Q&A With the Phelps Health Foundation

Below is a Q&A about how the Phelps Health Foundation helps support the mission of Phelps Health.

What is a foundation?

A foundation like ours [Phelps Health Foundation] is a separate entity from the hospital, but it has a primary purpose to support the hospital. We exist to support Phelps Health’s mission of improving the health and wellness of the people in the region.

Is the Phelps Health Foundation a tax-exempt organization?

When we talk about nonprofit, it means none of the profit of the foundation goes to benefit an individual. It [profit] all goes back to the mission of the organization. The profit is not taxed, and anybody making a gift to that organization can receive the tax benefits that gift allows them to have.

Tell me about the Foundation Board of Directors.

The Phelps Health Foundation Board of Directors is our governing board that can have up to 21 people. Their job is to make sure that we are fulfilling the mission of Phelps Health. Board members should live in our six-county service area (Phelps, Pulaski, Texas, Dent, Crawford and Maries counties) and have a passion for the mission and the community. The board has a nominating committee that reviews applicants who indicate they want to serve on the board. Most of the people who serve on the board come from our volunteer network. People who want to serve can call (573) 458-7604 or email foundation@phelpshealth.org.

How has the Foundation helped Phelps Health?

Donations to the Phelps Health Foundation have helped purchase shuttle vans, a blood analyzer for state-of-the-art COVID-19 testing and remote ultrasound equipment for obstetrics. One of the big efforts that the Foundation was involved with was the Delbert Day Cancer Institute and helping to get the dollars raised for that. Donations also are helping to build the new Inpatient Infusion Center that supports cancer patients.

What are some reasons to donate to the Foundation?

Everyone has a different reason, whether it is a grandchild who was born at Phelps Health, whether it is somebody they know who was in and out of the hospital who received great care, or whether it is someone who was through our hospice program and passed away in a very respectful and wonderful way with great care the entire time.

Who determines how a donor's gift is used?

The donor directs the use of their dollars. With a local foundation, you specifically say where you want those dollars spent, and then we use those dollars to benefit the community that people live in.

Can you make your gifts anonymous?

Yes. We do not even record your name. We have a bill of rights for our donors, and there are 10 articles in the bill of rights that guarantee things like your anonymity if you want it, where your gift is directed and how that gift is used.

What are some ways I can support the Foundation?

You can support the Foundation by buying tickets to events, or buying T-shirts during fundraisers. We have the 1951 Club, named after the year that the hospital was founded. In the club, you give $19.51 every month to the Foundation.

How can I learn more about the Phelps Health Foundation?

Visit phelpshealth.org/foundation. You can find information about what projects we are working on and what events might be coming up. Or simply call us, and any one of us would be happy to talk to you.