PICTON, November 23, 2023 – All new gifts to the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation’s (PECMHF) campaign for the new hospital will have double the impact this holiday season.

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary (PECMHA) has stepped forward for the second consecutive year, generously offering to make a 1:1 match on all gifts donated by the community to Back the Build for the new hospital, up to $100,000. This matching gift initiative means that new donations received will be automatically doubled! The auxiliary will donate a matching amount for every dollar raised until January 31, 2024.

In the fall of 2022, the hospital auxiliary committed to making a 1:1 match for all new donations to PECMHF’s x-ray campaign up to $150,000. Every gift made between October 21, 2022, and January 31, 2023, was matched dollar for dollar by the PECMHA. The foundation raised over $300,000 through that initiative, which inspired the auxiliary to come forward again this year with a second match.

“We’re delighted and incredibly grateful for the generosity that has come forward again this year from our hospital auxiliary. Community support is instrumental in helping us raise the funds for our new hospital,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “Accessing a leading-edge hospital nearby is a benefit of living in this community, and with the Request for Proposals recently released for the pre-qualified contractors to bid on the project, we are on track to break ground on our new hospital next year. We thank the auxiliary and the community for their incredible support in Backing the Build and making our new County hospital a reality!”

PECMHF is raising $27M to help build a new hospital in Prince Edward County (PEC). The new 96k square foot, leading-edge hospital is scheduled to open in 2027, with shovels anticipated to go into the ground in summer 2024. The $27M will cover 10 percent of the bricks and mortar component of the hospital build and 100 percent of the medical equipment. The other 90 percent of the hard construction costs will be covered by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC). PECMHF has raised $20M in pledges and cash towards this goal, leaving approximately $7M to raise.

“Making a meaningful impact on Prince Edward County residents and visitors is what inspired the PECMHA board of directors to make this 1:1 matching donation again this holiday season,” said Susan Quaiff, president of the PECMH Auxiliary. “The auxiliary is excited to partner with the foundation and encourage donations to Back the Build. We are deeply committed to investing in the future of healthcare delivery for the hospital, staff, and community.”

The new hospital will be a leading-edge healthcare facility designed to meet the local community's current and future capacity needs. The project includes the construction of a new hospital with improved equipment and facilities, including a 24/7 emergency department, diagnostic imaging, inpatient beds, and dialysis services. Our new hospital will incorporate patient-centred design and technology, state-of-the-art infection control and ventilation, wider halls for modern medical equipment and larger, more flexible rooms. 

“Community members continue to look for unique ways to support our hospital meaningfully and creatively. It is exceptional and inspiring,” said Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign chairperson. “We are so grateful for the auxiliary’s generous commitment to a 1:1 matching donation. This gift reminds us how community-minded we are in Prince Edward County, working together to guarantee that healthcare services are available to those who need them for many years.”

For more information or to double your impact by making a gift, please visit our website at www.pecmhf.ca   or call 613-476-1008 ext. 4502. Donations may also be mailed to PECMH Foundation, 403 Main St., Picton, ON K0K 2T0. When making your gift, please indicate it is for the 1:1 match.

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to advance health care for the people of Prince Edward County and patients of the hospital.

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Pictured at the Second Time Around Shop on Main Street Picton are representatives from the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary