LMH Health Foundation granted $2 million by the Sunderland Foundation of Kansas City

Lawrence—The LMH Health Foundation has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Kansas City-based Sunderland Foundation to support the LMH Health West Campus expansion. This is the largest gift in LMH Health Foundation history.

The new, state-of-the-art facility will have a strong emphasis on outpatient services, including family and internal medicine, orthopedic and sports medicine, physical therapy, and women’s health services. It also will include outpatient surgical capabilities. The campus will be near Kansas Highway 10 and Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.

Earl Reineman, major and planned gifts manager for LMH Health Foundation, said, “This gift for the new LMH Health West Campus is an acknowledgement of how important the project is. The Sunderland Foundation recognizes that the LMH Health West Campus will greatly enhance the delivery of medical care to the people we serve. But they also recognize that it will strengthen the hospital in ways that help sustain the mission-driven care we provide, such as charity care, community outreach and crisis care for mental health and substance use.”

LMH Health broke ground in summer 2018 for the west campus location, with the opening planned in 2020. While constructing this expansion to the west, LMH Health remains committed to its primary campus on Maine Street, which will continue to serve the entire community.

Rebecca Smith, executive director of the LMH Health Foundation, said, “There’s a caring, proactive approach to healthcare at LMH—rooted in excellence and aimed at continuous improvement. The Sunderland Foundation’s gift signals understanding and support for that approach and affirms a remarkable and enduring relationship, one that ensures LMH Health can fulfill its newly envisioned purpose as a partner in lifelong health.”

The Sunderland Foundation has partnered with LMH Health previously, supporting a number of important projects including the renovated heart catheterization lab and a recent behavioral health initiative.

The Sunderland Foundation was established in 1945 by Lester T. Sunderland, who served as the highly respected president of the Ash Grove Cement Company for 33 years. Since its inception, the Sunderland Foundation has focused on supporting construction projects, awarding grants to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other markets traditionally served by the Ash Grove Cement Company.

Russ Johnson, LMH Health president and CEO, said, “Our vision to be a partner for lifelong health would not be possible without the tremendous philanthropic support of our community. That support enables our nurses, physicians and other clinical staff to provide millions of dollars in charity care each year. We are incredibly grateful to the Sunderland Foundation for investing in the future of our community and its collective health.”

This year, LMH Health Foundation, formerly LMH Endowment Association, celebrates 50 years of inspiring community and philanthropic support for LMH Health.

Jason Hoover, president of the LMH Health Foundation Board of Directors, said, “As LMH Health has grown to serve a much larger purpose, so has the LMH Health Foundation. The foundation will continue to provide a margin of excellence for our community hospital, ensuring high-quality care for all.”

LMH Health is a community, not-for-profit hospital that serves the health care needs of Lawrence and its surrounding communities, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. LMH Health receives no tax support from the city of Lawrence or Douglas County, and invests all excess revenues in services, equipment and facilities.

Earl Reineman, major and planned gifts manager for LMH Health Foundation, said, “We’re so fortunate to have such a great team of people at LMH Health, and this philanthropic gift is a direct result of their dedication and the exceptional care they provide. The Sunderland Foundation’s compassion and generosity touch people’s lives throughout the region and the country, and we’re grateful they recognize the hard work and great medical care that members of the LMH Health team provide every day.”

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About LMH Health

LMH Health, formerly Lawrence Memorial Hospital, was founded in 1921, and includes a 174-bed hospital located in Lawrence, Kansas, as well as a number of primary and specialty care clinics throughout Lawrence, Douglas County, Jefferson County and Leavenworth County. LMH Health is a community, not-for-profit hospital that serves the health care needs of the community regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. LMH Health receives no tax support from the city of Lawrence or Douglas County. Dedicated to serving as a partner for lifelong health, LMH invests all excess revenues in services, equipment and facilities which further that mission.

About LMH Health Foundation

LMH Health Foundation, formerly LMH Endowment Association, is a 501(c)(3) that leverages more than $13 million in philanthropic assets to provide average annual donor support of more than $1.8 million to LMH Health. The organization is governed by a board of directors, which guides programs to grow investments in patient care, community education, charitable care, wellness and more. In 2019, the organization celebrates its 50^th anniversary.