Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation is the philanthropic partner that plays a vital role in helping Sarasota Memorial (SMH) deliver world-class healthcare to the community it serves. Founded in 1976, the Healthcare Foundation has provided the health system with critical resources in the areas of patient care, technology, facilities, staff education, and clinical research.

For our community hospital, a healthcare foundation like ours provides the margin of excellence between an average hospital and one like SMH. Over the years, donor support has helped fund a multitude of important initiatives at SMH, including critical equipment for Cardiac Services and the Comprehensive Stroke Center, advanced medical equipment for our tiniest patients in the NICU, staff continuing education, Phases I,II of the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, and most recently, the Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion.

Healthcare Foundation donors have also supported the SMH Physician Residency Program, training our next generation of doctors, funded Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), specialized staff for COVID clinical research trials, enhanced testing equipment, and employee assistance for frontline healthcare workers. Last year, the Healthcare Foundation raised $1.2 million in aid for SMH employees affected by Hurricane Ian.

The most fulfilling aspect of their work, according to the Healthcare Foundation team, is the unwavering support they receive from the community. The residents of Sarasota have been instrumental in the Healthcare Foundation's ability to help SMH earn multiple accolades for superior patient care and be ranked among the top hospitals in the country. As safety net hospitals, our hospitals make care accessible to all who live here, Community support is vitally important since not all costs are covered by the tax base, medicare or private insurance.

The Healthcare Foundation's current initiatives focus on critical areas like behavioral health, expanding the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, the new Research and Education Institute and the SMH-Venice expansion.

For residents of Sarasota who wish to make a gift in support of SMH, there are various ways to do so. Attending a Healthcare Foundation event, making a gift in honor of an SMH caregiver, or considering the Healthcare Foundation in your estate plan are just a few ways to show support and make a lasting positive impact on healthcare in the region. Anyone who would like to donate or learn more about the Healthcare Foundation’s current initiatives can visit  smhf.org or call 941.917.1286