Sharp Meets Kresge Challenge
Thanks to the contributions of thousands, the Sharp HealthCare Foundation has now met the requirements of The Kresge Foundation Challenge Grant. The Kresge Foundation is one of the largest grant making organizations in the nation, as well as one of the most important. Its purpose is to strengthen non-profit organizations.
Back in July of 2006, the Sharp HealthCare Foundation received a grant from The Kresge Foundation for $1 million. The requirement for this grant came as a challenge for the Sharp HealthCare Foundation to raise $8 million within one year, for Sharp’s “Transforming Health Care in San Diego” campaign, and for the new Sharp Memorial Hospital. More than $8.1 million was raised for the challenge, taking the campaign’s total to $48.4 million. The campaign’s goal is $50 million.
The following donations were highlighted in an e-mail to Sharp staff, for their very generous gifts greatly helped make it possible:
Dr. Patricia Montalbano has made a $1 million gift in memory of her husband, Dr. Frank Montalbano who practiced at Sharp Memorial for more than 30 years and served as Chief of Staff. We will name the medical intensive care unit on the 3rd floor in his honor.
The Hervey Family Fund of the San Diego Foundation has made a $1 million gift to the campaign in honor of Sharp Memorial Hospital Board Chair, Jim Wiesler and Chair Emeritus, Jim Haugh. It is a fitting tribute to two individuals who have provided outstanding volunteer and philanthropic leadership to Sharp and San Diego.
Former Foundation Board Chair Dr. Richard Coutts and his wife Stephanie have made a gift of $500,000. We will name the orthopedic floor in the new hospital in honor of the Coutts family — Richard and his father Malcolm were both outstanding orthopedic surgeons at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
Jim and Mary Jane Wiesler have made a gift of $500,000; Jim has served as the chair of the Board of Directors of Sharp Memorial Hospital for more than a decade and has been instrumental in the planning of the new hospital since 1997.
Alongside these wonderful donations, Sharp employees have contributed over $1.4 million to this campaign. Sharp HealthCare is transforming health care in San Diego, one donation at a time.