Kinney Drugs pledges $500,000 to Children's Hospital campaign
Kinney Drugs has pledged $500,000 to the capital campaign for the Central New York Children's Hospital at University Hospital. With this pledge the campaign surpasses the $9.2 million mark. The campaign's goal is $15 million. The donation represents a pledge from both the Kinney Drugs Corporation and the Kinney Drugs Foundation.
"We are extremely pleased to receive this generous gift, our largest corporate gift to date, from Kinney. It is particularly heartwarming because this gift culminates a 15-year, mutually beneficial relationship with a wonderful, community-minded organization," said Eileen Pezzi, vice president for development at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
Kinney Drugs was founded in 1903 by Burt Orrin Kinney in Gouverneur, N.Y., and has grown steadily ever since. Today there are over 70 employee-owned stores spread over the Central New York, Adirondack and Vermont regions. Over the many years of continued growth, Kinney Drugs remains well known for its commitment to the old-fashioned friendliness and customer service inspired by Burt Orrin Kinney himself.
From its inception, the health and well being of its customers has always been at the forefront of every Kinney Drugs Store. Kinney has also been an ardent supporter of the Children's Miracle Network at University Hospital. This legacy of caring for its customers and the long-standing relationship with the Children's Miracle Network at University Hospital were pivotal factors in Kinney Drugs' decision to make its single largest philanthropic gift ever to the new Central New York Children 's Hospital.
"Syracuse is one of only two cities its size in the United States without a dedicated Children's Hospital, yet it provides high-quality, critically needed care to the children in virtually all the communities we serve," said Craig Painter, president of Kinney Drugs. "Our pledge to the historic Children's Hospital campaign reinforces our long-standing commitment to caring for youth in the communities we serve."
The Kinney Drugs Foundation was created in July 2002 with a mission of helping people live healthier lives. "The Children's Hospital will help to enrich the health and well-being of thousands of children and their families. We are extremely honored to be able to contribute to this exciting facility that will provide medical treatment and services to children throughout our entire region," said Nort Taylor, president of the Kinney Drugs Foundation.
"We are extremely fortunate to have Kinney Drugs and the Kinney Drugs Foundation as a pacesetters in our capital campaign," Pezzi noted. "Hopefully Kinney Drugs' generosity will inspire other CNY-based corporations to help make the new Children's Hospital a reality."
The Central New York Children's Hospital at University Hospital will consolidate pediatric services at University Hospital to two floors and feature 50 private patient rooms, family sleep and dining area as well as playrooms and a family resource center among other amenities.
University Hospital currently serves—and will continue to serve—a population of over 450,000 children in a 17-county region including Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Saint Lawrence, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins counties.
For more information on the children's hospital or to make a contribution to the campaign, call 464-KIDS or visit the Children's Hospital website at: http://www.upstate.edu/cnych/