Role of Health Services Foundation of the South Shore in the funding ecosystem
Health Services Foundation of the South Shore (HSFSS) is a registered charitable foundation created to strengthen hospital and community health services along Nova Scotia’s South Shore. Since 1993, the Foundation has raised and allocated funds to enhance care and purchase equipment for South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater and Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg, which together serve roughly 100,000 residents and receive over 200,000 visits each year.
The Foundation channels community philanthropy into concrete improvements in local healthcare. Donors can designate gifts to specific programs or services, and HSFSS then uses these funds to support capital projects, new technologies, frontline equipment and patient comfort initiatives, working closely with Nova Scotia Health and hospital auxiliaries.
Funding priorities and types of support
HSFSS supports a broad portfolio of healthcare investments. A major recent focus has been the Brighter Days capital campaign, which successfully raised $10.6 million toward the redevelopment of South Shore Regional Hospital. Campaign proceeds are helping finance an expanded Emergency Department, a purpose-built Endoscopy Unit, upgrades to the Day Surgery Department, a new 12‑chair Dialysis Unit and a new MRI suite. These projects improve capacity, patient flow, privacy, infection control and access to advanced diagnostics close to home.
Beyond capital redevelopment, the Foundation regularly funds essential equipment for hospital units, such as bedpan washers, vein finders and educational tools for Women’s and Children’s services. Targeted funds like the Patient Comfort and Care Fund address ongoing needs identified by clinical staff, improving the everyday experience of patients and families.
Support for people: bursaries and recruitment
HSFSS also invests directly in people through education and recruitment initiatives. The South Shore Bursary Program, a partnership with hospital auxiliaries and the Queens General Hospital Foundation, provides bursaries to South Shore residents pursuing health‑related post‑secondary education. Since 2006, over $1,000,000 has been raised, supporting more than 120 students in fields such as registered nursing, licensed practical nursing and medicine. In return, recipients commit to a year of service at a South Shore hospital for each year of bursary support, directly reinforcing the local workforce.
The Foundation additionally backs physician attraction and retention. With donor support, it launched the Practice Here Now initiative, led by a Physician Settlement & Retention Coordinator, to help recruit and keep doctors in the region by promoting local opportunities and providing settlement support.
Governance, mission and community accountability
HSFSS is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors representing diverse South Shore communities, and managed by a professional staff team focused on philanthropy, legacy giving, community relations and finance. Its mission is to bring the South Shore community together to invest in medical equipment, innovations, programs, professionals and technologies that enable better health for all.
The Foundation emphasizes accountability to donors and transparency about impact. It publishes strategic plans and gratitude or impact reports, and regularly shares stories of funded projects and patient outcomes. This combination of community engagement, structured bursary programming, and major capital investments makes HSFSS a key funding partner in the region’s health system.