White Plains Hospital Celebrates 125th Anniversary By Giving Back

When White Plains Hospital opened its doors in 1893, it did so with the same mission that guides it today—to provide exceptional care, every day to members of the community. In that spirit, as the Hospital marks its 125th anniversary in 2018, its employees are leading a yearlong program to benefit children, seniors and low-income families throughout the Westchester region.

Throughout 2018, Hospital employees will come together to collect and donate items to various local charities as a means of giving back to the community that has long supported its growth and evolution.

The donation drives kicked off in January with the Hospital’s Marketing, Foundation, and Human Resources departments contributing children’s cold weather accessories to the Don Bosco Community Center in Port Chester. Coinciding with American Heart Month in February, the Hospital’s Critical Care Division donated 125 pedometers to the White Plains Senior Center. This month, the EVS, Food Service, and Radiology & Pathology departments will team up to collect new pajamas and books for children to be donated to Pajama Program, a nationwide charity providing new pajamas and books to children in need.

“This donation drive extends our commitment to care that goes beyond the clinical, and lets our employees engage with the community in a way that’s very personal and meaningful,” explains Dawn French, White Plains Hospital’s Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations.

In addition to the charitable donations, a special website dedicated to the anniversary, wph125.org, has been created to showcase the Hospital’s remarkable history. The website features personal reflections and memories submitted by staff, patients and community members. All are invited to share their own White Plains Hospital stories through the microsite by visiting here.

White Plains Hospital was founded when 22 women and three men came together to establish a voluntary, not-for-profit hospital in the rural village of White Plains to care for their fellow residents. Today, the Hospital and its physician practices see more than 200,000 visits annually.

“Our community has been such a vital factor in our success,” said Ms. French. “Since our beginnings in 1893 as a four-room building to the modern hub of advanced care we are today, the community has supported our growth and helped expand our mission so that we are now able to provide exceptional healthcare to all of Westchester.”

The year’s festivities will culminate with a 125th anniversary gala in September at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club, the site of the organization’s first fundraising gala in 1956.

Photo caption: White Plains Hospital nurses Leslie Rodriguez and Melissa Alves-Malaver joined Ellen Albers, White Plains Community Center Assistant Director, and White Plains Mayor Tom Roach to deliver pedometers to the White Plains Senior Center.