Pope Foundation Awards $1 Million Matching Grant
For Hospice of Wake County’s New Care Facility
The John William Pope Foundation has committed to Hospice of Wake County a $1 million matching grant toward completing the nonprofit agency’s planned 46,000-square-foot patient care and administrative headquarters building in Cary. The matching grant was announced to approximately 500 people in attendance at Hospice of Wake County’s Annual Dinner and Auction on Tuesday, May 15 at North Ridge Country Club.
Speaking on behalf of the staff and Board of Directors of Hospice of Wake County, Dr. Billy Dunlap, one of the organization’s founders and co-chair of Hospice’s capital campaign with Smedes York, said, "We are extremely pleased with the commitment from the Pope Foundation toward our new facility. Not only is their gift meaningful on its own, but it will also stimulate additional contributions to enrich our campaign."
Donated in memory of John W. Pope, Senior, foundation founder, the matching grant is intended to encourage additional private pledges and gifts toward the estimated $11-million facility, to be located on an 8.7-acre plot at the northwest corner of Trinity Road at Interstate-40. Hospice of Wake County previously obtained state approval for the facility and has raised $6.28 million toward its $11 million goal.
"The Pope Foundation is pleased and honored to support Hospice of Wake County as they assist individuals and families coping with fatal diseases," said Art Pope, President of the Raleigh-based foundation and Chairman and President of Variety Wholesalers, Inc.
Mr. Pope said the foundation is prepared to make a grant of $500,000 as soon as $500,000 is received from new private donations (not previously pledged before May 15, 2007). A second installment of $500,000 will be given as soon as those funds are raised, he said.
CEO John Thoma said, "The construction of a hospice facility in Wake County will provide a level of care that is not currently available in our region. The Hospice and Palliative Care Center will offer inpatient and residential care beds and expand our capacity to provide medical and supportive care in the community. The staff and volunteers of Hospice of Wake County are extremely grateful for the commitment of Art Pope and the John William Pope Foundation."
When completed, the care center will contain a minimum of 8 hospice in-patient beds and 6 hospice residential beds providing temporary, emergency housing for elderly, frail, and low-income persons who are terminally ill. An additional 6 inpatient beds are currently pending approval by the North Carolina Certificate of Need Section. The campus will also have an area for grieving families where Hospice of Wake County will provide on-site counseling and bereavement services to children, teens and adults. On an annual basis the center expects to temporarily house over 600 persons per year.
"The new Hospice of Wake County facility will be a significant addition to our local medical infrastructure, while also extending Hospice’s ability to serve people in the comfort and peace of their home and avoiding the cost and dislocation of a hospital stay. My father believed in hospice care and we are proud to make this contribution in his memory," Mr. Pope said.
Smedes York said, "The Pope Foundation’s extremely generous gift will allow Hospice of Wake County to provide end of life care in the most sensitive way possible. Our whole community is the beneficiary of their philanthropy."
Hospice of Wake County, currently located in Raleigh, is the oldest, largest and most experienced hospice organization serving Wake and the contiguous counties.
The 27-year-old organization with more than 140 professional staff and 250 trained volunteers provides compassionate end-of-life care and has earned a reputation for outstanding professional expertise by helping more than 1,800 families experience quality of life each year. Services include palliative medical care, counseling support for families, short-term respite care, spiritual care and counseling, volunteer support, bereavement care and end of life education.
"The Pope Foundation looks forward to seeing a permanent freestanding inpatient hospice facility in Wake County. We are enthusiastic about the care and support this facility will provide to the community, and are proud to be a part of the Hospice team. We thank them for all they do on a daily basis," Mr. Pope said.
Contact:
Erin E. Nortonen
Community Relations Manager
Hospice of Wake County
Phone: 919-828-0890
Email: enortonen@hospiceofwake.org
David W. Riggs
VP, Operations and Programs
John William Pope Foundation
Phone: 919-871-3322
Email: david.riggs@jwpf.org
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