$10 Million Gift to Transform Nursing at Englewood Health

ENGLEWOOD, N.J., April 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Englewood Health Foundation has received a transformational philanthropic donation from The Kaplen Foundation and its president, Maggie Kaplen. The $10 million gift is the largest in the health system's history and will establish The Kaplen Institute for Nursing Excellence at Englewood Health.

"Conversations with Maggie about this incredible opportunity began last year," said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. "And now more than ever, we are reminded of how valuable access to high-quality care can be for a community. Maggie and The Kaplen Foundation will not only help us to secure, but also reimagine, the future of nursing for our health system."

A philanthropist, advocate and mentor, Mrs. Kaplen is renowned for her commitment to improving access and advancing healthcare and has had a singular impact on Englewood Health and the many patients that it serves. Her generosity will enable the health system to advance its pledge to invest, develop and nurture current and future nursing professionals. 

"The nursing profession is facing unprecedented challenges as we enter a new decade," said Kathleen Kaminsky, senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Englewood Health. "This extraordinary gift is especially noteworthy because it will provide access to professional development resources for our existing nursing professionals and create a pipeline for new nurses to establish careers at Englewood Health."

Mrs. Kaplen is herself a retired nurse, and this philanthropic investment underscores her formative nursing experience of many years. "I was a student at Dwight School for Girls when I first began my relationship with the hospital as a volunteer. Then, it was just an old building. Today, it is a comprehensive health system," said Mrs. Kaplen. "I know the importance of access in healthcare and to have the reassurance that patients and families in our community do not have to go far from home for world-class care is paramount. It is incredibly rewarding to be part of what Englewood Health delivers to our greater community."

The Kaplen Foundation's longstanding relationship with Englewood Health includes multiple leadership-level gifts that helped to establish the Emergency Care Center, The Kaplen Pavilion and The Wilson Kaplen Infusion Center. "Gifts like this come from a place of vision and trust," said Michael Gutter, chairman of the board of the Englewood Health Foundation. "It is a momentous day in our health system's 130+ year history and Maggie's spirit of generosity will no doubt galvanize support from others who believe in the future of Englewood Health and our strategic priorities."

Englewood Health is proud to be among the seven percent of hospitals in the nation that have been recognized by the Magnet Recognition Program® from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This distinction has been earned four consecutive times by the nursing team for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice.

To learn more about the Englewood Health Foundation and how philanthropy creates impact on patient care, visit englewoodhealthfoundation.org.

About Englewood Health

Englewood Health is one of New Jersey's leading hospitals and healthcare networks. Composed of Englewood Hospital, the Englewood Health Physician Network, and the Englewood Health Foundation, the health system delivers nationally recognized care in a community setting to residents of northern New Jersey and beyond. The hospital, founded in 1890, consistently earns high marks for clinical excellence and patient safety. It is among the top 10% of hospitals in the nation to earn the 2019 Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award. The hospital is also nationally recognized for nursing excellence, earning a fourth consecutive designation by the Magnet Recognition Program^® in 2016. Areas of clinical excellence include cardiac surgery and cardiac care, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, spine surgery, vascular surgery, and women's health, as well as bloodless medicine and surgery. Englewood Health is an affiliate of Hackensack Meridian Health. The hospital offers an internal medicine residency program affiliated with Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, as well as a vascular surgery fellowship, pharmacy residency program, and a radiography training program. Englewood also serves as a training site for surgery, pathology, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, critical care medicine, and other medical and surgical subspecialties. Englewood Health is continually expanding services and enhancing access through the Englewood Health Physician Network, a coordinated network of office-based and hospital-based providers at more than 100 locations in six counties in New Jersey and New York. Through the main acute-care facility, physician network, hospital outpatient departments offering imaging services in local communities, and a variety of community health and wellness programs, Englewood Health delivers a healthcare experience that puts patients at the center. For additional information, visit www.englewoodhealth.org.

SOURCE Englewood Health