The board of directors and staff invite you to a special Open House reception to welcome Siobhan Greene, Hospice Foundation's new president and CEO on Thursday, August 22 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., here at the Hospice Foundation office, 80 Garden Court, Suite 201, Monterey.
We hope to see you here!
RSVP not required but you are welcome to call us, (831) 333-9023.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Tuesday, June 04, 2013
Hospice Foundation Names New President and CEO
 |
| Siobhan Greene |
Hospice Foundation announces the appointment of Siobhan Greene
as its new president and chief executive officer, succeeding Alice Kinsler who last
summer announced her plans to retire at the end of June, 2013.
Greene, who has served as executive director of Voices for Children - CASA of Monterey County since 2005, will begin her new post with the Foundation on August 5.
“After a nationwide search, we are thrilled to find someone of Siobhan’s caliber locally to lead Hospice Foundation into the future,” said Ralph Thompson, III, chair of the Hospice Foundation board of directors.
“She brings many years of experience in nonprofit executive management, fundraising, board governance, financial and analytical acumen to her new position,” said Thompson. “The board and staff could not be more thrilled with her selection.”
"I am very honored to be chosen for this position and look forward to working with such a fine board and staff," said Greene. "The work of Hospice Foundation is critical to supporting dignified and compassionate end-of-life care and ensuring services are available throughout our community."
Greene has a long history as an advocate for children’s issues and involvement in the community. She joined CASA in 2002 as director of development, becoming executive director three years later. Prior to that she was director of marketing for Four Sisters Inn in Monterey, and has served in other administrative and management capacities locally and in the Bay Area.
Under Greene’s leadership, Voices for Children - CASA has grown dramatically in both its service to children and its role to help improve the foster care system. The organization has quadrupled in size, serves hundreds of children a year, has been recognized with numerous awards, and successfully launched San Benito County CASA, which effective July 1, will be an independent entity.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from St. Joseph’s College, in Brentwood, New York. Greene serves on and is the immediate past chair of the Juvenile Justice Commission for Monterey County; is a board member for the California CASA Association and CASP (Community Alliance for Safety and Peace); and participates in various county system-of-care committees including the local implementation team of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care. Greene is active in Carmel-by-the-Sea Rotary and is the past President of the local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Under Kinsler’s leadership, Hospice Foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants locally. This funding has expanded the availability of hospice services in the region, including specialized children’s services, opened palliative care programs in the region’s four hospitals, and provided support for a variety of grief support and end-of-life educational programs. Read about the grants that were awarded in the fall of 2012, now at work in the local community.
“It’s been an honor serving in this role for so many years,” Kinsler said, “and now Siobhan will bring her strong leadership capabilities and fundraising experience to the role and continue to steward the hospice mission going forward in our community.”
For more information, visit www.hospicegiving.org or call (831) 333-9023.
Greene, who has served as executive director of Voices for Children - CASA of Monterey County since 2005, will begin her new post with the Foundation on August 5.
“After a nationwide search, we are thrilled to find someone of Siobhan’s caliber locally to lead Hospice Foundation into the future,” said Ralph Thompson, III, chair of the Hospice Foundation board of directors.
“She brings many years of experience in nonprofit executive management, fundraising, board governance, financial and analytical acumen to her new position,” said Thompson. “The board and staff could not be more thrilled with her selection.”
"I am very honored to be chosen for this position and look forward to working with such a fine board and staff," said Greene. "The work of Hospice Foundation is critical to supporting dignified and compassionate end-of-life care and ensuring services are available throughout our community."
Greene has a long history as an advocate for children’s issues and involvement in the community. She joined CASA in 2002 as director of development, becoming executive director three years later. Prior to that she was director of marketing for Four Sisters Inn in Monterey, and has served in other administrative and management capacities locally and in the Bay Area.
Under Greene’s leadership, Voices for Children - CASA has grown dramatically in both its service to children and its role to help improve the foster care system. The organization has quadrupled in size, serves hundreds of children a year, has been recognized with numerous awards, and successfully launched San Benito County CASA, which effective July 1, will be an independent entity.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from St. Joseph’s College, in Brentwood, New York. Greene serves on and is the immediate past chair of the Juvenile Justice Commission for Monterey County; is a board member for the California CASA Association and CASP (Community Alliance for Safety and Peace); and participates in various county system-of-care committees including the local implementation team of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care. Greene is active in Carmel-by-the-Sea Rotary and is the past President of the local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Under Kinsler’s leadership, Hospice Foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants locally. This funding has expanded the availability of hospice services in the region, including specialized children’s services, opened palliative care programs in the region’s four hospitals, and provided support for a variety of grief support and end-of-life educational programs. Read about the grants that were awarded in the fall of 2012, now at work in the local community.
