EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that the bank has made a $500,000 challenge grant to support the Emergency Department at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. The funds will be used to support Transforming Emergency Care: Campaign for the Cooley Dickinson Emergency Department, a $19.76 million expansion, reconfiguration, and renovation effort to allow Cooley Dickinson to meet the ever-evolving emergency medicine needs of all members of the community, from infants to older adults.
“Access to quality medical care is something we all count on, and Cooley Dickinson continues to do an amazing job treating our friends, family, and neighbors who live and work in our communities,” said Sosik. “bankESB is pleased to do its part in supporting Cooley Dickinson and its efforts to transform its Emergency Department into one that’s as up-to-date as possible and can unlock its full potential. We hope others will do the same.”
According to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, its Emergency Department is 40% undersized to meet the community’s needs and cares for many patients who require critical medical attention. The number of patients visiting the department has doubled — from 17,000 in the 1970s to nearly 34,000 in recent years. Renovations are expected to break ground next spring.
Organizations contributing to the Campaign for the Cooley Dickinson Emergency Department can increase the impact of their donations through this matching grant. bankESB will give one dollar for every two dollars donated to the Emergency Department campaign through Dec. 31, up to $500,000.
“The Emergency Department is in essence our front door and often patients and their families who come in for care are at their most vulnerable,” said Dr. Lynnette Watkins, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care. “It’s important for us to provide a safe, warm, welcoming environment to every patient, and this campaign will help ensure that we can.
“We rely on great community partners, like bankESB, who give so generously in support of the care that we provide every day,” she went on. “This challenge grant is a wonderful opportunity for you to make a gift that has an even greater impact because of bankESB’s generosity. I encourage everyone to help us meet this challenge. And know that your gift supports the care that is provided here, in your community.”
The challenge grant was made as part of the bank’s charitable giving program, The Giving Tree, which reflects the roots the bank has in its communities, its commitment to making a real difference in the neighborhoods it serves, and the belief that everyone’s quality of life is enhanced when we work together to solve our communities’ biggest problems. With this donation, the bank will have given more than $1 million to Cooley Dickinson over the past decade to help support the hospital’s expanded care, including a new unified cancer center, The Breast Center, and other initiatives.
Contributions may be sent to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Development Office, P.O. Box 329, Northampton, MA 01061-0329 or made on the organization’s website at cooleydickinson.org/giving.
The $19.76 million Emergency Department expansion, reconfiguration, and renovation will allow Cooley Dickinson to meet the ever-evolving emergency medical needs of all members of the community, from infants to elders. The current Emergency Department was not designed to face the challenges of the 21st century; this campaign will help to create safe, warm spaces in which to deliver the highest quality of specialized care for the increasing number of patients who turn to Cooley Dickinson every year. The groundbreaking for the Emergency Department renovations is expected to begin Spring 2023. To make a gift in support of the campaign, and to help Cooley Dickinson reach the bankESB gift challenge before Dec. 31, visit www.cooleydickinson.org/giving.
