Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Friends of Healthcare Foundation

Friends of Healthcare Foundation (Fondation des amis de la santé) is a registered charitable foundation dedicated to supporting the Restigouche Zone of the Vitalité Health Network in New Brunswick. Working in close collaboration with the Campbellton Regional Hospital, the Restigouche Hospital Centre, community health centres such as the St. Joseph Community Health Centre in Dalhousie and the Jacquet River Health Centre, the foundation raises and distributes funds to maintain and improve local healthcare services.

The organization focuses its financial support on the purchase of modern medical equipment, the development of therapeutic spaces and the implementation of projects that directly enhance patient care and quality of life. Examples listed on its site include funding for a therapeutic terrace, digital mammography, vascular ultrasound systems, specialized surgical and diagnostic equipment, and therapeutic outdoor facilities.

The foundation’s funding is primarily directed to institutional healthcare needs within the Restigouche region. Beneficiaries include hospital departments such as geriatrics and rehabilitation, operating rooms, diagnostic imaging, laboratories, obstetrics and gynecology, respiratory therapy, physiotherapy, and mental health services. Projects often involve purchasing specific pieces of equipment or infrastructure that would not be possible without community donations channelled through the foundation.

Over a recent five‑year period, the foundation reports having contributed more than 1 million dollars to these initiatives. Each funded project is typically associated with a defined objective, such as reducing wait times, improving diagnostic accuracy, increasing patient comfort, or enabling care closer to home.

The foundation organizes a variety of annual fundraising campaigns and events, including a radiothon, an annual golf tournament, themed walks, lotteries for employees, and other community‑based activities like wooden rose sales and sports pools. It also benefits from external fundraising campaigns run independently by local partners, with proceeds donated afterward.

As a charity, the foundation emphasizes prudent management of donations, ethical fundraising practices, and accountability to its donors. It highlights transparency in how funds are collected and used, and positions performance not only in terms of money raised but also in the methods employed and the impact achieved for regional healthcare services.