UAMS Receives Donations Representing Every County in Arkansas for Day of Giving

By Andrew Vogler

By the end of the fundraiser, UAMS achieved its expressed goal of receiving donations representing all 75 counties in Arkansas.

“We are continually humbled by the support this event receives each year, not only from within UAMS, but from all areas of the state and beyond,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health, who made the day’s first donation. “As an institution that serves people throughout the state, we are especially thrilled that we had donations from every county — an achievement that demonstrates Arkansans’ strong belief in UAMS’ mission.”

Started in 2017, the fundraiser is UAMS’ largest single-day fundraising effort, helping raise awareness of the critical importance of philanthropic support for patient care, education and research programs across the institution, while celebrating UAMS’ impact on the health and wellness of all Arkansans.

State funding is only a small percentage of UAMS’ $1.5 billion annual budget. Patient care revenue makes up the lion’s share, or 75%. UAMS relies on philanthropic support from generous donors to provide much-needed funds for clinical excellence, groundbreaking research and innovative education and training of the next generation of health professionals.

“We are excited by the statewide support we received for this year’s Day of Giving,” said John Erck, vice chancellor of Institutional Advancement. “Day of Giving offers an opportunity for the UAMS community to come together in a very meaningful way. UAMS touches every county in the state, and the fact that we received gifts representing each of those 75 counties shows recognition of that statewide impact. No matter how big or small, every gift advances UAMS’ important work and improves access to health and wellness services to every Arkansan.”

“Nearly 300 donors made 419 gifts to support the various programs, funds, colleges or institutes that mattered most to them,” said Amanda May, executive director of alumni and annual giving. “The strong philanthropic spirit of Arkansans was on full display during this year’s giving day as we watched donations come in from every corner of the state, and beyond.”