It takes a village to raise a child, as the African proverb
declares, but it takes an entire community — you, your
loved ones, your neighbors and more — to sustain a community
hospital. The Alta Bates Summit Foundation and its generous
donors have been hard at work on behalf of your community
hospital, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. In doing so,
the Foundation safeguards your family’s well-being
and supports the health of the community. Key facts to know:
1. Alta Bates Summit Foundation supports
the lifesaving and life-changing services of Alta Bates
Summit Medical Center. “The
Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the medical center,
and our donors’ contributions are essential to maintaining
Alta Bates Summit’s top-quality medical care,” explains
Steve Lundin, Foundation CEO. “Donors give Alta Bates
Summit the ability to extend beyond being a good facility
to being a truly great one. Philanthropy finances the purchase
of state-of-the-art equipment that otherwise would be impossible
to provide, funds vital medical services that otherwise wouldn’t
be offered in our community, and underwrites programs for
the underserved that otherwise would be unavailable.”
2. Volunteers are essential to the
success of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and its Foundation. Volunteers play
a key role in every aspect of Alta Bates Summit Foundation’s
leadership and operation. The Foundation is overseen by a
22-member Board of Trustees and a 45-member Board of Delegates;
both are made up almost exclusively by members who volunteer
their expertise and time. Not only do volunteers shape the
Foundation’s policy, make financial contributions and
donate their time for fundraising events, they do more. “Our
volunteers are our ambassadors in the community,” says
Steve. “They help spread our message. They introduce
us and support our cause in arenas we couldn’t have
reached with staff alone.”
3. The medical center and its Foundation
need your continuing support. “It’s no secret that government reimbursement
rates are declining for programs like Medicare and Medi-Cal,
while costs are increasing,” says Steve. “At
the same time, Alta Bates Summit has an ongoing need to keep
up with advances in medical science and technology. That’s
why philanthropy is so vital now, more than ever. The good
news is that we all have the opportunity to craft our vision
for the future of health care in this community. And the
surest way to make a lasting impact is to support what you
believe in.”
4. Every dollar of your contribution
to the Alta Bates Summit Foundation goes to the program
of your choice. That’s
because the Foundation’s administrative costs are underwritten
by the medical center, Steve explains. “Unrestricted
gifts allow us to support areas of greatest need; any time
you make a designated gift, all of that gift will be available
to help the program of your choice,” he adds. “In
these days of hidden costs and the like, be assured that
your gift to the Alta Bates Summit Foundation will be used
efficiently and wisely, and that 100 percent of your generosity
will serve the medical center and the East Bay community.”
