Allina Health Hospice Foundation

Overview
Current needs
Benefit
Ways to give
Board & staff

The mission of the Allina Health Hospice Foundation is to support programs that touch patients and families in end-of-life situations and, in doing so, bring peace, dignity and comfort 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Allina Health Hospice is the largest not-for-profit hospice in Minnesota, serving over 4,000 patients and family members a year in the Twin Cities and 28 surrounding counties. We provide over 48,000 visits a year.

With the help of donations we can fulfill our mission to provide quality, compassionate care regardless of individual's insurance coverage or ability to pay for services. Your tax deductible gift, at any level, will be gratefully appreciated by the many people served.

Now open: J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice

The J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice opened its doors to the community and began caring for residents in February 2012.

More about J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice

Hospice care stories

Shared Journeys Newsletter

In this issue:

Tenth Annual Hospice Benefit
Our attitudes about death, through a doctor's eyes
Hospice donor tributes.

Spring 2013

Winter 2012

A place to reflect. To share. To remember. To live.

The J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice opened its doors to the public in February. One of its first patients was Carry Wong.

J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice

Read video transcript.

Bob Chandler: The greatest single development in medical care is hospice, to allow people to die with dignity and with the lack of pain and with the support that is needed for the family.

Moderator: If you or a loved one were approaching the end of life, how would you choose to spend this precious time? Most people wish to die at home, surrounded by family and friends or within a home like setting, in a residential hospice.

Kim Buhr: Well my grandpa was 97, when he passed away and he knew he was deteriorating obviously, because he made the choice to go into hospice, but he was happy there. You could see it in his face, he was so appreciative. You know the inevitable is coming, you just make that time as enjoyable as possible and I think we accomplished that. I mean I have no regrets whatsoever.

Janell Kraus: When my father first found out that we were going to admit him into hospice, he was really scared and he wanted us to take him home to my childhood home, where he raised all three of us girls. We were very scared to take dad home and we said no, and he ended up dying in the hospital setting and we, to this day we regret that we couldn't have a hospice house to bring him to.

Moderator: Each and everyday, Allina Health Hospice professionals help patients live fully during their last months of life, in dignity, comfort and according to their wishes. This hospice care also helps their loved ones in many ways, including respite care and grief guidance.

Bob Chandler: The minute you find out somebody's dying and particularly if that someone is your spouse and your best friend, and the only person you ever dated and all of a sudden you realize you're going to lose the center of your life – that was devastating. And hospice helped us know what to expect, supported us physically to give Kathy the kind of treatment she deserved. It was indispensable.

Moderator: Unfortunately today the Twin Cities lacks adequate residential hospice resources, by as many as 60 beds. This means anyone of us or anyone we love may have no other choice then to spend their last days in a hospital or a nursing home.

Kim Buhr: Think about your mother or your dad and if you found tomorrow that they're dying, you want to put them in the best place possible. It's not probably a hospital. It's probably not a nursing home. It's some home like facility whether or not it be that individual's home or a facility that creates that environment, because that's what's enriching at the end of your life.

Moderator: The Allina Health Hospice Foundation needs your help to make a dream come true. The building of a new J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice.

Don Grossbach: All patients, all people should have a choice towards their end of life, when they know the outcome is going to be. I feel that the patients should be in the position of deciding for themselves what kind of care they want to have.

Moderator: The J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice is feasible, because of donated land in Brooklyn Park and a generous matching grant from the J.A. Wedum Foundation, established in honor of John Wedum, a grateful Allina Health Hospice patient. During the 2009 Community Giving Campaign, Allina Health employees donated more than $350,000.00.

Don Grossbach: It's just a phenomenal thing that we have so many employees and so many caring people that work for Allina Health that are willing to extend themselves for our hospice patients.

Janell Kraus: I gave in 2009, because I thought the cause was so important having lost a loved one and I will most definitely give in 2010 again, because I feel it's every bit as important if not more.

Moderator: This year's 2010 Community Giving Campaign seeks your help to cross the finish line. Every dollar you donate will be matched by the Wedum Foundation dollar for dollar. This gesture essentially doubles the impact of your donation. By contributing to the J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice, you are helping ensure patients and families have a choice in where they will spend their final precious moments together.

Don Grossbach: There are so many opportunities for giving and so many needy organizations. If we can help to build this facility with Allina Health name on it, we are going to be extending ourselves to a community in ways that no other organization can do.

The Allina Health dream of providing a home away from home for patients at the end of life has come true with the J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice. However, it's a dream that will be out of reach for some.

Hospice care is covered by most insurers, including Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance, but the cost of room and board at the Wedum Hospice is generally not. Some members of our community will not have access to a residential hospice because of this room and board expense.

Give now.

The Allina Health goal is to provide end-of-life care regardless of a patient's financial situation. The Wedum Hospice Compassion Fund has been established to help patients who need a residential hospice, but can't afford it.

Learn more about the J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice

Why we need support

Allina Health Hospice:

provides many services to patients and families that are not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or other private insurers
serves over 4,000 patients every year in the Twin Cities and 28 surrounding counties throughout Minnesota
provides more than 150 grants every year to patients and families experiencing financial hardship
serves uninsured or underinsured patients and families
has over 447 trained volunteers actively supporting patient and their families
relies on charitable contributions from families and friends to continue to serve those in need.

