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Planned Giving
A gift through your will or other planned gift will benefit Down East Community and also supports your estate tax or financial goals. The planned gifts of the past have created our strength today and your gift of tomorrow will do the same for future generations.
There are many ways to leave a lasting impact on a charitable organization. Planned gifts are the best means for ensuring that your charitable wishes are fulfilled while ensuring income and stability for you and your loved ones.
Here are a few examples of the different options available to you:
Bequests
This is the simplest type of planned gift that requires only language in an individual’s will leaving cash, property or real estate to Down East Community. Bequests are revocable. If you have already established a provision in your will remembering Down East Community Hospital or Sunrise Care Facility, please notify us so we may invite you to join our planned giving society.
Charitable Gift Annuities
These are contracts established between donors and the charity of their choice allowing the charity to enjoy the benefit of a more substantial gift while the donor receives a guaranteed payment each year from the charity. The American Council on Gift Annuities offers appropriate rates so charitable organizations are not competing based on rates offered to prospective donors.
Retirement Plans
Donors may name Down East Community Hospital as the beneficiary in whole or in part or as a contingency beneficiary of a qualified retirement plan (IRA’s, 401k’s, 403b’s, and more).
Life Insurance- Donors may name Down East Community Hospital as the beneficiary of their policy. Accepting life insurance does come with risk if the policy is one that is not paid.
Trusts
These are a more sophisticated way of leaving a planned gift and can take on different forms (Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT) or a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust (CRAT)). Both types of Charitable Remainder Trusts provide for specific distributions for one or more beneficiaries for life with an irrevocable interest to be held for the benefit of a charitable organization.
Charitable Lead Trust
These are somewhat opposite of a Charitable Remainder trust in that the CLT is established with a distribution flowing to the charitable organization for a specified period of time. The remainder interest is retained by the donor and reverts to him or her or some other specified, non-charitable beneficiary.
This is not an all-inclusive list of the ways in which planned gifts may be received by Down East Community Hospital, however, it does give some good examples of the options open to you in your planning.
For more information about planned giving, please contact Community Relations at 207-255-0433.
Your Generosity
The following are several examples of how the generosity of our donors is being put to good use. We are all in this together, and together we are truly making a difference in the lives of our families, friends and neighbors:
Emergency Department Expansion Completed
In early 2016, fundraising for the Emergency Department expansion project began and that project was completed in late 2017. The Capital Campaign raised over $1.5 millon towards the $4.6 million project. This expansion tripled the old space to 7,350 square feet and offered improved access to emergency services with a newly designed entrance. The six bed semi-private room facility was expanded to nine private rooms including triage, trauma, and psychiatric rooms.
Palliative Care Comfort Suite Completed
Fundraising for a Palliative Care Comfort Suite began in 2011. At the end of 2012, the suite was completed. Two existing hospital rooms were combined and renovated to make a comfortable, homelike suite; one room for the patient and one for their family members. A comfortable pull-out counch, recliner, kitchen, eating nook, and flat screen TV are some of the amenities that are provided for the family. The patient room was remodeled, and new furniture and a flat screen TV was purchased for that room. The Palliative Care Comfort Suite is dedicated to the comfort and caring of these patients and their families. This project was fully funded through the generosity of our community, staff, and physicians. Over $25,000 was raised for the project.
Chapel completed
In early 2007, the fundraising for the long-anticipated Chapel was completed and construction began during the summer. The dedication took place on December 13 during the annual Light A Life Celebration. Overall, the community contributed a total of $89,032 to support this beautiful and sacred space.
Healthy Smiles for Children
The International Food Festival and Auction, sponsored by Machias Savings Bank and Hannaford, was a tremendous success in raising $23,000 for a new Hospital Pediatric Sedation Dentistry Program. This program, set to launch in 2008, will provide children in Washington County with needed dental care for their health, growth and development.
Ventilator
The Down East Community Hospital Auxiliary contributed $9,600 to the Health Trust to support the purchase of a cardiac ventilator for the Cardio Pulmonary Department. These funds were raised through their Pot of Gold Raffle which was their largest fundraiser on record. The balance of the funds for the ventilator were contributed by Bangor Savings Bank and raised through the DEHT Blueberry Festival Kayak Raffle (sponsored by Whitney’s Tool Shed).
New Beds for Sunrise Care Facility
$8,930 was donated by the community to help buy new beds for the residents at Sunrise Care Facility in Jonesport, prompting one resident to exclaim, ““I haven’t slept this good in years.”
Kid’s care
Pediatric stethoscopes, temperol thermometers, blanket warmers and more were also purchased through generous and thoughtful charitable gifts.