WMMC Foundation’s Pillar Society Reaches 50 Pledges

The Western Missouri Medical Center (WMMC) Foundation is excited to announce that they have reached a milestone of 50 pledges to the Pillar Society.

The WMMC Foundation was established in 1984 as the “Friends of WMMC.” In 2015, the WMMC Foundation began a "reinvigoration" process and was renamed the “Western Missouri Medical Center Foundation.” In addition to adding Board members and forming committees, currently comprised of more than 70 community leaders, the foundation began actively raising funds in August of 2017.

Each committee is charged with answering the call to meet the growing health care needs of those we serve – our families, our friends and our neighbors. This reorganization allowed the foundation to sharpen its focus in the specific areas of philanthropy and donor stewardship.

The Pillar Society is the giving club of the Major Gifts Committee, and focuses on creating ambassadors and pillars in the community. This committee recognizes major gifts from individuals of $5,000 – $25,000 or more, payable over up to ten years. Funds raised through the Pillar Society will help support WMMC and its mission to improve the health of our greater community. Funds are donated by individual donors through cash, IRA Charitable distributions to WMMC, transferrable stocks and payroll deductions from WMMC employees.

“It’s been very rewarding for my wife Linda and I to participate in and support the WMMC Foundation,” said Bob Mickey, Major Gifts Committee Chair. “Through this affiliation over the past five years, we have come to learn how deserving this hospital, with its fine facilities and capable medical staff, is of the community’s appreciation. It is such a valuable asset to the region it serves. As an unexpected bonus, we’ve made a number of new friends that we never would have had the opportunity without our involvement with the foundation."

“We’re honored to share that the Pillar Society now has 55 pledge donations totaling over $620,000. This is a huge accomplishment for the Major Gifts Committee that was achieved in just three short years,” said Tara Carlyle, Strategy & Development Executive. “In a time of uncertainty, we feared, like many not-for-profits, that our fundraising efforts would be drastically impacted. Fortunately, with the help of our volunteers and community, we were able to not only meet but also exceed the goals we had in place at the beginning of 2020. This community is extremely generous. We are forever thankful that so many people see the importance of investing in and advocating for our local healthcare."

Since 2017, the WMMC Foundation has been able to fund over $775,000 in various ways, including three capital campaigns, various machinery and over 43 Employee Relief Funds, which are grants given to WMMC employees in a time of need. For more information on the WMMC Foundation or how to become a member of the Pillar Society, contact the WMMC Foundation office at (660) 262-7464 or visit WMMC.com/Foundation