The tenth annual Allina Health Hospice Benefit took place on Friday, May 3, 2013 at the McNamara Alumni Center. All proceeds benefitted the programs and services of Allina Health Hospice. For more information, please contact Sarah Bretl by email or phone at 651-241-5460.

Click here to make an online donation to the Allina Health Hospice Foundation.

A special thank you to our 2013 sponsors:

Presenting sponsor

Silver sponsors

Patron sponsors

Venetia and Robert Kudrle

Bronze sponsors

All Systems Installation

CAIRE

Crest View Senior Communities

Gilbert Mechanical Contractors, Inc.

Health Dimensions Group and Highland Chateau

Kraus-Anderson Construction Company

Lifesprk

McGough Construction Company

McKesson Medical-Surgical

Medline Industries, Inc.

Midwest Medical Family of Companies

Minnesota Oncology

UCare

Care Connection Thrift Store

All of the items sold are donated, resulting in 100 percent profit toward home care and hospice programs in the Hutchinson and Glencoe area.

Thrift store location, hours and information.

Ways to give

Outright gifts
Cash
Securities
Personal property
Real estate
POD accounts

Income producing gifts
Charitable gift annunity
Charitable remainder annuity trust
Charitable remainder unitrust

Estate gifts
Bequests from wills or living trusts
Retirement plan assets
Life insurance

Other planned giving opportunities
Charitable lead trust
Gift of home or farm (retaining life use)

Allina Health Hospice Foundation welcomes outright gifts as well as deferred gifts. As you review the different ways to give, remember that your tax-deductible donation can be designated to a particular area of interest or left unrestricted for use where need is greatest.

Payment methods

Give now online

Make a gift to the Allina Health Hospice Foundation online. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diner's Club or Discover.

Phone

Call Allina Health Hospice Foundation at 651-241-5460. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover.

Check

Make your personal or company check out to Allina Hospice Foundation and mail with a completed donation form to:

Allina Health Hospice Foundation
333 North Smith Avenue, Suite 4640
St. Paul, MN 55102

Mail in donation form

Memorials

Many donations are graciously given by individuals in memory of loved ones who have died or in honor of a living person.

If you are sending a memorial or honor gift, please include on the note that the gift is in memory/honor of, along with the name and address of loved one of deceased or address of the one honored so that we can send them a letter telling them of your donation. All donations are confirmed by mail with a thank you letter acting as your receipt for tax purposes.

All memorial/honor tributes are acknowledged to the family or individual. Contribution amounts are not disclosed to the family or individual.

Our mail in donation form includes space to designate a gift in the memory or honor of someone special.

Matching gifts

Double or triple your gift! One of the smartest ways to increase your giving is through a matching gift program, where a company or corporate foundation will match donations which you make to us. The following information will help you make the most of your charitable contributions:

Ask your employer if they participate in a matching gift program.
Obtain a matching gift form and donation guidelines from your employer's human resources or payroll department.
Complete the donor section of the form and submit it along with your check to:
Allina Health Hospice Foundation
333 Smith Avenue North, Suite 4640
St. Paul, MN 55102
The form is processed by us and returned to your employer.
If approved, the company matching gift checks are sent to us to match your gift.

Gift annuity

A gift annuity is a simple contract between a donor and Allina Health. In exchange for the donor's contribution, Allina Health promises to make fixed payments for life to one or two individuals. Payments are not affected by the ups and downs of the economy. There are many financial benefits to gift annuities. To learn more, please contact Allina Health Hospice Foundation director, Ron Bagnall at 651-241-5419 or Ron.Bagnall@allina.com.

Read why one donor set up a gift annuity with the Allina Health Hospice Foundation.

Will and estate gifts

Remembering the Allina Health Hospice Foundation in your will or estate plans is a lasting tribute to ensure that others may have access to the very best end-of-life care. Your gift will provide peace, dignity and comfort to patients at a time when it matters most.

Share this sample language with your attorney: I give to the Allina Health Hospice Foundation, an operating division of the Allina Associated Foundation, a Minnesota non-profit corporation located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, __ percent of my residuary estate (or the sum of $___) to be used as the Board of Trustees of the Allina Health Hospice Foundation shall determine.

For more information, call the Allina Health Hospice Foundation at 651-241-5419.

IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit status number: 27-4116873

Board and staff

Allina Health Hospice Foundation staff

Ron Bagnall - foundation director
Ron.Bagnall@allina.com

Sarah Bretl - development specialist
Sarah.Bretl@allina.com

Leslie Johnson - development associate
Leslie.Johnson3@allina.com

Candy Fischer - development assistant
Candice.Fischer@allina.com

Allina Health Hospice Foundation Board of Trustees

LeAnne Andersen
Ron Bagnall
Michael Bartz
Jason Bradshaw
Mike Dickson
Matthew Drawz - chair
Geoff Grassle
Krista Hensel - vice chair
Nick Kozel
Venetia Kudrle
Britta Orr - secretary
Dennis RaDue - treasurer
Rickie Ressler
Rosemary Rosengren
Brian Senger
Jason Von Bank