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Giving

HSHS St. Mary's Foundation was organized in 1988 to assist the hospital with philanthropic donations.

Female physician holding hands in shape of heart Female physician holding hands in shape of heart

Over the years, we have worked alongside the leadership of HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital to provide essential equipment and technology to assist in the care of our patients. 

The Foundation has grown from a humble program, in support of the hospital, affording HSHS St. Mary’s the ability to concentrate on the well-being of our patients. These additional sources of income enable HSHS St. Mary's to continuously upgrade the medical care provided to the people of Decatur and surrounding areas.

We are still humble and owe our gratitude to the thousands of individuals, families, board members, physicians, nurses, colleagues and businesses who have supported the mission of HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital through their patronage to the foundation.

Please remember us as you make your charitable gifts, including estate planning and memorial tributes.

How Can You Make an Impact?

With technology and a little creativity, there are many ways to donate to HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation.  We are always willing to speak with you about a focus for your gifts and what best suits your financial plans.  A list of options is below. Thank you for your interest in the care delivered at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Contact Information 
Joel Fletcher, Foundation Director
217-464-5730

Angel of hope garden

Angel of Hope Memory Stones

HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital is offering the opportunity to memorialize and celebrate the life of a child lost to miscarriage, still birth or infant death. These memory stones can be purchased for $100 and will be placed in the Angel of Hope Share Garden on the St. Mary’s campus, providing a permanent tribute to our babies.

Return form to: HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation, 1800 E. Lake Shore Drive, Decatur, IL 62521

For more information on the Share program or the Angel of Hope Share Garden, contact Karla Thornton at Karla.Thornton@hshs.org or 217-464-2045.

Download our memory stone order form
Christmas Star

Christmas Star Lighting

Thursday, November 30 | 6 p.m.

After several years of hosting virtual events, HSHS St. Mary's Foundation will once again host the Star Lighting ceremony in-person in the main lobby of the hospital on Thursday, November 30 at 6 p.m.

Join us we read the names of those being honored, share in prayer and song, and celebrate the unofficial start of the Christmas season. 

If you would like to honor or memorialize a loved one, visit here to purchase a light on the star.

To ensure your loved one’s name is added to the list of tributes, please make your gift by Wednesday, November 22.

Purchase a star light

Our Foundation Team

Julie Moore
Executive Director of Philanthropy, Advocacy and Community Relations
Julie.Moore@hshs.org

Joel Fletcher
Foundation Director
217-464-5730
Joel.Fletcher@hshs.org

Shelli Brunner
Philanthropy Specialist
217-464-2520
Shelli.Brunner@hshs.org

Foundation Leadership Council

  • Steve Horve
  • Tanya Boyd, RN
  • Douglas Lee
  • Bob Swartz
  • Chris Smith
  • Jack McCoy
  • Sean Streaty
  • Ellen Miller
  • Liz Holmgren
  • Theresa Rutherford, Ex-Officio

