Long-time Providence Foundations board member and donor Nancy Lematta made another $2 million gift to Providence in early December 2020. After donating $2 million earlier this year to support COVID-19 research and response at Providence, Nancy said she was moved to give again to help other programs in need of support.
“I trust Providence wholeheartedly. I’ve been cared for here, my late husband received his cancer treatment here, and I am proud to serve on the board,” said Nancy. “I am blessed with the ability to give, and I know Providence will use my gift to help advance care throughout Oregon.”
Nancy’s generous gift is divided among programs that will help all Oregonians:
- Children’s health: $500,000
- Area of greatest need: $300,000
- Newborn/neonatal research: $200,000
- Cancer research: $500,000
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute $250,000
- COVID research and response: $250,000
- Senior health: $250,000
- Heart services: $250,000
- Behavioral health: $250,000
- Health care ethics: $250,000
“We are so grateful to Nancy for her continued generosity and support to Providence,” said Kelly Buechler, chief philanthropy officer, Providence Foundations of Oregon. “A gift of this magnitude, especially distributed among several key programs, does so much to help Providence patients, communities and programs. Her generosity also inspires others to give, and we are humbled by Nancy’s friendship and support.”
Earlier this year, Nancy donated $2 million to COVID-19 research and response at Providence. Her gift inspired others to donate in support of the battle against COVID-19. Hear from Nancy about why she made this gift.
Nancy and her late husband Wes, founder of Columbia Helicopters, have been generous community philanthropists to Providence and other organizations for many years. The Jill Lematta Learning Center, part of Providence Cancer Institute, is named in honor of Wes’s late daughter.
"I am blessed with the ability to give, and I know Providence will use my gift to help advance care throughout Oregon."