“It’s been an honor serving in this role for so many years,” Kinsler said, “and now Siobhan will bring her strong leadership capabilities and fundraising experience to the role and continue to steward the hospice mission going forward in our community.”
For more information, visit www.hospicegiving.org or call (831) 333-9023.
# # #
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The New Tax Law and IRA Charitable Rollovers
As we begin the new year, we thought you would like some timely information about an important provision of the new tax law and IRA distributions that may benefit you with income tax savings.
If you are at least age 70½, you can reduce or avoid paying income tax on your required IRA distribution when you redirect all or a portion of it to a 501(c)(3) charity.
If you are at least age 70½, you can reduce or avoid paying income tax on your required IRA distribution when you redirect all or a portion of it to a 501(c)(3) charity.
But you will need to act by January 31 for it to apply to your 2012 taxes.
Here’s how it works:
- Ask your IRA custodian to write and send your distribution check directly to your favorite charity (we hope that’s Hospice Foundation).
- According to the IRS rules, you are allowed up to $100,000 directly from your IRA and you will avoid paying any income taxes on this “qualified charitable distribution.” (Keep in mind that since you are redirecting your IRA distribution to your charity, it will not count as income to you. Therefore, you will not receive an additional charitable income-tax deduction later.)
- Your IRA distribution redirect must be made by January 31, 2013 for it to apply against your 2012 taxes.
If you have already received your 2012 required minimum distribution, you are still allowed to transfer these funds to your the 501(c)(3) charity of your choice by January 31. You will not have to report it as income for 2012.
Similarly, you may also redirect your 2013 distribution at any time during the year and into January 2014, and avoid reporting the required distribution as income for 2013.
If you consider taking advantage of this provision in the new tax law, we hope you will consider Hospice Foundation as the charity of your choice and continue your support of compassionate, end-of-life care in your community.
Please call Lisa Bennett at Hospice Foundation 831-333-9017 for more information.
Thank you very much for your support and Happy New Year!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Gain Peace of Mind
Have You Done Your Will?
Sometimes the unexpected can happen too, such as an accident, sudden illness, stroke or heart attack that causes death.
National Estate Planning Awareness
Week – Oct. 15-21
“Estate planning?,” you say. “I
don’t have a columned front portico, outbuildings, or any acreage. I’m
lucky to be keeping up with my mortgage payments and bills.”
Most people have this reaction when
they hear the term “estate planning.” Estate planning is not just for the wealthy. It is for
everyone. So maybe we, as nonprofit estate planning professionals, have the terminology wrong.
Perhaps we should use the phrase: “making your decisions about your assets,” whatever size or type they may be. Your estate
consists of everything you own, including your home and its contents, business,
financial accounts, real estate, and other personal possessions. Estate
planning is the process of deciding what happens to these items after your
death, and describing those plans in the appropriate legal documents such as a
Last Will and Testament.
Most people have some assets and, even
if they have only one family member who should receive
them, it really helps to have that spelled
out – just in case – in a Will.
When
there are no family members and you want the
assets to go to charity, the need to craft a Will is even more important because state law won’t know (or
care) which is your favorite charity.
When
there’s more than one family member, a Will can
clearly describe your wishes for distributing your assets, and you can avoid
leaving quarrels behind you.
According to the National
Association of Estate Planners and Councils (www.naepc.org),
more than 120 million Americans do not have up-to-date estate plans to protect
their families. Many people procrastinate thinking that by doing so will
bring upon their demise sooner rather than later. This, of course,
simply is not true. What it will bring on, however, is peace of mind.
The message is that everyone should have a will. You have worked hard for what you have so you want to ensure that
it ends up going to people and/or charities of your
choice.
Beyond a simple will, of course,
there are myriad ways to deal with one’s assets.
You can put them in trusts to avoid estate taxes. You can even gain better retirement income now by
naming a charity as a beneficiary. There are many methods available that
can benefit you, your survivors, and charities, if you choose, and the role of
an estate-planning professional is to help you put a plan together.
Through a well-crafted plan, you
will discover ways to reduce your taxes and still provide for those people and causes you love. And, as your life
circumstances change, you may need to update your estate plans to make sure
they still describe your wishes for your family or others in the
foreseeable future.