Ways to Give

Cash or Check
Gifts may be made with cash or a check. Please make checks payable to HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation. Checks should be mailed to Foundation Director, 1800 E. Lake Shore Drive, Decatur, IL 62521.
Credit Card
The HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation is happy to accept your American Express, Discover Card, Visa or Master Card. Please call our office at 217-464-2520 or click below for a secure donation page.  
Make a donation
Create a Fundraiser
Creating an online fundraiser is an easy and effective way for you to make a difference in the lives of patients and families being cared for in our hospitals. Whether you want to celebrate a loved one or a major milestone, share your birthday, wedding, or special event – there are endless opportunities for you to inspire others to support the work we do.
Start Fundraising with Just Giving
Charitable Trusts
Charitable trusts are gifts that allow you to receive ongoing income from an asset. They provide donors with regular cash payments, current charitable income tax deduction, avoidance or reduction of estate taxes and elimination of money-management concerns. Named charitable recipients would receive the remainder of assets upon death.
Corporate Foundation Gifts
If your company or foundation would like to contribute directly to HSHS St. Mary's Hospital, please call our office at 217-464-2520.
Endowment
An endowment is an amount of money that is given to the HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation with a stipulation that the funds are invested to earn annual interest rather than spent immediately. A portion of the annual earnings is used to support programs within HSHS St. Mary's Hospital. An endowment can be restricted to a specific department or unrestricted to be used for the greatest need. Named endowments are a gracious way to honor a loved one or a family name. A minimum of $10,000 is required to establish a named endowment.
Grateful Patient Program
We live to serve. That is our mission, and our goal is to serve everyone who walks through our doors with high-quality care and compassion. Sometimes we receive a gift from a patient in honor of a caregiver here at St. Mary’s, for going the extra mile.  We call these people “Grateful Patients.” 
Planned Gifts
Join the Legacy Society
Members of the Legacy Society are donors who through provisions in their wills and other long-term plans leave a lasting legacy that expands our compassionate care to generations of future patients.

As a member of this special group you will receive permanent recognition on our Wall of Honor, an invitation to events hosted by the foundation, and a gift of appreciation.

For more information or to become a member of HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation Legacy Society, please contact Joel Fletcher at 217-464-5730 or Julie Moore at 217-464-5590.
Real Estate
If you own a home, vacation home, acreage, or farmland, a charitable gift of real estate can be especially tax-advantageous.

*The information contained in this web site is for informational purposes. You should seek advice from your personal legal or tax advisor to determine your individual tax benefits.
Memorial and Honor Gifts
Will-bequests are gifts made from an estate, after death, or as a result of instructions outlined in a will. Bequests can be of a specific dollar amount, a specific asset(s) or a percentage of an estate. If you choose to give a gift to HSHS St. Mary's Hospital through your will, you can make your bequest available for our immediate use or you may restrict it to an endowment. The proper way to list HSHS St. Mary's Hospital in your estate is: HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation, a division of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, Inc., 1800 E. Lake Shore Drive, Decatur, IL 62521.
Gifts Made Through a Will
Will-bequests are gifts made from an estate, after death, or as a result of instructions outlined in a will. Bequests can be of a specific dollar amount, a specific asset(s) or a percentage of an estate. If you choose to give a gift to HSHS St. Mary's Hospital through your will, you can make your bequest available for our immediate use or you may restrict it to an endowment.

The proper way to list HSHS St. Mary's Hospital in your estate is: HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation, a division of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, Inc., 1800 E. Lake Shore Drive, Decatur, IL 62521.
Stocks & Securities
Gifts of appreciated securities may offer you significant tax savings. For information how to transfer securities to HSHS St. Mary's Hospital, please call our office at 217-464-2520.
Life Insurance
Transferring a life insurance policy’s ownership can result in great tax benefits for you and is a generous way to give. HSHS St. Mary's Hospital can also be included as a beneficiary of an existing or new policy.
Matching Gifts
Matching gifts occur when a company matches the charitable contribution of an employee to a nonprofit organization. If you (or your spouse) work for a matching gift company, your gift may be doubled, or even tripled. The matching gift procedure is very simple. The employee gets a matching gift form from their human resources department. After completing the form, the employee sends it along with their gift to the HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation. (You may also send in the form after you have made the gift.)

The HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation confirms on the form that it has received the gift and meets the company’s guidelines for receiving a matching gift. The Foundation then returns the form to the company. The company verifies eligibility of the employee and sends a check to the HSHS St. Mary’s Foundation. For more information, please call our office at 217-464-2520.

The HSHS St. Mary's Foundation is a division of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, Inc. This foundation is a nonprofit organization chartered in the State of Illinois and is exempt from income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Therefore, contributions to the Foundation qualify as charitable contributions to the fullest extent of current laws.

Tax ID: 37-1186514
Legal Name: Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, Inc.
d/b/a HSHS St. Mary's Foundation