Health Services Foundation – Excellence in health care

    HOULTON — “The Solid Foundations of Yesterday” enabled the Foundation to reach a very special “Million Dollar Milestone” in 2005 of giving back to the communities served over $1M in grant funding. “The Million Dollar Milestone” – an outstanding testament to the generosity of donors for understanding and believing in the Foundation’s Heritage. 
    “Daily Donor Strength” enabled the Foundation to conduct a recent campaign to assist Houlton Regional Hospital with the purchase of Nuclear Medicine Equipment and expansion of their Radiology Department.  The Foundation worked tirelessly toward reaching the most successful outcome of the biggest challenge ever taken on.  The result was $602,000.00 in equipment and facility expansion monies being awarded to Houlton Regional – an amazing outcome!
    “Even though the Foundation took on the biggest campaign ever with the Nuclear Medicine Project, we Never lost sight of continuing to support area healthcare providers. We continued to grant healthcare requests, to the best of our financial ability, to assist those providers with their pressing needs for “Excellence in Healthcare”.
    With that said, in less than five years of reaching the 2005 Milestone, our Giving Back to Our Communities now stands at $1,748,573.21 – almost $2 million dollars – every one of those dollars from incredible community support.
    Given the rural nature of our communities, it is imperative that healthcare 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 today the tools necessary to become the leaders of tomorrow”, said Elizabeth Dulin, Foundation Executive Director.
Steps to the Future
    Expand our Resources:  “Increased board membership, new committee members, more local input to events being planned, and a new/exciting partnership with Houlton Community Arts Center have already begun.  The Foundation and HCAC will work together & bring arts related performances to town.  This partnership will not only aid reaching Foundation goals, but also the goals of their organization.  This partnership will create further awareness about the Foundation, demonstrate that the Foundation CARES about their organization, the value it provides to our communities, and they CARE about the Foundation’s financial assistance for their healthcare providers.  We look forward to exploring additional partnerships in the community that will continue building awareness of how vital their organizations and the Foundation are for everything we do.
    Even though we currently face difficult economic times, we plan, to the very best of our financial ability, to support grant healthcare 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”.
    Continue diligently planning “Today” by remaining 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. Being able to assist in delivering that care is an aggressive goal that constantly challenges the Foundation, and now we also look forward to other ventures that contribute to our overall quality of life continued Dulin.”
    Since 1983, HSF’s primary fundraising efforts have been in support of financial assistance to non-profit healthcare providers in southern Aroostook, northern Washington, and northern Penobscot counties. Schools, ambulance services, fire departments have also been the recipients of Foundation grant funding.  
    The strength of the Foundation is its ability to draw upon the financial resources of the greater community – both businesses and individuals. The generosity of the dollars we receive is reflected in state-of-the-art equipment, educational information available and, assisted capital projects to the healthcare consumers in the region.
    “The Foundation mission of “Excellence in Healthcare” is vitally important in order for all our citizens to make the best possible healthcare decisions from the options available to them. The support we receive directly improves the quality of healthcare 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 build and maintain excellent local healthcare services. Contact the Health Services Foundation at 521-2147 or 521-2503 for more information or to make a donation that will truly make a difference.