The first three endowments of the Community Foundation were established in July 1987 to allow concerned citizens to participate in providing quality healthcare for all West Tennesseans. Those endowments were the Georgia Wilson Endowment, Dr. Chester Jones Endowment, and Joe Hamilton Heart Center Endowment. These endowments were highlighted in the August-September 1987 issue of Medical Center News: A Monthly Publication for Friends of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. Checkout the original publication excerpt below.
Medical Center News, Vol. 2, No. 8
August-September 1987
Three endowments have been established to benefit the Jackson-Madison County Health Care Foundation. The Foundation, now two years old, allows concerned citizens to participate in providing quality health care for all West Tennesseans. The board of the Foundation approved the three endowments at its regular July meeting.
The Georgia Wilson Endowment Fund, established by friends of the late nursing director of General Hospital, will provide funds to help registered nurses work on their Master's degree in nursing. Miss Wilson was associated with the hospital almost from the very beginning, coming in September 1952. She was a native of Memphis and a graduate of Methodist Hospital School of Nursing. She held a B.S. degree from Memphis State College and received training as a Public Health Nurse at Vanderbilt University.
The Tom Lawler's and Team Xerox Endowment Fund (now known as the Joe Hamilton Heath Center Endowment) honors Joe Hamilton, president of Tom Lawler's Inc. in Jackson and will benefit the Heart Center, which provides all types of diagnostic and therapeutic services for heart patients, including rehabilitation, heart attack and heart surgery patients.
The Dr. Chester Jones Endowment Fund was created in memory of the late Chief Pathologist of General Hospital and was established by staff, family and friends of Dr. Jones. He was Chief Pathologist for the hospital, beginning his career with General Hospital in June 1953. The results of his numerous contributions are still of benefit to the hospital's patients. This is a restricted endowment that will be applied to employee benefits.
"Plaques recognizing all three endowment funds will be placed in the hospital's Hall of Honor," said Ed Terry, chairman of the Foundation board. "These three endowments recently established through the Jackson-Madison County Health Care Foundation have truly started us in the right direction. Each one has a specific area of the hospital, which it will support, such as continued education, the Heart Center and so on. These endowments in time will grow and generate revenues in their designated areas."
Terry said that the Foundation board members are anxious for other to be involved in similar endowments.
"Endowments such as these enhance health services for all people in West Tennessee," he stated.
The Community Foundation is honored to continue to work with donors to help them create a lasting legacy through endowments, donor advised funds, and estate planning. As your partner in charitable giving, we want to achieve success for you and for the community. To learn more about the impact of endowments, visit our giving page or contact Beth Koffman at beth@cfwtn.org.
We are celebrating 40 years of impact! Checkout our 40th anniversary page to see more stories of impact from the last four decades.
A vital piece of our mission at the Community Foundation of West Tennessee is the annual funds we provide to assist individuals in need. In 2023, a grant from our organization helped pay the remaining balance for Caleb Beebe's service dog, Brody.
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After an F4 tornado devastated Jackson in May 2003, the Community Foundation organized the Storm Aid Concert, featuring Amy Grant, Vince Gill, and Darryl Worley. These fundraising efforts brought in $600,000 to help with disaster relief for our friends and neighbors.
Learn More Learn MoreOur first three endowments were established in 1987 - Georgia Wilson Endowment, Dr. Chester Jones Endowment, and Joe Hamilton Heart Center Endowment. Read the original article from 1987.
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