is more important than ever during such uncertain times.”
“In these difficult times, hospital equipment funding is needed more than ever,” said Dr. Brian Taylor, Board Director, Bruce Peninsula Health Services Foundation. “The usual in-person fundraising activities run by the Foundation have been severely limited or cancelled, so we are relying on virtual events and the direct generosity of our donors, both individual and corporate. Bruce Power’s multi-year commitment to supporting our peninsula hospitals is very much appreciated in these uncertain times, and will go a long way toward ensuring that our hospitals are well-equipped and ready for us when we need care.”
The five-year commitment announced in 2019 pledged $250,000 each to the Bruce Peninsula Health Services Foundation, the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation, and the Owen Sound Regional Hospital Foundation, and $100,000 apiece to the Clinton Public Hospital Foundation, the Wingham District Hospital Foundation, Alexandra Marine & General Hospital Foundation, Walkerton & District Hospital Foundation, Meaford Hospital Foundation, Chesley & District Health Services Foundation, and Hanover & District Hospital Foundation.