Annual Programs

Now in its 14th year, Camp 911 has become a staple in the community, teaching children the importance of safety in all situations, including how to react when a fire breaks out and what to do if they are hurt. Additionally, the program provided children with knowledge in bike safety, led by the Morris Police Department. The children also received bike helmets donated by the emergency physicians with EPIC Group. Along with bike safety, the children go through a basic first aid seminar led by Morris Hospital emergency nurses, and they take home a first aid kit donated by the Lions Club. The Camp 911 is funded through the foundation, with support from and involvement of  hospital employees, physicians, and outside agencies.

To support or learn more about Camp 911, please contact the Auxiliary and Foundation office.

At Morris Hospital we are known for the compassionate and personal care we give of our patients. What you may not know is how much we pride ourselves on also taking care of our Morris Hospital Family – our employees and volunteers. Established in 2003, the Disaster/Emergency Hardship Relief Fund assists past and present employees and Auxilians experiencing a financial hardship due to a disaster or crisis. The fund is held by the Foundation and is largely supported by our annual Employee Appeal Campaign, as well as donations from volunteers and the community.

If you would like more information or a relief application, please contact the Auxiliary and Foundation office.

The Morris Hospital Foundation is pleased to offer scholarships to assist and encourage education in healthcare-related courses of study. Over the years, donor support has enabled the Auxiliary and Foundation to provide more than $130,000 in assistance to students. These scholarships are available annually to students residing in the Hospital’s service area. Applicants may be eligible for more than one scholarship.

LEARN MORE about the Foundation scholarships

Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers is pleased to offer a free, non-emergent transportation service for individuals from Morris and the surrounding communities to the Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers campus, or to area physician offices. This important service makes healthcare accessible to patients who may be unable to drive or have limited mobility. Our vehicles are equipped to accommodate wheelchairs. The Morris Hospital Auxiliary & Foundation have provided funding for the majority of the Patient Transportation vehicles since the service began in 1998. The Patient Transportation drivers and assistants are all volunteers.

LEARN MORE about the Patient Transportation program

Morris Hospital is pleased to connect members of the community with Philips Lifeline® , a medical alert system that enables individuals to live independently and with peace of mind. The program has been offered by Morris Hospital since 1985 and has served thousands of individuals – providing everything from lifesaving help, to assistance from a fall, to a comforting phone conversation. Since the units are purchased by the Morris Hospital Foundation, subscribers who contract through Morris Hospital are able to receive the best rates around, with maintenance service provided free of charge by Morris Hospital staff and volunteers.

LEARN MORE about LifeLine®

Morris Hospital offers a Medication Dispensing Program through Philips Lifeline. The program can help individuals maintain the proper medication schedule using an automatic, personal pill dispensing unit that accurately dispenses medicine at designated times using an alert system. Today, this program is being made possible through a bequest gift left to the Foundation from the estate of Virginia Sparr Brown, a longtime friend of Morris Hospital and member of the Morris Hospital Auxiliary. In her will, Ms. Brown stated that her gift was to be used to fund projects and programs that support, enhance and encourage the provision of geriatric medical care. The Foundation funded the cost of the initial launch of the medication dispensing service and will provide ongoing funding to assist those who need assistance with the monthly subscription fee.

LEARN MORE about the Medication Dispensing program

Throughout 2015 the Morris Hospital Foundation raised over $250,000 to bring this very important, live saving program to the communities we serve. Since inception volunteers, staff and cardiologists have screened over 3,000 students in our service area, some with life threatening conditions which were unknown. Over the years, the Foundation has continued to support this program through the donations of community members and Auxiliary Gala.

To learn more about this program please click here.

To support or learn more about the Serenity Garden, please contact the Auxiliary and Foundation office.

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The Serenity Garden is accessible through a dedicated doorway off the main lobby and features a variety of seating areas that offer varying levels of privacy, including a semi-private meditation space separated by foliage. The “halo’ gathering nook features a half arch pergola that was custom made for Morris Hospital. The garden is open during the hospital main lobby hours of operation.

Even without stepping outside, patients and visitors can enjoy the garden’s beauty through the floor to ceiling windows in the main lobby hallway. Night time features make the garden visible from the hallway after dark, which will be especially appreciated during the winter months.

Morris Hospital’s original Serenity Garden that was created in 2006 was converted to indoor space for the new Women’s Imaging Center as part of the hospital’s main campus renovations that have been ongoing since 2019. Planning for the new Serenity Garden involved input from a team of employees who worked together to conceptualize the new garden, share ideas, and eventually approve the plans and renderings.

George McComb, President of the Morris Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, and Michael Hoover generously donated their time to plant the new garden and will remain two of the dedicated volunteers who care for the new space, with all costs including the purchase of trees and plants funded by the Morris Hospital Foundation.

All of the memorials and engraved bricks from the original garden are now included in new location. The Morris Hospital Foundation continues to accept tribute and memorial gifts through the purchase of stone pavers for the garden.

To support or learn more about the Serenity Garden, please contact the Auxiliary and Foundation office.