A new initiative at El Camino Hospital could add as much as $5 million to benefit community health programs, after the hospital district’s board of directors agreed to set aside some property tax receipts for the programs each year.
As a nonprofit, the hospital has always invested in charitable programs, said Barbara Avery, manager of community development. But under the new initiative, approved during a meeting last month, El Camino will use a portion of its annual property tax income to provide “consistent, predictable funds for these programs.”
The hospital will start the benefit fund with an estimated $5 million this year. The yearly funds will allow the hospital to make long-term goals and plans.
The fund is designed for “improving health care for the more vulnerable community,” Avery said. “There are going to be a lot of wonderful opportunities.”
The board will make no decisions regarding allocation of the funds until July, and Avery said she has been exploring options with local organizations and will present her findings to the board next month. According to a hospital press release, some community health service options include RotaCare, the hospital’s free clinic; educational forums; and prevention programs, including screenings.
“As a not-for-profit organization, it is both our obligation and our commitment to use our tax-exempt status for the good of the community that supports us,” hospital CEO Ken Graham said in a press release. “The expanded fund will allow us to have an even greater impact within our community.”
California has no guidelines regarding donations from tax-exempt organizations, and during the 2006-07 fiscal year, the hospital invested $56 million in community programs. Avery said some of this money went to help fund state programs, such as Medicare and MediCal, and nursing programs. With this new fund, Avery said, community benefit “is an area we can really pump up.”
The hospital recently formed a community benefit advisory board, which will make recommendations to the directors about how to allocate the funds.
E-mail Casey Weiss at cweiss@mv-voice.com
