PROVIDENCE – A gift of $1 million from a Rhode Island couple to The Miriam Hospital will establish a fund to assist the hospital’s nurses with student loan and tuition payments.
The Carol and Fred Levinger Nursing Excellence Fund will also support The Miriam’s efforts to recruit and retain nurses, as well as bolster career development for newly hired nurses and continued nursing education.
The Levingers said they made the gift to The Miriam after a family member had a positive experience as a patient.
“I cannot overstate the extraordinary level of care our loved one received, or the difference that care made in their outcome,” said Fred Levinger. “It inspired us to give, and recognizing there is a national shortage of nurses, we wanted to do something impactful to make a difference here.”
The Miriam has garnered national recognition for its nursing program, earning a Magnet designation for nursing excellence six consecutive times. The honor is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
“The Levingers’ gift represents transformational philanthropy – we are beyond grateful to Carol and Fred for their generosity and for their commitment to the vital role nurses play at The Miriam,” said Maria Ducharme, the hospital’s president. “Always, but especially during these trying times, we want our nurses and clinical staff to feel valued and appreciated. It is tremendous that we will now be able to invest even more in the skills of our people, directly impacting patient care.”
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN contributing writer.
