February 8, 2018

TAWAS CITY —The Iosco County Community Foundation (ICCF) has given a $120,000 grant to support the purchase of new high-resolution scopes at St. Joseph Health System (SJHS) in Tawas City.

The grant comes from the Mary Jane Chevis Endowment Fund at ICCF. This fund was originally established in 2008 through the Chevis Family Trust for the benefit of Tawas St. Joseph Hospital’s operating needs or charitable works. Mary Jane and her husband, Paul, were long-time residents of the Tawas area, and were founders and partners of Tawas Plating.

“This fund is an incredible example of the power of endowments, and how a fund like this can provide much-needed funding for a cause the donor truly cared about,” said Tony Johnson, ICCF Board President. “The Chevis’s wanted to support the local hospital, and wanted the hospital’s Foundation board to have the power to request funds as needed. They also wanted to ensure the funds would always stay local for the benefit of an Iosco County hospital.”

Established with an original gift of $800,000, through investment income the Mary Jane Chevis Endowment Fund at ICCF now holds over $1.3 million in assets, and has provided over $375,000 in grants to support St. Joseph Health System.

“This fund allows us the flexibility to meet the unexpected needs that arise, such as the addition of a new service line, replacing outdated equipment, and support for the capital needs of SJHS,” said SJHS Foundation Vice President, Karen Stiffler. “These grants truly make a difference in our ability to keep up with the constant and changing demands in healthcare.”

Stiffler says the $120,000 from the Chevis Fund will provide partial funding for the new scopes for the hospital’s endoscopy program. Other funds will come from the St. Joseph Health System Foundation’s Winter Gala, which is being held on February 24, as well as SJHS volunteers.

The Mary Jane Chevis Endowment Fund was established as a “Designated Fund” at the Iosco County Community Foundation. Designated funds are those created by a donor for the specific benefit of a particular agency, or group of agencies. These types of funds allow a donor to support a nonprofit’s mission while allowing the nonprofit itself to use the funds as it needs.

Other grants from the Mary Jane Chevis Endowment Fund for SJHS include $19,418 in 2010 for capital equipment and programming; $40,000 in 2011 to purchase microbiology equipment; and $207,000 in 2015 to purchase an orthopedic fracture table and limb retractor system, and a C-arm system for surgery.

The Iosco County Community Foundation is a charitable organization committed to providing people who care about the future of our area with unique and effective ways of supporting their community now, and for generations to come. Led by a volunteer board of local citizens, the foundation oversees a group of permanently endowed funds from a wide range of donors. Gifts of all sizes from individuals, families, businesses and agencies are invested in a balanced, well-managed portfolio to build endowments, enabling support for local community nonprofits now and forever. ICCF is an affiliate of the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan.