Your Stories: BankESB Donates to Sister Caritas Endowed Nursing Education Fund

Present for the check presentation were Susanne deVillier, Vice President and Regional Branch Manager, bankESB; Geoffrey Hoyt,  Chief Development Officer, Mercy Medical Center; Sister Mary Caritas, SP; Susan Pettorini-D’Amico, Chief Nursing Officer, Mercy Medical Center; Philip Glynn, MD, Director of Medical Oncology, Sister Caritas Cancer Center; and Katherine Sordillo, Vice President and Regional Branch Manager, bankESB.

This donation represents the bank’s first installment of a $100,000 pledge to the Sister Caritas Endowed Nursing Education Fund (SCENE). The inspiration for SCENE sprung forth from Sister Mary Caritas’s 100th birthday celebration two years ago at The Log Cabin in Holyoke.

Coinciding with the recent pandemic, the critical need for licensed, skilled nurses has been at historic levels and there isn’t a more prominent or impactful leader on that front than Sister Mary Caritas, a proud alumnus of the Mercy Nursing School Class of 1945. Having served as hospital President and Board Chair, amongst other roles, Sister Caritas’s name is synonymous with Mercy.

To date, Mercy has received 180 gifts and pledges totaling $815,000 toward a goal of $1 million. This goal aims to permanently endow the SCENE Fund with support from individuals, colleagues, families and foundations. The spirit of philanthropy is alive and well in Springfield. Mercy Medical Center is actively building upon its skilled nursing staff to better serve our patient communities.

This fund will allow Mercy to engage with local colleges and universities to attract and recruit rising nurse leaders in the form of paid internships and train them to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). Additionally, the fund will support current Mercy nurses interested in pursuing elevated certifications and licenses, as well as colleagues who want to pursue a new career in nursing.

BankESB has proudly supported Mercy and Brightside for Families and Children for over 3 decades! Under the leadership of Executive VP, Chief Retail Banking and Marketing Officer Dena Hall, bankESB chose to support this endowment because of the critical need, the high local impact, and the sustainability in its planning. It will be an enduring reminder of Sister Caritas’s vision, her leadership by example, and as a permanent resource for our hospital and those who choose to serve their community in this profound way.

Submitted by Whitney Hubbs Dionne, Senior Philanthropy Officer, Trinity Health Of New England.

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