History

History of the Foundation

Improving the health and wellness of the Cook County community since 1993.

Improving Care for all in Cook County

The North Shore Health Care Foundation was established in 1993 by a group of committed residents dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the Cook County community. The concept for the North Shore Health Care Foundation grew out of the clinic development committee. The original six-member Foundation Board assumed a leadership role in supporting projects that have had a significant impact on the health of our rural community. The commitment to provide leadership in sustaining and improving the health of individuals and communities continues today as a core value. 

Since 2004, the North Shore Health Care Foundation and co-beneficiary North House Folk School have been the recipients of the Walter N & Phyllis A Anderson Charitable Trust. Two amazing and passionate individuals, Walt and Phyllis, worked with the Foundation to establish a charitable trust, which allowed them to extend their giving legacy beyond their lifetimes in support of their favorite causes in a place that was near and dear to their hearts. The annual funding from the Anderson Trust helps the NSHCF to award grants to qualifying organizations.

In 2007, the North Shore Health Care Foundation established an Endowment Fund which is managed by the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation (SPMF). The Foundation has two funds with the SPMF, the main endowment and the Justine Kerfoot Memorial Fund.

With slow steady growth, the Foundation has now given over $1 million in grants since 1995, to qualifying organizations helping move toward our vision of a healthy community for all in Cook County.

In 2017, the North Shore Health Care Foundation began a comprehensive strategic planning process which included gathering information and extensive community input, reflection and planning. New trends in health care and how we think about health and healthy communities had changed significantly over time, and the North Shore Health Care Foundation (NSHCF) was changing to reflect that. Known mostly as a grant making organization since its inception, the Foundation was evolving to create a more integrated, holistic program model to have a greater impact on health, equitable health care and on creating a healthy community. The final Strategic Plan represents changes in the vision and mission statements, as well as strategies and goals for 2018-2020.

In 2020, we updated the Foundation’s logo for a fresh look representative of the North Shore and our unique part of the state.

Values In All We Do

We believe in the possibilities of people, organizations, businesses and governments working together to create a healthy community for all in Cook County. Our values represent what we believe in, what we stand for and how we approach everything we do at the North Shore Health Care Foundation. They provide a guideline for making decisions at all levels of our organization and include:

  • Responsible stewardship
  • Collaboration and partnerships
  • Efficient and effective governance
  • Compassion
  • Inherent dignity
  • Inclusion
  • Integrity
  • Being nimble

A Little Goes a Long Way

By giving to the Foundation, you can support a variety of valuable programs and services dedicated to health care, emergency services, education and healthy living in a single donation. Be a partner in your own health system.

Have an initiative that helps work towards our vision of a healthy community for all in Cook County? You could be eligible for a NSHCF grant.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

The North Shore Health Care Foundation (NSHCF) strives to act inclusively in all that it does. The NSHCF recognizes the diversity of human differences, and values the inherent worth of all people. NSHCF does its work with compassion and inclusivity by creating healthy communities with partners and in the conduct of its business internally. The NSHCF recognizes that health and well-being are directly connected to honoring the truth and wholeness of each person. Toward that end it strives to respect and support diverse identities in the communities it serves. The NSHCF endeavors to be nimble and open to teachings from those communities so that it can serve as an ally and partner in creating greater equity and inclusion for all in Cook County. The NSHCF ask all partners and grantees to honor these values in our work together.