So here’s a suggestion: Gain
peace of mind for yourself and your family. Make your Will, update your estate plan, and review it at least once a year.
Next time, when you hear the term estate planning, you’ll be
able to say, “Yes, we’ve got that under
control; in fact, we just updated everything since [insert life-change
here]. I feel so much better, having taken care of it.” You’ll be able to claim better peace of mind. So mark this
week with your action to make plans for your estate.
Better now, then never.
Learn more by calling Hospice Foundation today at
(831) 333-9023 or visiting our website at www.hospicegiving.org.
-- Lisa Bennett, Director of Development
-- Jennifer Pettley, Director of Communications
-- Jennifer Pettley, Director of Communications
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Hospice Care and the Affordable Care Act
Clearly, the way health care is funded and provided in our country needs fixing. Mission critical.
While it is far from perfect, and the president event admits this, the Affordable Care Act is just one step in the right direction. The only way health care costs can be reduced is if everyone pays into the system and shares those costs, not just those that have health care coverage and who bear the brunt of the rising costs. And those who cannot afford coverage will have options available. Depending upon your point of view, all of these provisions are up for debate, of course.
But what we want to talk about is the practical effect the Affordable Care Act will have on the provision of hospice care.
Medicare is the greatest source of reimbursement to providers of hospice care, about 80 percent of their revenue. The Medicare patient pays no deductible and only a minimal fee for prescription drugs.
When across the board cuts are made to Medicare, reimbursement rates drop to the providers. But their costs in salaries, benefits, equipment, drugs, etcetera, etcertera continue to increase. The financial gap widens and they must look at services and staff.
Hospice care is very family- and patient-centered. It is difficult to quanify in dollars the nature of the interactions between the hospice team and the dying patient and family...it is intensive and takes as long as it takes...
Hospice Foundation does not want them to be impacted and we know you don't want that too. That's why we need EVERYONE's help in funding this care. We aggregate the dollars we receive in donations across many of these vital services so that they can continue to do what they do so well. The individual providers of care do not have the capacity to raise the dollars they need on their own...they really depend upon our grants to help them.
Mission critical.
Please consider a donation today to Hospice Foundation. Help Us, Help Them.
While it is far from perfect, and the president event admits this, the Affordable Care Act is just one step in the right direction. The only way health care costs can be reduced is if everyone pays into the system and shares those costs, not just those that have health care coverage and who bear the brunt of the rising costs. And those who cannot afford coverage will have options available. Depending upon your point of view, all of these provisions are up for debate, of course.
But what we want to talk about is the practical effect the Affordable Care Act will have on the provision of hospice care.
Medicare is the greatest source of reimbursement to providers of hospice care, about 80 percent of their revenue. The Medicare patient pays no deductible and only a minimal fee for prescription drugs.
When across the board cuts are made to Medicare, reimbursement rates drop to the providers. But their costs in salaries, benefits, equipment, drugs, etcetera, etcertera continue to increase. The financial gap widens and they must look at services and staff.
Hospice care is very family- and patient-centered. It is difficult to quanify in dollars the nature of the interactions between the hospice team and the dying patient and family...it is intensive and takes as long as it takes...
Hospice Foundation does not want them to be impacted and we know you don't want that too. That's why we need EVERYONE's help in funding this care. We aggregate the dollars we receive in donations across many of these vital services so that they can continue to do what they do so well. The individual providers of care do not have the capacity to raise the dollars they need on their own...they really depend upon our grants to help them.
Mission critical.
Please consider a donation today to Hospice Foundation. Help Us, Help Them.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
End of Life Care Needs to Be Seamless
We are always coming across statistics in the literature and comments from providers who tell us about people getting into hospice care too late to truly benefit from all that it has to offer. Primarily it's because one must choose to elect the service and therefore must suspend any curative or prolonging therapies. Most people are not wanting to do that. Totally get that. So what we really need to be looking at is how to deliver high-quality, compassionate, multi-disciplinary end-of-life care seamlessly--no need to elect it. As the needs grow at the end of life, certain services, like additional nursing visits, just begin to build. The problem is, no one has figured out a way to contain or control the costs in something that has no boundaries, like the current Medicare Hospice Benefit.
Hospice Foundation continues to look at this issue, to encourage collaborations among our grant recipients to enhance the end-of-life experience for all.
What do you think? How should this care be handled?
