In this season of thanksgiving, it is natural to give thanks for River Hospital, and for the many benefits that this local, rural hospital provides for northern New York communities. In an effort to maintain and enhance those benefits for future generations, River Hospital has launched its new Campaign to Sustain. This 5-year campaign is intended to sustain high quality, locally based health care services for many years to come.
“The success of our Hope + Healing Campaign helped to lay the foundation for our future”, says Stephanie Weiss, Executive Director of Development. “Our goal for the Campaign to Sustain is to preserve and protect access to exceptional healthcare for our local communities far into that future”.
The quality of healthcare at River Hospital has been lauded on a national level. In 2021, River Hospital was recognized by the National Rural Health Association as one of the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States – it is the only hospital on the East Coast to be included in this elite group. Selection criteria included, among others, treatment quality and outcomes, patient perspective, cost and financial efficiency.
The Campaign to Sustain contemplates two distinct goals: establishment of both an Endowment Fund and a separate Capital Equipment Fund. By the end the campaign’s 5-year time horizon, River Hospital anticipates that the Endowment Fund will generate assets required to cover either capital equipment or operational needs. The Endowment Fund will be a permanent and disciplined investment designed to grow with responsible stewardship in partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation.
“We are delighted that River Hospital’s incredible work has received national attention,” says Emily Mastaler, River Hospital, CEO. “We are thrilled to partner with the Northern New York Community Foundation to help us advance exceptional healthcare close to home, for generations to come.”
In 2014 River Hospital began a meaningful partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation that included the establishment of a permanent endowment. Hospital officials recently engaged the Foundation in conversations about how they could build the endowment into a vital charitable resource to support the hospital’s work and mission for years to come. The Community Foundation presented an endowment matching opportunity of $150,000 to support the hospital’s “Campaign to Sustain.” The Foundation will match individual gifts of up to $5,000, up to a total of $150,000, made to the River Hospital Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation for the duration of the campaign.
“The Community Foundation is pleased to support River Hospital’s vision and responsibility to build a permanent resource to sustain its significant advancements. The seeds being planted through the hospital’s endowment campaign will grow to serve future health care needs of the River communities in powerful ways,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation Executive Director. “We will provide a stewarded opportunity for donors who wish to see their support for River Hospital’s work live on. Further, we will oversee responsible investment of campaign gifts, and are pleased to announce that we will match individual contributions of up to $5,000, up to an overall total of $150,000. By doing so, we also honor all those, past and present, who have helped ensure River Hospital remains healthy and strong.”
Stephanie Weiss will be pleased to provide more information on the Campaign to Sustain, and how you can help. Ms. Weiss can be reached by telephone at 315-482-4976, or by email at
By Wayne Strauss, Contributing Writer
