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St. Ann’s Community Announces Two $1 Million Gifts

Two major gifts to St. Ann's Community's Campaign for the Most Important People on Earth have provided the names for the Leo Center for Caring and the Wegman Transitional Care Center.

Jim and Kathleen Leo have made a $1 million gift to the campaign, and the Wegman Family Charitable Foundation has also made a $1 million gift. The two major gifts were announced at the grand opening ceremony for the new buildings on St. Ann's Irondequoit and Webster campuses.

These two gifts bring the total raised in the St. Ann's Campaign for the Most Important People on Earth to $7 million.  With such a strong show of support from community leaders, New York State and other major donors, St. Ann's now opens the campaign to the general public to reach the final goal of $8 million raised.

A gift to support hospice care

Jim Leo, Wegmans' sr. vice president and chief financial officer of Wegmans Food Markets and chairman of the campaign, and his wife, Kathleen, made the decision to give $1 million to the new hospice center after taking a tour of the new facility as it neared completion.

Leo referenced his personal experience as a  caregiver to his father during the last few months of his life. "There was no such thing as hospice then." When I walked through the new hospice center and saw what had been accomplished here, I went home and talked with Kathleen. We decided to step up a little farther."

Jim credits his wife Kathleen's involvement as a volunteer for his own personal connection to St. Ann's. "We feel that we all owe something to this community," Leo said, "and by coming forward, we hope that others will be motivated to support a cause at whatever level they can do."

Bringing people home in health

In keeping with its mission to support initiatives that improve the health and well-being of the community, The Wegman Family Charitable Foundation supported St. Ann's Community in order for advances to be continually made in healthcare.

"St. Ann's approach to rehabilitative care hit all the right notes with our foundation," said Danny Wegman, chairman of the board of The Wegman Family Charitable Foundation. "The health of our community is an important priority for The Wegman Family Charitable Foundation.  St. Ann's provides its patients with a program that is proven to work, by rebuilding independence and returning people to their own homes. We are pleased to have the opportunity to support such a strong program."

The Wegman Family Charitable Foundation, established in 1993, puts the personal bequest of Wegmans Food Markets founder Robert B. Wegman to work in our community and beyond. As one of upstate New York's most generous philanthropic organizations, the foundation selects nonprofit organizations to support in the areas of education, health, and wellness. 

At other centers, there can be an institutional mindset. But at St. Ann's, it's different. The culture here is outstanding. From the housekeeping staff to the nurses, everyone goes out of their way to be helpful. I truly believe that St. Ann's is the premier provider of health care in our community. They are also well run and fiscally sound. So my wife Ann and I felt very good about giving to St. Ann's.

- Jim Gould, Donor