Kent Hospital/Kent Hospital Foundation
Warwick, Rhode Island
www.kenthospital.org 

Twenty years had passed since Kent Hospital’s last capital campaign. This was noted during the hospital’s 50th anniversary year in a book chronicling the history of Kent. Two esteemed physicians spent considerable time writing the story of what has become the second largest hospital in Rhode Island. In the book, a detailed account of the capital campaign from the early 1980s is narrated.

In 2000, the newly formed Kent Hospital Foundation’s first task was to take on a comprehensive capital campaign that would raise funds in support of the institution’s strategic plan. Central to this plan was a completely new Emergency Department. As the state’s second busiest, the Kent E.D. had been built to handle an annual patient load of 30,000. With visits now closing in on 60,000, space was at a premium.

The Foundation retained the services of Ghiorsi & Sorrenti, Inc. to conduct a campaign planning study to determine how much could be raised in support of the new E.D., patient care units, information technology and endowment. The study indicated that a minimum of $6 million could be raised through a well-planned campaign effort. GSI was engaged to direct, organize and manage the campaign.

The early successes of the campaign enabled the goal to be raised to $6.5 million in time for the public announcement which took place at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new E.D. While the campaign was always primed to reach and surpass the largest fundraising goal in Kent history, local events changed everything.  The Station, a Warwick nightclub, caught fire and 100 people lost their lives.  The horrific tragedy captured the nation’s attention for several weeks including round the clock coverage on CNN, MSNBC and other national networks. Kent Hospital was the closest medical institution to The Station fire. The E.D. handled hundreds of patients in 90 minutes. Those who worked at Kent Hospital that evening were hailed as heroes.

The impact of The Station fire on the capital campaign can never be quantified, nor should it be. However, this tragedy only underscored the need for a larger E.D. at Kent. Several months after the fire, the Kresge Foundation awarded Kent a $500,000 challenge grant. This grant, as well as monies from the state and federal government, propelled the campaign well beyond its $6.5 million goal.  The Champlin Foundations ended up as the largest donor to the campaign giving more than $1 million over three years. The campaign reached its Kresge threshold ahead of schedule. The final tally of more than $8.3 million was nothing short of remarkable.