NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — You can call it a game changer for healthcare in Niagara Falls and beyond.
On Tuesday, Tom Golisano, the 82-year-old founder of Paychex, announced in that he was donating $360 million to 82 nonprofit organizations across Upstate New York.
“The only wealth that you get to keep is that what you give away, so today we're going to give away some, excuse me,” Golisano said on Tuesday. You can watch our previous report below and read more here.
The Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center was on the list of awardees and received an unrestricted grant of $10 million.
"I was stunned," said Joe Ruffolo, President and CEO of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, who attended the surprise announcement outside of Rochester. "Here is a man, single-handedly who has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people."
Ruffolo called the gift a "catalyst" that will allow Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center to expand healthcare access both in Niagara Falls and throughout Niagara County.
"He knows we are a safety net hospital for the most vulnerable," said Ruffolo. "That's where he enjoys his giving, to make a difference in the lives of those who are high risk."
Golisano has a long history of giving to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.
Part of the $10 million gift will be used to add services at the Golisano Center for Community Health, which Golisano helped build at the hospital. It opened in 2016.
"It will allow us to expand and provide access to vital services," said Dr. Simmanjeet Mangat, Medical Director for Primary Care at The Golisano Center of Community Health. "It means a lot because our primary care services are at the center of this mission. It will enable us to recruit more providers, grow our programs, and provide enhanced care services for our families across our region."
The $10 million unrestricted grant will also go a long way in Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center tackling a $58 million list of necessary infrastructure projects including updating facilities for women's health.
"We have to modernize the women's pavilion," said Ruffolo. "Niagara Falls Memorial is the only hospital providing labor and delivery for the whole county. If we didn't have the program there would be no more babies being born in Niagara County."
Also on the priority list upgrading the hospital's Cardiac and Stroke Care Unit, and addressing an aging parking garage.
"So when you total it up, $58 million, that is a lot of money, but the $10 million gift can leverage other funding so we can get these projects underway," said Ruffolo.
Projects that might not otherwise have been possible, if it wasn't for the generous gift from Golisano.
"To make sure we are consistent with Tom's wishes, so we can increase access for not just the City of Niagara Falls, but all of Niagara County."
