A Brief History Our Mission Areas of Interest

The Salem Health and Wellness Foundation (SH&WF) was created with the net proceeds resulting from the sale of The Memorial Hospital of Salem County (MHSC) and its related entities to a subsidiary of CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. (CHS) of Brentwood, TN. Since CHS is a for-profit corporation and the original Hospital was a not-for-profit entity, the SH&WF was created to receive the proceeds of the sale which occurred on October 1, 2002. The net proceeds consist of approximately $14 million held in trust by SH&WF, $6 million held in reserve for settlement of specified obligations of the original MHSC and an escrow account of $10 million for settlement of claims, fines and other obligations that may result from activities of the original MHSC. Eventually, all remaining funds resulting from the sale will transfer to the SH&WF.

The SH&WF is also the beneficiary of income derived from various independent trusts established in years past to advance the work of MHSC. Charitable funds raised by the MHSC Auxiliary, bequests and other gifts from individuals and funds held in trust by MHSC prior to the sale have also been transferred to the SH&WF. Streams of interest income from the escrow, the reserve and the independent trusts flow to the SH&WF.

The SH&WF was incorporated under the New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act to make grants, provide financial assistance and engage in any and all other charitable health care purposes which support, assist and develop the health and wellness of residents of Salem County.

The SH&WF is governed by a Board of Trustees. Members of the Board include: Emily Abeledo-Adams, Sean Elwell, Louise Foley, Dr. Dennis C. Graham, Dorothy B. Haefner, Ernest Henderson, Stephen D. Miller, Margaret B. Musumeci, Alan W. Newkirk and Nancy Wollet . The governing body was selected from the community at large through a process approved by the Attorney General. The SH&WF Trustees serve without compensation and commit substantial time to the organization.

All meetings of the Board of the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation are open to the public and advertised, in advance, in Today’s Sunbeam, the local newspaper of public record.