For nearly 40 years, as part of what was then McKee Medical Center and later Banner Health, BridgeWell Foundation took on a wide range of programs that the hospital system partly subsidized. When the Foundation became fully independent in 2021, we carried all of those programs forward, including several we began funding directly out of our own unrestricted cash.
As we celebrate 45 years of serving our community, we took a close look at everything we do this year. That evaluation made one thing impossible to ignore: requests to our Patient Assistance Fund have grown by 1,100% over the past year and a half. Families across Weld and Larimer Counties are turning to us for help with rent, utilities, car payments, and other essentials while facing a medical crisis, and more of them need us than ever before.
After careful consideration, our Board approved a decision that we believe puts BridgeWell exactly where it needs to be: we are stepping back from community grant making to other nonprofit organizations, with one exception. Grants to local veterans organizations through our Blue Star Veterans Fund will continue, since restricted dollars set aside specifically for that purpose support that fund. Outside of that fund, we are pouring our full attention and resources into the programs that reach people directly. That means:
- Our Patient Assistance Fund: providing direct financial help to individuals and families navigating medical crises
- Healthcare education scholarships: investing in the next generation of caregivers in our community, funded through restricted dollars set aside for that purpose
- The Blue Star Fund for Veterans: supporting local organizations that help veterans access health and wellness services, funded through restricted dollars given specifically for that purpose
This is not a story about doing less. It’s a story about focus. Our mission has always been bridging gaps in health and wellness across Northern Colorado, and by concentrating our unrestricted resources on the people who need direct assistance most urgently right now, we believe we can advance that mission more fully and more sustainably.
As we mark 45 years of serving this community, we’re not just looking back with gratitude, we’re looking ahead with purpose. The same mission that has always guided us will define the next 45 years of BridgeWell: making sure no one in Weld and Larimer Counties has to face a health crisis alone. This shift in focus is how we build a foundation strong enough to carry that mission forward for generations to come.
We are deeply grateful to every nonprofit partner we’ve funded over the years, and to every organization that applied for a community grant this cycle. Your work matters, and it has not gone unnoticed. We simply believe that right now, the greatest service we can offer this community is to make sure no family facing a medical crisis has to face it alone.
Thank you for understanding, and for the trust you’ve placed in BridgeWell. We’re excited about what this focus makes possible.
With gratitude,
Nate Lamkin
Executive Director, BridgeWell Foundation