Hospice Foundation continues to look at this issue, to encourage collaborations among our grant recipients to enhance the end-of-life experience for all.
What do you think? How should this care be handled?
Friday, January 06, 2012
Celebrating 15 Years!
Coming Up for 2012
So how long can we say Happy New Year? Anyway, it's nice to have the busy holiday season behind us and look ahead at what we've got coming up.
Annual Report - Publishes at the end of February with a complete wrap up of achievements and activities for the year 2011. Plus it will include a complete list of donors for that 12-month period.
Spring Raffle - Look for information on our website at www.hospicegiving.org about some of the fabulous prizes that will be available if you buy tickets to our Spring raffle. This project used to be called Bounty and the Feast. Let us know if you have a catchier name for it, we're open to new ideas. Call Lisa Bennett at (831) 333-9023.
End of Life Ethics Videoconference - our annual spring videoconference (April) from Hospice Foundation of America, followed by a live panel discussion. Actual date and location still to be announced. Preliminarily we're looking at April 19, 2012 and hope to secure Cal State University, Monterey Bay.
Executor Trustee seminars - We're moving these from the fall to late spring to even out our event calendar. Legal, financial and fiduciary specialists make up our panel of experts and take questions from the audience about all aspects of executor/trusteeships.
15th Anniversary Celebrations - We are 15 years old on July 1! In that time, we have made $19 million in grant funding to support hospice and other end-of-life care services. Thank you donors!
Golf Scramble - Day after Labor Day on Sept. 3, 2012 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach, California. Rare opportunity to play these world-renowned, members-only courses, so be sure to check our website this summer for all the details.
Southern Comfort BBQ & Auction - (September) Wonderful party at the beautiful Massa Vineyard in Arroyo Seco in Southern Monterey County, Calif., hosted by Bill and Laurie Massa. This event attracts business and social leaders from the South County region to the spectacular grounds of the vineyard to raise funds for hospice! Call us if you are interested in more information!
Coping with Grief at the Holidays - Two very special workshops for families who have lost a loved one and for those who need some support about how to cope with grief during the holiday period. These will be November 3 and 10, 2012 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Monterey and St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church in Salinas.
Trees of Life Tribute Light Campaign - Three tree lightings in December with hundreds of lights illuminated, each in honor or in memory of someone. Get your 2012 light dedication early by call 831-333-9023. Dates to be determined.
Coming Up for 2012
So how long can we say Happy New Year? Anyway, it's nice to have the busy holiday season behind us and look ahead at what we've got coming up.
Annual Report - Publishes at the end of February with a complete wrap up of achievements and activities for the year 2011. Plus it will include a complete list of donors for that 12-month period.
Spring Raffle - Look for information on our website at www.hospicegiving.org about some of the fabulous prizes that will be available if you buy tickets to our Spring raffle. This project used to be called Bounty and the Feast. Let us know if you have a catchier name for it, we're open to new ideas. Call Lisa Bennett at (831) 333-9023.
End of Life Ethics Videoconference - our annual spring videoconference (April) from Hospice Foundation of America, followed by a live panel discussion. Actual date and location still to be announced. Preliminarily we're looking at April 19, 2012 and hope to secure Cal State University, Monterey Bay.
Executor Trustee seminars - We're moving these from the fall to late spring to even out our event calendar. Legal, financial and fiduciary specialists make up our panel of experts and take questions from the audience about all aspects of executor/trusteeships.
15th Anniversary Celebrations - We are 15 years old on July 1! In that time, we have made $19 million in grant funding to support hospice and other end-of-life care services. Thank you donors!
Golf Scramble - Day after Labor Day on Sept. 3, 2012 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach, California. Rare opportunity to play these world-renowned, members-only courses, so be sure to check our website this summer for all the details.
Southern Comfort BBQ & Auction - (September) Wonderful party at the beautiful Massa Vineyard in Arroyo Seco in Southern Monterey County, Calif., hosted by Bill and Laurie Massa. This event attracts business and social leaders from the South County region to the spectacular grounds of the vineyard to raise funds for hospice! Call us if you are interested in more information!
Coping with Grief at the Holidays - Two very special workshops for families who have lost a loved one and for those who need some support about how to cope with grief during the holiday period. These will be November 3 and 10, 2012 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Monterey and St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church in Salinas.
Trees of Life Tribute Light Campaign - Three tree lightings in December with hundreds of lights illuminated, each in honor or in memory of someone. Get your 2012 light dedication early by call 831-333-9023. Dates to be determined.
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